Inexpensive Craft Ideas For Tween Age Kids

by Suzanne on July 2, 2012

If you have kids that are 8-16 years old at home this summer, now is about the time they get restless. Instead of hours of mindless TV or video game sessions, how about we get them creating? They might turn their noses up at first, but get them going and you’ll be amazed how much they’ll get into it. We had girls camp to go to this Summer and usually there is some kind of secret sister gift giving that goes on during the camp. It was the perfect opportunity to make something.

I started looking around my craft supplies and came up with the idea of painting a little heart paper mache box with chalk board paint and then glue a flower and jewel on. I think it turned out super cute. Since we have tons of beads and mostly girls, we made a little bracelet to go inside it – but the box and be filled with anything; small like earrings, coins, candy, or whatever you can think of. You can easily make it a boy’s craft with a round box and fill it with their treasures.

Another idea we came up with was a labeled jar that was really simple to make. Just tape off a rectangle with masking tape on a canning jar and paint the rectangle with chalk board paint (several times) and that is it. When the paint fully dries just write what you like in chalk on the label and fill with candy, bugs, or whatever suits their fancy.

Here are a few other fun crafts to keep your tween age kids busy.

Macrame Bracelets Tutorial – they are all the rage right now
Leather and Yarn Bracelets – even the boys will like this one
No Sew T-Shirt Vest – perfect for the budding stylist
Some Hair Accessories – there are all sorts and multiple pages
Beaded Spider Webs – kind of like a dream catcher – for boys?

If you really want to make your life easy, pick up one of the Action Pack Magazines – “A Magazine For Kids Who Want To Make Stuff”. The latest magazine features family cooking, which is great, because if you have a kitchen – you already have everything you need. You can download a pdf to print or view on your favorite tablet. With all the other magazines (Mad Scientist is on my list) you could keep them busy for the rest of the summer. Here’s the link to all that are available for purchase.