Active Kids Activities Posts
How To: Make a Turkish-style jewelry box or trinket box with your kids
Make a beautiful box for your child to keep their jewelry or precious possessions in. You'll need a small plastic or metal container, strands of thread with small beads on them, plastic gems or rhinestones, a hot glue gun and a kid-friendly pair of scissors.
How To: Make a paper craft that teaches your child how to tie their shoelaces
Teach your child how to tie shoelaces, and have fun at the same time! You can make a pair of paper shoes with laces by using recycled cardboard, foam leaves, a glue gun, a hole punch, scissors and, of course, a pair of shoelaces!
How To: Make a pair of Turkish-inspired bedroom slippers out of paper
This is a fun craft to do with your child which teaches them how to make a Turkish-style pair of slippers. All you'll need is some colored cardboard, decorative ribbon, glue, scissors, colored markers and a few decorations to put on the shoes.
How To: Jump rope using the double dutch routine
You'll need to assemble a good team if you want to pull off double dutch. This video comes from competitive jump ropers, but you can use the strategies and techniques outlined for your own leisure or playtime jump rope games.
How To: Make a toy swing out of Tinker Toys
Make a fun little toy swing! This video gives you the plans to make a swing for your dolls or other toys. You'll need to assemble five pink rods, two red rods, one green rod, two blue spools, four yellow spools and four orange washers to make this item.
How To: Make a candy-filled paper carrot with your child
Make a paper carrot and fill it with candy! To make this craft, you'll need green crepe paper, orange construction paper, glue, candies, and a pair of kid-safe scissors. Once you make the paper shell, you can fill it with candy (or anything else you want)!
How To: Make an easy patriotic beaded bracelet
Perfect for a 4th of July craft, this tutorial shows you how to make an easy beaded bracelet with a patriotic touch. You'll need some copper wire (or jewelry wire), red, white and blue beads, a pencil and a pair of safety scissors.
How To: Make an octopus toy out of yarn
This is a fun craft for a child of any age, which teaches how to make an octopus out of yarn. All you need besides the yarn is a pair of googly eyes, glue and scissors. And a few decorations, like a pom pom or foam flower, if you want.
How To: Jump rope with two ropes for double dutch
Double dutch is jumping rope with two ropes, with someone at either end and jumpers in the middle trying to jump both ropes. This video shows you how to jump rope with double dutch, and also teaches some popular rhythm-keeping chants.
How To: Make a bumble bee out of an old plastic Easter egg
Easter is over, and what to do with all the plastic eggs that hold candy? You can always recycle them and turn them into a bumble bee! This craft requires 2 googly eyes, one black pipe cleaner, one white, gold or silver pipe cleaner, a stick and some glue.
How To: Make a porcupine or hedgehog craft out of paper
Here's a fun rainy day craft, good for especially young children. Make your own porcupine or hedgehog out of construction paper. You'll need yellow and brown origami paper, one black marker, one popsicle stick, two googly eyes, a stapler, glue and a pair of safety scissors.
How To: Make a battery operated paper pinwheel that spins
Here's another fun summertime craft for your budding engineer - make a spinning paper pinwheel or fan! You'll need a C-battery, a toy motor, two soda caps, a popsicle stick, foil paper, copper wire, a small sheet of foam, a sharp pencil, a hot glue gun and some safety scissors.
How To: Make a crafty bracelet out of recycled jeans and plastic bottles
Teach your children art at the same time you teach them conservation! This video shows you how to take an old pair of jeans and an empty plastic bottle, then add a little lace and other decorations to make a cute denim bracelet.
How To: Make a people chain out of paper
This is a very basic and very easy tutorial on how to make a chain of people holding hands. All you'll need is a large piece of paper, a pen to trace out your silhouette, and a pair of scissors.
How To: Teach your preschooler about triangles by making fish
This is a great way to teach your child about basic shapes and basic animals! All you need are some paper triangles, and maybe a googly eye and a bit of glue! Use four triangles to make the head, tail and fins for your fish!
How To: Make a recycled kids puppet from a glove and pom poms
This video shows you a fun and easy craft - recycle an old glove and, by gluing colored pom poms onto it, turn it into a puppet! You'll need to use a hot glue gun to attach the pom poms, so make sure your children don't burn themselves.
How To: Make a visor that looks like a lady bug with your kids
Here's a great art project that's great for summertime crafts - make a visor look like a ladybug. You'll need a red visor, a permanent marker, some pom poms and pipe cleaners, googly eyes, glue and scissors. Make sure your kids don't cut themselves!
