Children learn from their elders, and the gift of crafting is one gift that will stay with them for a lifetime. However, because children are not as coordinated as grownups, and perhaps don’t have the same critical eye for detail, they may need a little guidance as they weave their way through the various nuances of crafting. The following tips for working with kids and crafts will give adults an idea of where to begin their tutorial and when to stop and let their child’s creativity take over.

Prepare in Advance
You must consider three things when working with children on crafting projects: Age appropriateness, preparedness and supervision.

• Age appropriateness: The most important thing to keep in mind when crafting with youngsters is to make sure the craft is something that is not too difficult for them. Difficult or complicated crafts can quickly send a child in a downward spiral, especially if you say the craft will be easy and it turns out to be hard. Feelings of inadequacy may follow, and before you know it, your child may run off in a fit of tears.
• Preparedness: The second most important aspect of crafting is to be prepared. Little ones have no capacity for patience. Have everything you need in front of you before you start or things may get out of hand in a hurry.
• Supervision: For little ones or a group of children, anything that will need to be cut out should be done in advance. All children require supervision when using crafting materials such as scissors and glue. If you have a choice, use glue sticks over bottle glue. If the children you’re working with are very small and you’re concerned about glue getting into their mouths, make a flour based glue—add a little water with a little flour until it forms a paste—and stop worrying. (Children, who are allergic to flour or anything in flour should not use glue made from flour.)