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Making a Mobile Craft Supply Box for the Kids
by Amanda Formaro
Your kids love crafts, so why not create a supply box for traveling? That's right, a box of supplies that you can take with you and your kids can enjoy while you travel. Some items are more important than others, so if you collect these few items you can have plenty of fun without all the extras.
To begin, head to the store and grab a $1.00 plastic shoebox. If you're feeling creative or just really thrifty, you can make your own container out of a large recycled cereal box. Cover in construction paper and decorate however you like. You can even make a handle from felt and staple it to the top of your box.
Use this list as a guide for filling your mobile craft supply box:
10 Sheets of Construction Paper
It's quite amazing what kids can create with a stack of construction paper. Folding, cutting, tearing and pasting, colorful pieces of paper are transformed into mini works of art. Stack ten sheets in various colors, roll them up and secure with a rubber band.
4 Sheets of Felt
Much like construction paper, you can hand a child a few sheets of felt and let them create! Felt is easy to handle and wraps nicely around paper towel rolls and recycled cereal boxes. It's also a fun fabric to use when teaching children how to use a sewing needle. As with the construction paper, stack and roll the sheets to store in your kit.
Markers, Crayons or Colored Pencils
They don't have to be perfect, and it doesn't matter if they are even in the package, just as long as they create color. Just remember to keep the caps with the markers so they don't dry out. Use a gallon plastic storage bag and toss in a handful of each type of coloring utensil that you have.
Handful of Chenille Stems
Oh the creatures and characters you can create with chenille stems! From simple flowers to a cute farm full of animals, chenille stems inspire imagination.
Embellishment Bags
Fill a couple of sandwich bags with wiggle eyes, some buttons, a handful of beads, a variety of sequins, stickers, pom-poms, and anything else you might have on hand for embellishing projects.
Glue & Scissors
What good would all of these supplies be without something to cut then up and stick them all together with! Your best bet are the small glue sticks and the smallest bottles of school glue available as well as children's safety scissors. If your kids are a little older, you might want to include a mini stapler in your travel box.
Extra Bags
Keep an empty plastic grocery bag tucked inside a plastic gallon storage bag. When you child starts pulling out the supplies, use the plastic grocery bag for scraps that are destined for the garbage, and keep the gallon storage bag for excess supply scraps. This is perfect for collecting pieces of felt, construction paper and cut chenille stems. No sense throwing something away that can be used in another project!
So next time you head off to a friend or relative's house, perhaps one that is not prepared for small visitors, you will have your mobile supply kit on hand to keep your child busy and happy.
More You Might Like:
Travel with kids
Kid's craft ideas
Coloring pages
About the Author:
Amanda Formaro is the crafty, entrepreneurial mother of four children. She loves to bake, cook and make crafts. She is the craft expert for FamilyCorner.com and Kaboose.com. You can see her crafty creations on Crafts by Amanda and her delicious recipes on Amanda's Cookin'. She is also the owner of Fun Family Crafts.
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