Fun crafting projects for young or functional level children and students.

Children learn from everything they do. When allowed to create things through crafting, young ones learn many skills all at once, while operating under the notion they are doing nothing more than having fun. Technically speaking, they are learning through verbal, visual, and kinesthetic means. Multiple types of learning all occurring at the same time affords maximum retention of concepts.

Crafting is good for working on skill acquisitions such as color recognition, scissor safety, conservation of materials, sharing of materials and following directions in sequence.

Making things allows little hands to be busy, developing minds to explore such concepts as measurements and patterns and tender hearts to swell with pride from having created something that looks great.

Success breeds success.

This lens will show you some of my all time favorite crafting projects for children. These projects rank as highly desirable to me primarily because they result in a great product allowing children to earn a sense of accomplishment.

Just as importantly, since I usually have to buy all the supplies for the entire class, they are affordable.

This project is good for fundraising and gifts.

Bath salts are fun and easy to make. When making this project, children will explore measurements, following directions in sequence, and work on fine and gross motor skills.

Materials - The basics

* Epson salts

* Food coloring

* Scented oils

* Large mixing bowls

* measuring cup

* eye droppers

* Large kitchen spoons

* Receptacles for finished product

Imagination often can go much further than dollars.

Always walk children through the steps verbally before beginning any project.

Since we will be working with salt here, it is important to remind little ones not to rub their eyes and to wash hands often. If working with lower level functional students, provide goggles.

Super teacher tip: Combine goggles and white lab coats. Children love to dress up! While children are mixing, talk to them about jobs in science or cool factoids about salt. For example, some cultures have used salt as money.

1.) Open bag of Epson salts.

2.) Carefully pour into mixing bowl.

3.) Add 6 - 8 drops of oil per 1 lb. bag of salt.

4.) Add 5-8 drops of desired food color.

5.) Let the mixing begin!

Students can dive right in with their hands and just start mushing it all around. They often get a kick out of the texture.

NOTE: Some students on the autism spectrum will not like the texture. Allow them the option of wearing rubber gloves or being the one to measure or fill receptacles. Don't push them to do something they are uncomfortable with.

Once the color is consistent, the bath salts are ready for packaging. Have children use the kitchen spoons to fill measuring cups to the desired amount. You need at least half a cup. Pour directly from the measuring cup into the receptacles. Bags or jars of salts can be as large as you want.

Super Teacher Safety Tip: Monitor the food coloring closely. Too much blue and the bather comes out a smurf. You get the idea.

try the following fun tips and ideas.

Add a pinch or two of body glitter to the bath salt mixture for a shimmery effect. Pick up on the look with a small ribbon in a matching shimmering color on the bag or jar receptacle used.

What girl doesn't like things that sparkle?

These are great for gifts or class fundraising projects.

There are two really good ways to do this. The only thing you do different when making the product is to add more scented oil, triple the amount to be exact. Now, the product is done, but this idea is mostly in the presentation.

Option 1 - Home air freshener

Have children fill Beta bowls, jars, or small candy bowls three quarters full. Cover the top with pre-cut squares of fine mesh cloth. Use rubber bands to hold in place and cover with ribbon. Attach a name tag for mom and bam! Great project pulled off.

Option 2 - Car air freshener

I discovered this entirely by chance. The first time I ever did this with a class as a fund raising project, we put them in little baggies with the cheapest ribbon imaginable and sold them for a dollar a piece. My functional vocational training class made about a hundred of these. It was a new project and they had gone a little overboard on the scented oils. They went from class to class marketing them. They were so cute carrying them around in baskets. It was Easter, so it worked well. I required them to write receipts. It's school policy and a good learning exercise. When checking over the receipts, I quickly discovered the vast majority of our customers were boys.

Being my curious self, I had to figure out what was going on. Having a great staff of four excellent para-professionals allowed my to delegate the activity at the time and go off sniffing after clues. I popped into a class down the hall where the teacher was a good friend of mine. I knew my class had sold in her room. I quickly explained and asked if she would allow me to speak to her class. She did.

The boys told me they were using the bath salts as air fresheners in their trucks! I teach in Texas. They loved them. They said they worked well and were small enough they could throw them under the seat. Who knew?

We sold out fast. We repeated that same project, with the same amount, three times over the following week. We sold out each time.

Check out a range of DIY bath salt recipes. They are all really easy, fun and fragrant.

It's just too easy.

Do you want a block buster fundraising project for Valentine's Day or Easter?

Use the exact same bath salts recipe and instructions listed above. Package the product for the holiday.

For Valentine's Day, use a big red bow to attach the bagged bath salts to teddy bears and watch them fly out of your school store or church. For Easter, do the exact same thing with bunnies or fill plastic eggs with the product.

you only get to be a child once.

Make it fun for them as much as you can while keeping them busy, learning and productive.

All acrostic poems and word art pieces displayed were created by Vix at cooltext.

Do not copy all or in part for republication be it online or off.