How To: Do toddler-easy arts & crafts projects

Nancy Stone, a Parenting Coach, shares some Excellent ideas for helping children express themselves and learn new things through doing simple crafts.

Finger painting is the best thing for toddlers because they love to get messy and they love to make art, but they aren't able to color inside the lines with pencils or pens, so paint is the perfect solution.

She recommends keeping a box or plastic container filled with things that are fun for toddlers. Feathers are a good choice because kids love to feel different textures. Gluing feathers onto a piece of paper is a fun craft for a toddler. Cotton balls can be fun also. No toddler craft box would be complete without pipe cleaners. Pipe cleaners provide endless possibilities because even children who are just learning how their hands work can easily bend and shape them. A real treat for the kids is to mix some dish soap into a bowl of water, and twist the pipe cleaner into a bubble blower. This provides a chance for them to start learning about science, and learning that they can make things themselves and have control over their own environment.