1.1. List craft activities suitable for the following aged children: • babies over 6 months • young children 1 to 2 years • young children 3 to 5 years 11 months

This guide will help you answer 1.1. List craft activities suitable for the following aged children: • babies over 6 months • young children 1 to 2 years • young children 3 to 5 years 11 months.

Craft activities are a wonderful way to support children’s development. They engage fine motor skills, boost creativity, and provide sensory experiences. Here’s a guide to craft activities suitable for various ages. Let’s explore what works best for each group.

Babies Over 6 Months

Babies at this age are curious and love to explore through touch, taste, and sight. Keep activities simple and ensure materials are safe.

Sensory Bags

• What You’ll Need: Sealed plastic bags, coloured gel, small toys or objects.
• How to Do It: Fill a bag with coloured gel and add small toys. Seal tightly.
• Purpose: Encourages exploration through touch. Safe for mouthing as the contents are sealed.

Edible Paint

• What You’ll Need: Yoghurt with natural food colouring.
• How to Do It: Mix food colouring into yoghurt to create edible paint.
• Purpose: Allows babies to “paint” safely. They can touch and taste without harm.

Fabric Swatches

• What You’ll Need: Various textured fabric pieces.
• How to Do It: Offer different fabric pieces for touching and exploration.
• Purpose: Stimulates sense of touch. Introduces different textures.

Young Children 1 to 2 Years

At this stage, toddlers are developing more control over their hands and fingers. They enjoy activities that combine learning with fun.

Finger Painting

• What You’ll Need: Non-toxic paint, large paper sheets.
• How to Do It: Spread paper on the floor. Let children use their fingers to paint.
• Purpose: Develops fine motor skills. Encourages creativity.

Play Dough

• What You’ll Need: Homemade or store-bought play dough.
• How to Do It: Offer play dough with safe tools like plastic cookie cutters.
• Purpose: Strengthens hand muscles. Sparks imagination.

Collage Making

• What You’ll Need: Child-safe scissors, glue sticks, magazine pictures, coloured paper.
• How to Do It: Help children cut and glue pictures onto paper.
• Purpose: Encourages creativity. Improves hand-eye coordination.

Sponge Painting

• What You’ll Need: Sponges, non-toxic paint, paper.
• How to Do It: Cut sponges into shapes. Let children dip and press onto paper.
• Purpose: Introduces shape recognition. Enhances creativity.

Young Children 3 to 5 Years 11 Months

Preschoolers have better coordination and enjoy more structured activities. They love projects that allow for self-expression and storytelling.

Mask Making

• What You’ll Need: Paper plates, string, paint, decorations like feathers and sequins.
• How to Do It: Cut eye holes in the plate. Children paint and decorate to create masks.
• Purpose: Encourages imaginative play. Develops fine motor skills.

Nature Collage

• What You’ll Need: Leaves, twigs, flowers, glue, paper.
• How to Do It: Collect natural materials on a walk. Arrange and glue onto paper.
• Purpose: Connects children to nature. Enhances creativity.

Bead Threading

• What You’ll Need: Large beads, string.
• How to Do It: Show children how to thread beads onto string.
• Purpose: Improves hand-eye coordination. Strengthens concentration.

Salt Dough Creations

• What You’ll Need: Salt, flour, water.
• How to Do It: Mix ingredients to make salt dough. Model into shapes and bake.
• Purpose: Encourages creativity. Provides a sensory experience.

Puppet Making

• What You’ll Need: Old socks, buttons, fabric, glue.
• How to Do It: Children create puppets with socks and materials.
• Purpose: Promotes storytelling. Develops creativity and fine motor skills.

Tips for Craft Activities

• Safety First: Always supervise children. Ensure materials are non-toxic and age-appropriate.
• Encourage Exploration: Allow children to experiment with materials.
• Celebrate Creations: Display completed crafts. Celebrate children’s efforts, not just the results.
• Adapt to Interests: Tailor activities to suit children’s current interests and abilities.
• Include All Senses: Use a variety of materials to engage different senses.

Craft activities offer more than just fun. They play a significant role in child development by boosting skills, creativity, and learning in a safe and enjoyable environment. Adapt activities to the needs of your group and watch them thrive!