Crafternoon: 10 crafts to entertain kids at home

Glitter, glue, Play-Doh and paint, oh my! If the kiddos are getting a little rambunctious and need a creative outlet, it may be time to get down with a crafternoon (crafty afternoon). From easy friendship bracelets to stress balls, there is a plethora of things to keep minds and hands engaged. Here are 10 kid-approved crafts to try out.

1. Marbleized paper. The main materials you’ll need are paper, shaving cream and food coloring. Spread shaving cream on a plate and put in a few drops of food coloring. Gently swirl into a marbleized pattern. Take a sheet of paper and put face down onto mixture. Lay flat to dry.

2. Embroidery friendship bracelets. One of my favorite things to do as a kid (yes, I’m a product of late-80s/early 90s upbringing) was to raid my mom’s stash of embroidery floss and make friendship bracelets. With plenty of patterns available online, these are super easy to make.

3. Paper roll butterflies. Save the empty toilet paper rolls for this adorable craft. All you’ll need is a toilet paper roll, a little paint, construction paper and glue. Get a little fancy and use stray buttons or glitter for decorating the wings.

4. Bouncy balls. My kids loved bouncy balls when they were younger. Make your own with just three ingredients: water, borax and Elmer’s glitter glue.

5. Ninja stress balls. Let’s face it, our current world situation is more than stressful. Adjusting to a new normal and being cooped up can take a toll on stress levels. Why not make your own ninja stress ball? Grab a couple of balloons, a plastic sandwich bag, some Play-Doh and a sharpie for decoration. A word to the wise — they’re a bit firmer than foam ones, so it’s advised to not throw them at each other.

6. Suncatchers. Spring means the sun tends to make more than the occasional appearance. Catch the radiant glow of the sun by creating colorful suncatchers using coffee filters and washable markers.

7. Crystal egg geodes. This craft is a fantastic way to incorporate a little earth science into a long-term craft. Using eggshells, Epsom salt and food coloring, little ones can see how crystals grow over time.

8. Mason jar snow globes. Rinse out an old mason jar, grab the hot glue gun, a little baby oil (or glycerin), water, some glitter and a hard, plastic toy for a fun project. Note: chunkier glitter works best for this craft.

9. Harry Potter wands. If you are able to take a walk in the woods, collect a few sticks or twigs along the way. Otherwise, leftover wooden chopsticks from your favorite takeout work just as well. Grab a glue gun, some acrylic paint and voila! Instant wands to practice your favorite Harry Potter spells.

10. Rock photo holders. The perfect craft for your little rock collector. With a little paint, thin (yet durable) wire and hot glue, these photo holders also make fun gifts for family members (and an excellent paperweight for the office).