Come summer, and the city is full of camps and classes for children. Art, craft, pottery courses abound; there’s even the odd food etiquette and handwriting class for children. All of these can prove a logistical nightmare, ferrying children from one class to another, across the city.
So, this summer, think different. Encourage kids to take up craft, but invest in some interesting do-it-yourself kits that not only allow children to make mistakes, but also give them an opportunity to figure out the right way. The best part? They don’t have to travel during the hot summer months, and are within the relative comfort of home. To jazz things up, you can also organise craft dates for kids, so that they work in a group.
What can be more fun than children sitting in a room sanitised of electronic equipment and immersed in a world of paints, brushes, canvas, colour, blocks and some clay to allow their imagination to run riot?
Here are some art/craft projects they can take up this summer
Prints and blocks
Most children are used to the idea of prints on fabric, but still watch in awe when a blockprinter is at work, rhythmically transferring a design from a wooden block to fabric. Give them a chance to experience that high with kits that allow them to print their own tees or dupattas and stoles. That’s exactly what Noida-based Potli has done. Pooja Ratnakar, co-founder, says these kits are a great way to keep craft traditions alive in the urban space. “I’ve had many grandparents complain about children not being familiar with our arts and crafts traditions. That got us thinking. If we don’t introduce them to it early on, how will they develop a love for it?” asks Ratnakar.
Potli’s D-I-Y painting kits cover art forms such as Warli, Madhubani, Patua and Gond, and come with a DVD of animation films of folk tales from across the country, based on the art forms.
The range, also includes a blockprinting book that allows children to create a collection of hand-block printed and hand-bound Panchatantra story books, and the Potli bag of wonders, which contains a white tee, a block, and colour. There’s also one with a white dupatta, “if the mothers want to keep their kids company”. (Priced below Rs. 600)
The world of colour
If you’re bored of colouring books meant for teenagers and origami kits, go freehand. Or, draw and paint animals; a hugely soothing exercise. You can work your magic, unchecked; maybe, a polka-dotted elephant. Or, check out scratch art kits. These kits seem great for children who like to explore free-flowing art. Amritha Venketakrishnan of Hindustan Trading Company, Royapettah, says that all it involves is layering a paper with oil pastels in varied colours and using the bamboo sticks in the kit to come up with vivid patterns. (Price: Rs. 75 for bamboo sticks, pastels upwards of Rs. 90)
Spirographs are hugely popular too. Remember playing with a single plastic circle with multiple perforations? The same thing has been upgraded to feature multiple patterns. Most come with a design book that shows you what is possible.
(Priced below Rs. 500)
Bands and wires
Loom bands and Scooby wires continue to be popular, with kids moving to more complicated designs and getting innovative, creating key chains and pen drive holders. YouTube is a fertile ground to pick up the latest tricks from fellow ‘crafters’ in other countries.
(Price: below Rs. 500)
Potter about
If pottery is your child’s idea of fun, and if it is not possible to take him/her to a workshop, check out Funskool-Createlier’s Poterie kit. It contains liquid paints in tubs, instead of paint tablets, reducing messiness. It has a pottery wheel quite like the real thing, and children learn to mould wet clay into different shapes.
(Price: Rs. 1,499)
Mod Podge
Want to experiment with decoupage? Or, explore what you can do with some layers of glue, used creatively? Check this out. Mod Podge, which has been around for decades now, is a glue, sealer and finish. It is water-based and allows crafters to work with a variety of media, including paper, wood, and fabric. What adds to the magic is how a milky white liquid that dries in less than 10 minutes can help create something so beautiful.
(Price: Rs. 1,150 for a starter pack)
Available at Kamala, Co-optex Grounds, Egmore, Hindustan Trading Company, Royapettah, and other stationery stores dealing with craft