How To: Make a cupcake out of colored construction paper
A great craft for a rainy day! This project is very simple and only requires some construction paper in various colors (brown, pink, red, orange, purple, yellow and blue), glue, scissors and brown marker. You can add glitter or stickers to the 'frosting' if you want.
How To: Make a flower or candy basket out of construction paper
This is an easy and fun craft for your kids which will teach them how to make a small basket out of construction paper. You can use it to hold candies, flowers or any other small children's articles. You just need some brightly colored paper, scissors, glue and a stapler.
How To: Make a fun little penguin out of pom poms and glue
This is a quick and fun craft for making cute little fluffy penguins out of pom poms. You'll need one large black pom pom, one medium white pom pom, one medium black pom pom, three small orange pom poms, two small black pom poms, a pair of googly eyes and a hot glue gun or textile glue. Be careful around the hot glue gun!
How To: Make a colorful caterpillar out of an egg carton
Here's another fun recycled craft for you and your kids! Turn an empty egg carton into a colorful caterpillar. You'll need the carton as well as colored paint, a paint brush, googly eyes, pipe cleaners, glue and scissors. Then just follow the instructions to make your own very hungry caterpillar!
How To: Make a fun block house out of wooden building blocks
Make a toy house out of wooden building blocks. You'll need one square block for the body of the house and a triangular prism for the roof. You'll also need paint in several colors and a paint brush, as well as glue and a black marker.
How To: Make slime for under 5 dollars
In this video, we learn how to make slime for under 5 dollars. You will need: a large pan, gallon of water, food coloring, and 1 c corn starch. Mix in warm water and continue to mix until everything is well combined. Keep adding more water to corn starch until it's the consistency that you would like. After it's hot and a slimy substance, add in some food coloring that you would like. After this, pour the slime into individual containers and allow it to cool so you can use at a later time. Wh...
How To: Face paint flowers and butterflies
In order to face paint flowers and butterflies, you will need the following: metallic white, pin, a sponge, a paintbrush, green paint, glitter, yellow paint, purple paint, and blue paint.
How To: Mix face paints with water
In this video, we learn how to mix face paints with water. First, you will dip your brush into water and then dip it into the paint color you want. Now, paint on your body where you want that color to do. When finished, place the brush into the water and swish it around until clean, then dip the brush into a new color and continue painting on your body with new brushes, cleaning them as you go. To use a sponge, dip the tip of the sponge into the water, then rub it into the paint color you des...
How To: Do Batman face paint
In this video, we learn how to do Batman face paint. First, you will need to apply a metallic silver paint to make a mask Batman design around the eyes. Next, use a fine tip brush to paint black for the outline around the Batman design. You may need to have the logo printed out by you so you know how to paint it. Next, draw a circle around each of the eyes, then you will have the completed Batman face paint! This is great for children and is extremely easy to do. This is great for parties and...
How To: Face paint a snake design
In this video, we learn how to face paint a snake design. First, dip a paintbrush into dark green paint and place it on the forehead. Bring the brush down in a snake shape until you reach the cheek. Make a lump at the bottom of the snake followed by a small line for the tail. After this, dip a different brush into white and make a small dot on the face to make eyes, then make two teeth fangs. Also fill in the bottom to make the rattle on the bottom of the tail. Next, use red to make a snake t...
How To: Face paint the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Michelangelo
We are painting the ninja turtle-Michelangelo. Use orange metallic to cover over face. Put orange metallic around the eyes and ears. Use green metallic on forehead and across the nose, chin, mouth and cheeks. Use white close to the mouth for smile and teeth. Take black paint and give a bandit face. Outline the eyes, forehead. Place wrinkles around the eyes and make knots on the side of the face to make it look like a tie. Make the ninja turtle mouth smile.
How To: Craft a lizard out of foam & pipe cleaner
In this video, we learn how to craft a lizard out of foam and pipe cleaner. First grab your piece of foam and poke a hole into the front of it going through it, then through the back going all the way through. Next, poke the pipe cleaner through the holes so it looks like four legs. After this, poke a hole in the back to string the tail through. Poke a hole through the front and place a red pipe cleaner inside of it with a curl at the end to make it look like the tongue. To finish, draw on tw...
How To: Craft a colorful paper banner with your kids
In this video tutorial, viewers learn how to make a colorful paper banner. This task is very easy, fast and simple to do. The materials required for this project are: construction paper, yarn, scissors and a hole puncher. Begin by folding the construction in half. Then fold it in half on again. Now cut pattern on the side edge of the paper and repeat this process for additional paper. Open the paper to reveal the symmetrical cut out pattern. This video will benefit those viewers who are inter...
