Using crafts as a way to get children active and involved in the classroom is a tried, tested, and trusted method, showing your students that learning can be fun and enjoyable if it’s done right.
We think crafts are great in the classroom, whether they’re educational or just a bit of a chill out after some intense lessons, you can tailor them to your age group and make them as creative as possible, so it’ll always be relevant to the class you’re teaching. If you’re struggling to find ideas for what craft activities you can bring into the classroom, we’ve got you covered; here are our top 3 classroom arts and crafts activities!
Modelling
If you want things to get creative, modelling is the perfect way to go - you can get the children putting together eccentric, colourful models that they can either keep, pull apart and use again, or enter into a class competition where they can be judged and the winners can get a prize!
You can get clay or dough for easy to mould designs, then use tools and moulds to cut and shape the wacky creations. Kinetic sand is a more hands-on and messy approach that younger students will love, whilst older students might enjoy the more subtle and decorative capabilities that papier-mache brings to craft time.
If you’re looking for your crafts to be more educational, you can use modelling to create educational diagrams such as DNA strands, body parts, or other fun, interactive subject matter!
Paper and Card
With paper and card, it’s an open-ended possibility - you can create personalised workbooks, creative information cards, paper art, and many more exciting projects, so you’ve got options that are decorative, informative or both! By sticking sugar paper over backing paper, you’ll be able to start designing a cool mosaic effect piece of artwork that you can hang on a class display wall, or let the children take home to show their parents and stick on the fridge!
One interesting way to use paper crafts in the classroom is by putting together biography-style books using colourful packing paper - the kids can design the outside of the book however they’d like, then fill it with their stories, achievements, and special information to look back on in years to come.
Drawing & Colouring
One of the best ways for students to spend their downtime and chill-out lessons is colouring and drawing, as it’s a relaxed way to unwind and let their minds wander whilst creating something imaginative and eye-catching.
Whether it’s pencils and crayons, or pens and felt tips, there are lots of different ways to whip up unique looks in an instant, so make sure you’ve got a great set of different drawing and colouring materials for your students to use when they’re needed!
Stencils and templates can be used to help your class drawn some of the trickier shapes and figures, so try to find some unique drawing aids too - it’ll really give a new dimension to the work that the class creates!
Let us know how you get on with implementing some of these crafts in the classroom - we’re sure your class are going to love them!
