What are some craft ideas for kids to bring with you on vacation?

1. STAFF

   Paul Edmondsonposted 13 years ago

   What are some craft ideas for kids to bring with you on vacation?
   
   We are heading out on vacation with five families and are looking for some easy craft ideas that are easy to clean up after to do with all the kids.  The kids range from two years old to fourteen years old, with the majority around seven years old.

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2. 84

   wychicposted 13 years ago

   The first thing that comes to mind, especially if you're going to be traveling around a lot, are knitting boards. These are boards, such as a piece of 2x4, with a hole cut out of the center and nails driven into it at regular intervals around that hole. "Load" the knitting board with yarn by tying off to one nail and then running the yarn around the inside of the ring of nails, looping it around each nail. For the first time, you will need two rounds of yarn, which should not have much of any slack but can not be tight. Next, grab the bottom yarn on each nail and pull it over the top of the upper loop and let it slide off the nail. Now push what was previously the top yarn down and put another round of yarn on and repeat. We always used a paper clip with the end bent out to grab the yarn loops easier, and made the boards with finishing nails. My son was able to do this at age 3 1/2, but for younger kids you can use larger nails and chunky yarn to make it easy to pluck the loops with the fingers. This will form into a knitted tube that can be made into a scarf by tying pieces of yarn to the ends, or can be made into shirts or dresses for larger dolls. I have ideas on a couple of other things as well, but suspect I'll have to be writing a hub about it because it will definitely run too long here .

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   hellokatelynposted 13 years ago

   When I was a kid, I liked the "spy" books that you read through and highlighted invisible ink messages with a special marker. It's not really a craft but it's definitely the easiest clean-up...none at all.
   
   I would say pick an easy craft that has to do with your vacation destination. If you're going to the beach, buy small vases and have the kids collect shells or sea glass (not harmful, since it's smooth from the ocean) and make a cute arrangement they can put in their room. Plus, kids love to beach comb so they will be at it for hours.
   
   If you're going out in the wilderness, the mountains, or camping...There's a really easy craft I did in girl scouts. Have the kids collect small but thick sticks, glue them together to make a picture frame, and put a picture from the trip in the frame when you're done!
   
   If you're going to a new city or something of that sort, have the kids collect some things that will help them remember the trip-- tickets, stamps, anything small and available. There are tons of things you can do with this stuff...modpodge them to a small box they can keep photos in, glue them to a plain wooden picture frame, and much more.
   
   Hope that helps!

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