I am going to have a bunch of kids in my house in just over a week, and they will be expecting to do fun craft projects tomake presents for their friends and families. I guess that means it is time to choose crafts and make sure we have supplies, huh? I will need to consult the other mom that is helping with the planning, but I have some tentative plans.

Craft: Salt Dough Ornaments 

Supplies

salt
flour
water
skewer for making a hole in top
yarn for hanging
acrylics paints
paint brushes
paint markers

Do Ahead

Make the dough and bake the ornaments

Do at the Party

Paint the ornaments
Add yarn hangers when dry

I have the link above solely for the recipe; we will make other, simpler-to-paint shapes like candy canes and stockings. I think this will be popular because it will be quick and easy and fun to do.

Craft: Mod Felt Coasters 

Supplies

Ruler
White pencil
Assorted colors of wool felt
Scissors
White felt
Spray adhesive

Do Ahead

Maybe make an example?
Cut the colored rectangles ahead?

Do at the Party

Let the kids cut the rectangles?
Spray the adhesive on the white felt and place the rectangles
Let dry and cut into coasters

I need to decide whether or not to cut out the rectangles ahead of the party. I think it would make the craft go more quickly, but then it seems like we aren’t letting them do a big part of making it. I will need to do a trial run and see how long it takes, and then decide, but I am kind of leaning to cutting ahead and just letting them assemble and cut into individual coasters.

Craft: Scrap-Supply Magnets

Supplies

Small round magnets
Buttons
Ribbon
Fabric
Decals
Glue Gun

Do Ahead

Make some samples
Sort supplies

Do at the Party

Let the kids’ imaginations run wild!

I think this is another fun one that the kids will have a good time doing. There are so many different ways to make these that they will really be able to make some unique magnets.

Craft: Dragonfly 

Supplies

18 gauge wire
Wire cutters
Fabric window screening
Scissors
Hot glue gun and glue sticks
Gold spray paint
Gold bead trim
Gold glitter glue
Sharpened pencil
Florist tape
Large wooden bead for the head
Small flat bottomed jewels for decorating the body and wings

Do Ahead

Print templates and directions

Do at the Party

Let the teenagers do all the work

This is the craft that I picked for the more independent teenagers. I don’t anticipate having to do much with this, 14 year old girls should be able to handle it on their own.

I need to talk to the other moms coming to the party and see if they want to do something different. I also want to try all of the projects once without kids, so we can help them better. And, I need to figure out how to set up the stations for each craft. But, I think this is coming together!