Add Color To Your Home: 15 Cool Projects For Kids

Why do we all love “do it yourself” projects? There’s just something about creating something on your own. The artistic expression and sense of accomplishment motivates us to keep exploring. If you’ve got kids at home, it can also be an excellent way of spending some quality family bonding time with them while also encouraging them to explore their creative side.

Here are a few fun projects to keep the kids (and parents) entertained.

1. There’s A Galaxy In My Room

Image Source And Idea: momdot.com

These funky looking and fun to make jars add a lot of color to your house during the day. Their party trick is how fabulous they look at night. Your children will love these natural night-lights. You will undoubtedly spark their interests in the sky above them.

To make your galaxy jar, all you will need to do is:

1. Wash a transparent glass jar and allow it to dry.
2. Buy some glow in the dark fabric paint. For best results, use light fluorescent colors of contrasting shades.
3. Next, grab a paintbrush and let the kids dot the inside of the jars with as many colors as they like. You can even paint miniature versions of the planets from our solar system.
4. Allow it to dry in sunlight for a few hours.
5. Your galaxy jars are ready. Use them as colorful mantel displays or in the dark corners of your child’s room.

2. Psychedelic Suncatcher

Image Source And Idea: babbledabbledo.com

Have your kids create a little abstract art with these fun to make suncatchers. They will add color to any room. They will also have your kids buzzing about the colors and the crazy designs they created.

To make these fantastic suncatchers:

1. Grab a few plastic lids from jars of medium to large sizes.
2. You will need to coat the lids with large quantities of glue. Make sure you do this yourself to avoid any accidents from the children.
3. Have your kids select two of their favorite watercolors and add a few drops of the glue.
4. Using a toothpick, ask them to swirl the colors around. Make sure to mix the colors only until a pattern develops. This will prevent the colors from mixing and forming an unpleasant shade.
5. Allow the glue to dry. This will require patience from both you and the children since it could take between 2 to 3 days to dry completely.
6. Once it dries, peel the glue off the lid, punch a hole in the top, and hang it from a window frame.

3. Homemade Snow In A Jar – Lego Style

Image Source And Idea: minieco.co.uk

Most people love snow, and just about everyone loves Lego. Combining the blocks and some snow is the way to go. Make sure the jar is large enough to fit your Lego figure plus the added height of the base.

All you need to do is:

1. Glue any Lego figure you like to a Lego base and let it dry.
2. Stick the figure with its base to the inside of a jar’s lid and allow it to dry.
3. Buy some glitter and have your kids sprinkle it into the jar. Then have them fill the jar almost to the brim with water.
4. Add the lid and screw it on tight to allow for no air pockets to develop. Your snow jar is ready. Shake it to create a snowstorm!
5. You can be as creative as you like. If your children love space or astronauts, simply print out a coloring page with a spaceship (on waterproof paper). Have your children color it and stick it to the inside of the jar.

4. Stylish Bead Necklaces

Image Source And Idea: hellowonderful.co

If you’re looking for a fun project that is simple and will allow your children to get creative, this is the perfect art piece for you. These necklaces are great for women of all ages.

To make your bead necklaces:

1. Buy large sheets of colored corrugated paper. Cut them into long triangular and rectangular shapes.
2. Add glue to the inside of the paper and. Have your children roll the paper into circles around a straw or pencil. Once they’ve sufficiently dried, get rid of the straw.
3. Run a string through the center of the beads and string together various combinations of colors and shapes

5. Messy Ice Paintings

Image Source And Idea: two-daloo.com

Which kid doesn’t love making a mess? How about letting them play with colored ice cubes? It will make their day! For obvious reasons, this activity is best for the summer.

To let your children get started with their ice paintings:

1. Make colorful ice cubes by simply filling ice trays with water and adding a few drops of watercolor to each tray.
2. Every artist needs a canvas. For your child’s painting, use a plain sheet (preferably thick) to soak up the colored water. Place it on the ground.
3. Then step back and watch as your kid’s imagination runs wild. They can use the ice cubes like a paint brush or arrange the ice cubes in a pattern on the sheet and wait for it to melt.
4. The results are stunning and wouldn’t look out of place in a modern art gallery.

6. Stained Glass Pasta

Image Source And Idea: babbledabbledo.com

Pasta can be used for more than just making dinner. Since children love eating pasta, why not show them how to create fancy art with it as well. It looks great and doesn’t require a lot of fancy supplies.

To make your stained glass pasta:

1. Use a few sheets of raw lasagna pasta sheets. Cut them into varying shapes and sizes.
2. Color batches of pasta separately. Once they’ve been colored, allow them to dry.
3. Cut two sheets of contact paper of the same size. Remove the backing paper and leave the sticky side of the contact paper facing up.
4. Let your children place the colored pieces of pasta on the sheet. Make sure to leave a gap of at least one-fourth of an inch between each piece.
5. Place the second contact paper over the top of the pasta sheets. Using a black marker, fill in the gaps between each piece. Your masterpiece is ready.

7. Fancy Artificial Flowers

Image Source And Idea: pinkstripeysocks.com

If you’ve got girls in the house that love flowers, this idea is perfect for you. Show them how to create these lovely crystal flowers that are unique. They will add color to any room.

To make your flowers:

1. Pick up a few artificial flowers from the local shop.
2. Tie the stems of these flowers to a pencil.
3. Boil water and pour it into an empty container. Add spoonfuls of borax into the container. When the borax no longer dissolves, you’ll know you’ve added enough.
4. Place the flowers into the borax diluted water and allow it to sit for a few hours.
5. After a few hours, pull out your flowers and display your creation proudly in a vase in the living room.