How To: Make 5 easy face or body paint designs
In this video, we learn how to make five easy face or body paint designs. First, to make a shooting star, grab a sponge and apply your paint to the edge of it. You will want to paint three colors next to each other on the edge of the sponge. Now, drag this across the skin and make a point at the end, then paint on a star. Next, to make a flower you will paint four hearts that are all touching with their points in the middle, then paint on leaves by swiping the brush sideways. To paint Spiderm...
How To: Craft a pom-pom seal with your kids
In this video tutorial, viewers learn how to make a pom pom seal. The materials required for this project are: 1 large brown pom pom, 4 medium brown pom poms, 3 small pom poms, 2 white pom poms, 1 small piece of brown felt, 2 googly eyes, glue and scissors. Begin by gluing the brown pom poms together. The large pom pom is the head, 4 medium pom poms are the body and 2 small pom poms are the hands. Then glue the 2 white pom poms and mini black pom pom on the head for the mouth and nose. Glue t...
How To: Do tiger face paint in two minutes
In this video, we learn how to do tiger face paint in two minutes. This is a simple tiger, so it will be perfect for family outings or something you need done quickly. First, use a sponge and orange paint to paint the middle of the face orange. After this, use a sponge with white paint to make the eyes white and the section underneath the nose white. Now, take your orange paint again and paint the cheeks and chin orange. Use the white paint to make fangs on the lips going down to the chin. Ne...
How To: Make a sun catcher with your kids
In this video, we learn how to make a sun catcher with your kids. First, you need laminating paper, two paper hearts, and scissors. First, cut the center of one heart out by sticking your scissors in and making your way around the heart. Next, place the outline of the heart inside of the laminating pouch, then decorate the inside of it how you prefer. You can use whatever you want to decorate the inside, including: glitter, crayon shavings, tissue paper, etc. Next, place the paper inside of a...
How To: Craft a homemade jump rope with your kids
In this video, we learn how to craft a homemade jump rope with your kids. You will need: 2 think plastic containers, a heavy rope, and scissors. First, take your plastic containers and cut a hole in the bottom of each of them with the scissors. After this, place your rope through the inside of each one. Tie a knot at the end of each side of the rope so it's thick enough that it won't go through the hole you just made. After this pull the rope down and now you will be able to use it as a jump ...
How To: Make a lava lamp as a cool science experiment for kids
In this Family video tutorial you will learn how to make a lava lamp as a cool science experiment for kids. For this project you will need food coloring, water, vegetable oil and antacid pills. Take a bottle and fill quarter of the bottle with water. Fill up the rest of the space with oil. The water and oil will remain separate. Now drop food coloring in to the bottle. Each color will behave differently. For example, green settles at the bottom, yellow stays in the middle, red dissolves right...
How To: Make a thumbprint butterfly clay pot with your kids
Shelley Lovett teaches us how to make a thumbprint butterfly clay pot in this tutorial. First, start off with a medium sized clay pot and several different colored paints. To make the butterflies, have your kids dip their thumbprint into paint and make a butterfly. Make two thumbprints on each side of the butterfly body. Use a paintbrush to paint in the body and head of the butterfly. When finished, use a sealer to secure the paint on the pot, then let dry completely. You can now use these po...
How To: Craft a bug barn or bug habitat with your kids
In this tutorial, we learn how to craft a bug barn or bug habitat. You will need: 1 Quaker oat box, masking tape, paint, mesh netting, poster board, ribbon, scissors, and a paint brush. First, cut one side of your box out and apply mesh over it with masking tape. Now, paint over the paint and over the entire box with your preferred colors. After this, decorate the inside of the box with paper. Cut a hole in the top of the box and place a string at the top to easily take it off. When finished ...
How To: Craft a magnet boat with your kids
In this video, we learn how to craft a magnet boat with kids. You will need: a paper clip, a small triangle piece of foam, 1 magnet, 1 recycled stick, 1 recycled popsicle stick 1 bead, and a hot glue gun. First, attach the toothpick to the bead, then glue the triangle to the top of the toothpick. Next, cut 1/4 of the popsicle stick and attach the sail to the middle of the popsicle stick and use the paperclip the make it stay on the bow. Now, place the boat in water and attach a magnet to the ...
How To: Make a fairytale princess hat with your kids
In this video tutorial, viewers learn how to make a fairy princess hat. The materials required for this project are: white cardboard/postcard, glitter stickers, glue, white lace/ribbon, red and white thin plastic ribbons and scissors. Begin by folding the white cardboard into a cone shape and glue it together. Trim the bottom of the cone. Then scrunch the lace ribbon to an accordion style fold and glue it to the bottom of the cone. Now decorate the cone with stickers or paint. Then glue the r...