Kid's Crafts

How many crafts do 3 kids need?
I've read Simplicity Parenting - great book, many ideas I think would be useful but not always easy to institute.  In fact, in this house you wouldn't know I've read the book and I'd like to change that.

And recently (but before I started this blog!)  I purchased a 'grab bag' at Michael's.  Ever see one?  They package up all kinds of clearance items in a Michael's bag, staple it shut, put a price tag on it and wooolah - a gem in the eyes of many bargain hunting crafters.  A consumer's dream.  You can see what's in them and I was allured, only because I saw someone in the checkout line with a bag.  In fact, at the time, I even got out of line to go seek this grab bag.  So I found a bag with Boy's crafts - helpful because I have 2 boys.  It was 2 packages of make your own crafts for $2.  Why?  I've bought other kid's crafts in a box and usually am terribly disappointed - either too hard or the glue doesn't really work.  So what was I thinking - dragging more stuff into the house? 
Here is one of the boxes completed...
Dinosaurs painted with paint provided in the box (have I shown you a picture of the plastic tub of paint that I have?  The kids did enjoy painting - but again, they would have been happy if I gave them a empty toilet paper roll and the paints we already own.

Airplanes - one is already broken and discarded and the other spends most of it time on the floor waiting to be stepped on.  Fun to play with for about one minute.  As I write this, the blue plane just ended up in the toilet - and now the garbage. 

Catapult - cool concept, but the string already fell off it, 2 of the beanbags are missing - probably in the couch  - and the catapult doesn't work unless you hold the bottom while pulling back on the catapult.  Again, a toy that missed the mark and will be thrown out soon.









I show these things to remind myself when the next Grab Bag is available at Michael's:

•  I don't need these types of toys in the house. 
• We can make our own fun crafts with what's already on hand. 
• Don't buy things that will just end up in a landfill.
• Get things that are age appropriate.
• And for goodness sakes, there will be age appropriate crafts available when the kids grow up - it's not likely that all the major craft stores are going to go out of business soon (maybe without me shopping at them, they might? Ha! Ha!) - so no hoarding crafts for the future!

In light of all this, I gave the 2nd box to my neighbor who has 4 older boys (compared to mine) who will appreciate these crafts. 

2 big boxes removed from the craft pile. :)