Schools everywhere are closing to prevent the spread of COVID-19, and the day care centers that remain open are limiting their class sizes. If your child is stuck at home, many activities can keep them occupied. Small, simple crafts offer hours of fun and engagement. Here are a few creative projects to help your child pass the time at home.

What Are Some Easy Art Projects for Children? 

1. Rock Painting

With just some acrylic paint and a bit of imagination, your little one can turn dull rocks into colorful flowers, animals, and other creations. Take your child out into the yard and search for rocks 2 to 5 inches in diameter. Try to find smoother rocks to make painting easier, but look for a variety of shapes and sizes to inspire different designs. Display your child’s completed work in the front yard.

2. Craft Animals 

With just a few crafting materials, your child can create craft animals, like a caterpillar. To do this, cut at least five strips of green construction paper and one strip of red paper. Fold them into loops one at a time, threading each new loop into the last. The red strip should be the head. Cut out a black nose and antennae from black paper and attach them, along with a pair of googly eyes, to the head.

3. Homemade Play Dough

Homemade play dough requires only three ingredients: ½ cup cornstarch, 1 cup baking soda, and ¾ cup of water. All you need to do is mix them in a saucepan, stir continuously on medium heat, and remove the mixture once it solidifies. When it cools, break out the food coloring and glitter and let your child decorate their new play dough.

4. Pine Cone Bird Feeders

If your child is an avid birdwatcher, they’ll love building their own feeder. Take a pine cone found in the yard and coat it in peanut butter. Fill a tray with birdseed and dip the pine cone into the mixture until it is completely covered. Finally, tie a ribbon around the top, hang it from a tree by the window, and let the birds come to the feast.

5. Airplane Clothespins

Toys don’t have to be expensive or name-brand. Your child can create toys that are fun using materials found around the house. Using clothespins, craft foam, scissors, and glue, they’ll have a whole new fleet of planes. Cut the craft foam into the shape of sticks and small semicircles to create front wings, back wings, and a tail fin, then glue them to the clothespin.

Your child deserves a safe and welcoming environment to learn and grow, and you can rely on Merry Manor School of Childhood to provide it. Serving families throughout Lincoln, NE, this preschool and day care center emphasizes the importance of a balanced curriculum. Their highly qualified staff will fill your child’s day with stimulating, age-appropriate activities that focus on confidence, creativity, and critical thinking skills. Visit their website for more information about their child care services. To ask a friendly staff member about enrollment, call (402) 466-2215.