Easter is a time of vibrant colours, new beginnings, and of course, plenty of chocolate! It’s also a brilliant opportunity to get those creative juices flowing. Drawing is…
There’s nothing quite so cool as making your very own DIY toys and games at home, and then spending hours playing with them. There’s just something really satisfying…
Here at Kiwi Families, we love crafting ideas that are simple enough for little ones to have a go at, but difficult enough to keep older kids engaged.…
I used my favourite ‘messy’ art technique making custom/upcycled coasters earlier in the year. I recently discovered blank baubles at Kmart and thought I could recreate it on…
Every year we like to make some DIY or crafty decorations for Christmas. Whether it’s something new and quirky for our Christmas tree, or something to display on…
Are you looking for a fantastic school holiday project for your budding artists at home? Well, I’ve got the perfect project for you, that’s tried and tested. This…
If you’ve been following our crafts section this year you might have seen a few projects using iceblock sticks. I decided to do a Christmas themed craft this…
Buying toys for your baby can be expensive, and sometimes they don’t last that long! We all want to encourage creative play in our little ones. But did…
There’s nothing more I like than hand made, custom objects about the home. One of the simplest ways to create custom items is to just paint over objects…
This is a super-fun and engaging activity to do with your kids as a weekend project. I think you’ll really like building this marble run from cardboard rolls!…
We’ve been thinking a lot about DIY games that you can make together at home. This project is also a great way to reuse those cardboard rolls and…
This craft project is super flexible and loads of fun. I’ve tried it out with my own kids at home and with a bunch of 8 to 12-year-olds…
We’ve made lots of cardboard roll crafts over the years. I love them because it reuses the rolls, they’re very easy for small hands to work with, and…
Cactus are so cool! They’re like mini trees that can live in your house. My Mum and I made cactus stationery holders and they’re so much fun!
Welcome to the wonderful world of polymer clay crafting! Today, we’re making a fun and whimsical craft activity for kids – a polymer clay mushroom and mushroom house.
Here is a fun and incredibly simple craft you can do with your kids. And if you’re anything like us, and don’t mind a tree full of random…
This is a fun little activity that kids of all ages can do. It’s an idea based on the really simple ‘squash and fold’ style of art I…
What child doesn’t want to create their own treasure box or Jewellery box. This is a super easy craft that can be great for a rainy day, a…
Here is another great use for those old Pringle tubes you end up with. They are the perfect size for your felts, pens and coloured pencils. So why…
Some kids (especially mine) just love dinosaurs, so here is a fun little craft you can make with your kids using recycled cardboard, paint and bubble wrap.
This air dry clay hand dish makes a great gift for Christmas, Mother’s day or even birthdays. You can make it using your child’s hands, as a keepsake. And teens…
This activity is inspired by a session I ran with my afterschool art class. The kids were aged 8 to 13 and they had a wonderful time exploring…
Discover how to turn the $199 Kmart Cubby House into a playhouse palace fit for a princess (and prince). We inject a bit of Kiwi flavour into the Kmart Cubby House…
This faux cactus stone garden is a great project to do with your kids, whatever their age. They are just perfect to brighten up an empty windowsill in your home.…
We love working on Halloween crafts at this time of the year, it really gets us into the festive spirit of it all. Here’s how to make a…
I got the inspiration for this great little family craft project from my school, where the kids were making something similar for wood-working. These bright and colourful bird…
With Easter just around the corner, I thought it was time to focus my attention on some fun and cute Easter crafts. I couldn’t go past this idea…
I’ve always loved making robots with kids. As a school teacher I used to love letting my kids go crazy with a bunch of recycled items to create like…
I’ve been wanting to do some peg craft for a while now. Since December’s just around the corner, what better idea than peg craft Christmas decorations.