8. Rainbow Salt Jars

Image Source And Idea: flaxandtwine.com

These colorful rainbow jars will add a dash of color to any room in the house. You could use them as a centerpiece for that grand dinner or a simple addition to your child’s nightstand.

To make your rainbow jars:

1. Have your children pour some salt onto a piece of paper. The amount of salt will depend on the size of the jars and how many layers you wish to add.
2. Let them choose their favorite color of chalk and rub it in the salt until the salt takes on the color of the chalk.
3. Repeat the process with a contrasting color. Pour the layers of salt into the jar and add different colors until the jar is full. Your rainbow jar is ready for display.

9. Simple to Make Clay Pots

Image Source And Idea: handmadecharlotte.com

Clay pots are an easy way to have your children create something unique and let their creative juices flow. To make these attractive clay pots:

1. Take a handful of air dry clay and roll it into a large ball. Give these to the children.
2. With their thumbs, have them poke a hole in the center of the ball and rotate the clay, creating a wider hole with each rotation.
3. Flatten the center of the hole to form a small pot. Use water to smoothen out the clay.
4. Take another ball of clay and flatten it to create the lid. Measure it into the pot for the right size. Add a small ball of clay to the lid to act as the handle.
5. Let the kids add beads, sequins, and other creative touches to personalize each pot. Wait for each pot to dry. This will take between 3 to 5 days, depending on the size.
6. Let the kids paint each pot to their liking.

10. Skittles Art Work

Image Source And Idea: mamapapabubba.com

Skittles are popular with both adults and children because they’re colorful and taste great. However, did you know you can use them to create paint?

All you need to do is:

1. Grab a big bag of Skittles and have your child divide them by color. Then get them to place groups of the same color into small containers. Each container will need at least 25 Skittles.
2. Then instruct your children to pour corn syrup into the containers of Skittles. Seal it up and leave it to rest for a few hours.
3. Once the Skittles have completely dissolved, give your kids a paintbrush and a blank canvas. Let them paint to their heart’s content.

11. Rainbow Rock Candy

Image Source And Idea: cookiedoughandovenmitt.com

Making homemade rock candy will be a trip down memory lane for the parents, and will give the kids a new favorite snack. To make colorful rock candy:

1. In a large saucepan, add 2 cups of granulated sugar, half a cup of light corn syrup, and half a cup of water.
2. Heat it until the mixture has reached 300 degrees. Remove from the heat, then add a few drops of food coloring and half a teaspoon of flavored oil. Stir vigorously.
3. Pour the hot mixture into a baking tray lined with baking paper and cooking spray.
4. Let it cool for half an hour, then have the kids dust it with powdered sugar. Your colorful rock candy is now ready.

12. Pony Bead Earrings

Image Source And Idea: thelifeofjenniferdawn.com

If your little girls are always searching for the latest earrings at the local mall, why not teach them how to improvise their own at home. Since they’re customizable, they are sure to suit every girl’s taste.

To make them:

1. Using a baking tray, have your child place an individual bead in each slot. Use beads of different colors.
2. Set the oven to 250 degrees and wait until each bead has melted.
3. Once they’ve cooled, get your child to glue them to an earring post. Your home made earrings are ready.

13. Cardboard Dreamcatchers

Image Source And Idea: hellowonderful.co

Cardboard looms are a great way for your kids to get started with handicrafts. Even though they look complicated, they are simple to make.

To create great looking cardboard hand looms:

1. Trace out circles of different diameters on a sheet of cardboard, and cut them out.
2. Mark spokes on your circle and cut a small portion along each spoke.
3. Tape some colorful yarn to the center of the circle and have your child run it through the cut portion. Get them to do this with the adjacent cut. Repeat the process with each cut until the circle is covered with yarn. Tape the end of the yarn to the back of the circle.
4. Add a different colored yarn to the center. Weave it into a circle, add buttons and other layers of yarn or anything else they like.

14. Cement Castles

Image Source And Idea: andweplay.com

Yes, you read that right. You can make castles out of cement that will last a lot longer than your ordinary sand castles. They’re also easy to make, and your kids will love them.

Here’s how to make them:

1. Mix easy-to-make cement according to the instructions on the bag.
2. Get a sand castle mold and have your child spray the insides with nonstick cooking spray.
3. Pour the cement into the mold and allow it to set. Once it’s dry, turn it upside down and watch the castle easily slip out.
4. Since they are heavy, place it where your kids like, then let them go mad with their new cement castle.

15. Balloon Dart Art

Image Source And Idea: hellowonderful.co

Do you want to do something fun with the kids that will be both creative and fun for the whole family? Balloon dart art is the activity for you.

To get started:

1. Buy washable paint, with lots of contrasting colors. Get a few small balloons and pour a little paint in each of them.
2. Blow a little air into each balloon and tie the mouth of the balloon into a small knot.
3. Get a large foam board and cover it with white canvas. Nail it to a post or any convenient object. Spread a sheet to mop up the paint from the ground.
4. Pin the balloons to the board with thumb-tacks.
5. Hand your kids some darts and watch as each balloon explosion splashes a range of colors on the canvas.

Conclusion

Wow! These activities will keep the family busy for some time to come.

We hope you enjoyed our list of 15 cool projects. Have fun doing these activities with your kids. After you try some out, let us know about your experience. We’d love to hear from your family.

Featured photo credit: beautiful locale for art via flickr.com

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