Crafts are a fun activity for kids of all ages. They encourage creativity while keeping children occupied when school is out or on rainy days.
While crafts are good for kids, it is important to remember that not all crafts and items used to make them are safe for children. Smaller children can choke on tiny objects, have mishaps with superglue, or cut themselves with scissors or other sharp objects.
However, this is no reason to keep kids from doing crafts. The following are some ideas on how to make kids crafts safer for children of all ages.
Always supervise. When kids are making crafts, it’s important to always supervise them. With younger kids, for example 3 or 4 year olds, you should sit at the table with them and help them do the crafts. This is important not only to make sure they don’t hurt themselves or try and "help" by using materials that might be harmful to them, but it also helps prevent unnecessary messes, like kids who get carried away with the glue or who want to put stickers and tape on everything but their crafts. With older children, peek your head in every now and again to see how things are going, but it’s not necessary to supervise them constantly, as you would younger children.
Keep sharp objects away. This is common sense, but be careful not to leave sharp objects around and in reach of young children. Sharp scissors and Xacto knives are sometimes used for crafts, and these should not be in the reach of young children.
Keep windows open. Sometimes, fumes from paints, glue, and other materials can cause dizziness or headaches. You can prevent this by keeping windows open to let air circulate, and be careful not to use any toxic varnishes, glues, or paints.
Use kid-friendly objects. That’s not to say kids shouldn’t be allowed to use scissors or glue. Make sure kids have kids’ scissors, which have safety tips so they’re not as sharp and are specially sized for little fingers. Glue sticks are a better choice for children than super glue or glue, as they work just as well without the mess or potential for harm.
Choose age-appropriate crafts. You can make kids crafts safer by choosing ones that are appropriate for the child’s age and skill level. For example, you don’t provide pre-school ages children with crafts that require needles and thread, a lot of cutting that requires sharp objects (like cutting felt or thicker materials that can’t be done with safety scissors), or super glue or fasteners that are difficult for little fingers to hold onto.
Do the potential safety hazards before hand. If you want kids to do a craft that requires cutting things with an Xacto knife, or sanding wood, or something else that could be potentially dangerous, do these things yourself before the kids start the crafts. There will still be plenty for kids to do, like painting, decorating, gluing, and assembling.
Crafts are fun for kids, but it’s important to make sure they are safe. You can make kids crafts safer by supervising them while they do their crafts, making sure crafts are appropriate for the age group, and by using safe materials like safety scissors, glue sticks, and non toxic paints.