In my mind minimalism and crafting rarely ever go hand in hand.
I am not a crafty person. If a project doesn't have a purpose and can't be used in a meaningful and practical way, it doesn't make sense to even start the project.
My youngest daughter thinks very differently.
She is very passionate about crafting on a daily basis.
Her passion for crafting definitely challenged my minimalist ideas.
In the end, I found a way to still embrace minimalism while supporting my daughter in her crafting endeavors.
Check out our minimalist craft area for kids!
A Minimalist Craft Area for Kids
How to Use Small Spaces and Less Stuff When Crafting with Kids
Two major components of minimalism in our home are small spaces and less stuff.
Crafting challenges both of these ideas!
My first challenge was finding a small space I could devote to crafting supplies, one that would store as many as possible.
I chose the corner of our dining room, as my daughter likes to craft at the table.
The dining room is right across from the kitchen sink used for clean up.
In this space I could utilize a set of shelves and a wall full of shelving as well.
Wall storage can help in small spaces so much!
Creating a crafting area was actually very helpful. It saved my husband and I from searching the house up and down for materials our daughter needed for each crafting project.
The second challenge was only choosing a small amount of craft supplies that would be used and not wasted.
Sunshine, my daughter, has crafting preferences, so I chose to focus on those.
When interests changed and she had used all of the craft supplies associated with those interests, I would put new items out.
How to Train Your Dragon Crafts for Kids
Usually my daughter and I would plan out crafts ahead of time for the month with a specific theme in mind, to help us know what crafting materials we did want out on the shelves, and which we wanted to pick up from the store.
How to Observe and Follow a Child's Interests When Crafting
Crafting is fun and enjoyable when the projects are preferred and not too difficult.
My daughter would come up with a theme that interested her.
Together we would search Pinterest for crafting ideas that piqued her interest.
Once we found one she liked, we would study out the process and items needed to complete it.
Sunshine loved looking at the directions in pictures to decide if it was something she was willing to try.
After knowing all the details, my daughter would make the decision whether or not the craft was for her.
There was a phase where she did not want to complete any crafting activity that required glue or waiting time for things to dry.
Another time Sunshine was hyperfocused on enjoying sewing and jewelry making tasks. We spent a long time making necklaces to go with every single one of her outfits. Lol.
Crafting brought my daughter so much joy, which is why I chose to embrace it.
Minimalism is so much about choosing the things that bring us joy.
What to Include in a Crafting Area for Kids
Every child has different interests and passions, so no set of art shelves is going to be the same.
Different children enjoy different crafts at different ages and abilities.
In our home my daughter's shelves consisted of a variety of materials that are perfect for her skills and abilities.
On the top shelf from left to right there were:
- Colored pony beads
- Foam sheets of varying sizes
- Small dowels
- Rulers
- Paper straws
- Pipe cleaners
- Paper
- Paper bags
- Paper plates
- Scrap paper pieces
The second and third shelves contained bins that were themed or material based:
- Sewing materials
- Ribbons
- Homemade playdough with cookie cutters
- Yarn
- Wooden stamps
- Stamp pads
- Glue
- Clothespins and popsicle sticks
Items I don't want my daughter to use unsupervised are on the top two shelves, out of reach.
She must ask for them.
Crafting supplies on the bottom shelves can be used at any time.
From bottom to top, here's what's on our shelves:
- Erasable colored pencils
- Pencil sharpeners
- Washable water based paint
- Watercolors
- Paint brushes
- Paint trays
- Glitter
- Acrylic paints
- Fancier paint brushes
- Adult water paints
How to Store Craft Material for Kids
Every child is different when it comes to organizational and storage needs.
Some kids love to dump.
Other kids struggle to open containers.
Choose storage solutions that meet the needs of your child to provide positive and independent experiences.
My youngest daughter is not a dumper, but can struggle with specific storage containers.
Valentine's Day Crafts for Kids
I wanted to make sure she could access all of her craft supplies easily and on her own (except for the items she requires supervision with).
Our craft shelves include:
- Bead Storage Container
- 3 Drawer Storage Containers
- Dollar Store Plastic Bins
Our wall shelves are sturdy enough so that children can grab items off them, without worry of shelves falling.
Where to Store Finished Craft Projects from Kids
Craft projects that are unfinished or need time to dry are stored on cookie sheets on top of the shelves. One small cookie sheet fits on each side.
Once craft projects are finished, my daughter stores them in her room.
Sometimes crafts go in a special drawer.
She sorts through this drawer when it becomes full, keeping the projects she loves most, and throwing away projects she doesn't want anymore.
Other craft projects she uses as toys.
My daughter uses some crafts to decorate her room.
We usually take pictures of her most special craft projects upon completion, so no matter what happens to it, we always have a special keepsake.
Crafting sessions have brought such joy to my daughter.
I'm so happy that she's happy.
It turns out crafting and minimalism can go hand in hand!
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