This craft is a great one for all ages. All you really need to do is lay out a bunch of materials and let your child’s imagination run…
If your kids are into painted rocks, find out how to make a painted rock photo holder. The painted rocks craze has made painting on rocks pretty popular…
Howling cats and big black spider, Flying Bats, some doughnuts and cider, Smiling pumpkins can be seen; The time is here for Halloween. – Karen McGuigan Brothers
I was having a look on Pinterest the other day to come up with some toilet roll craft ideas, when I saw toilet roll wool wrapped monsters. This inspired…
The other day my daughter and I made a butterfly toilet roll craft. Today my daughter decided our butterflies needed some flowers! So we created this cool toilet roll…
The itsy bitsy spider climbed up to give me a fright…
Toilet rolls have to be one of the best crafting materials around. The endless possibilities with the humble toilet roll never cease to amaze me and they’re free.…
Here’s a super-simple and effective craft idea. The DIY jewellery hanger on painted driftwood is perfect for your teenager’s, or older kid’s room, to organise all that jewellery…
With Matariki having just entered our skies the thoughts in our household have all been pointed toward space. So with thoughts focused on planets and stars, of course…
If your household is anything like ours, you’ll accumulate toilet rolls at an alarming rate! But before you throw out that next toilet roll, consider adding it to your…
Shaving cream is my new, favourite art material, to use with my little ones. It can be used for a number of different sensory and craft activities. Today…
Art activities for preschoolers are as important to your child’s development as reading, writing and other physical development skills. We’ve pulled together 19 art activities for 3, 4…
Drawing is a learnt skill. Sure, some kids have natural ability when it comes to drawing. But all children can learn to draw if they’re shown the correct…
I love this paint art project for kids, as it’s suitable for all ages. I did this art project with a class of 5 and 6 year olds…
I discovered story stones a little while back and decided it was time to share them with the Kiwi Families community. These story stones are inexpensive to make…
I have to admit I’m pretty addicted to Pinterest! I can waste many an hour scrolling through, looking for fun and fresh crafts to do with my kids…
In my experience of being a teacher and raising children of my own, I’ve discovered that kids love painting on all types of objects. In fact my daughter prefers…
My daughter loves to challenge me. Last week she had me making her a rainbow shelf and this week it’s a pompom cactus. I’d been looking online for some…
I just love this little activity because it’s a fantastic activity for so many ages. I’ve done this with 3 year olds, right up to 8 year olds.…
So the other day I saw these cute cloud shelves on Pinterest and told my Daughter I would make her one. She promptly turned around and said, “I…
It must be that time of year because at the moment I’m surrounded by school galas, kindy craft fairs and kids’ enterprise days at school.
The other day, while dropping my little girl off at kindy, I noticed she was having trouble using the scissors, while other kids around her seemed quite capable.
It must be because it’s coming up to Halloween because my daughter has gone spook mad. Every morning around the breakfast table the first thing she says is,…
We were so excited when we found our first painted rock. Our 4 year old daughter found one randomly in a park in Whanganui when we were on…
This is a great kid’s painting idea that will have your kids coming back for more. My little miss 3 just loved pouring and exploring with the paint.…
The first spring flower craft idea I created was with my class during art and I thought what a great craft to share with our Kiwi Families community. They’re super simple to…
Matariki is a great time of year to celebrate and learn more about Maori culture. One way we’re doing this in our family is through story books. My…
Pompoms are an all time favourite of mine, I used to make them all the time when I was a child. There’s just so many great craft projects…
Spring has arrived! Well – at least on some days. It’s lovely to make the most of spring flowers while we can. And here’s a fun spring activity…
There are so many things you can do with empty toilet paper and paper towel rolls, it’s just a case of choosing something, or working through them all!…
I suspect I’m not the only one who takes hundreds of photos of my kids, only for so many of them to languish somewhere on my computer files.…
Matariki is a small group of stars – the constellation Pleiades – that reappear in the sky in winter (in late May or early June) and, through the…
I’ve always longed to discover and ignite the spark of my creativity in some dramatic fashion. Here are eight keys to help you get out of your own way…
The colder months are a great time to get into arts and crafts with your preschooler.  It’s not just fun, they’re learning too. Whether you love getting messy…
Hey it’s Vanessa here, I decided to jump on the recycling band wagon and upcycled some used milk formula tins simply by painting them, and planting herbs in…
These little people will be looking cute with grass for hair in a short couple of weeks. What a fun project – and it will be just as…
This craft is an oldie but a goodie, I used to love making these as a kid and have to admit I rather enjoyed making this guy. Added…
I’m sure that many of you will remember having hours of fun with paper dolls when you were children. Here are some great printables that you can use…
When a new baby comes into the home it can be a trying time for everyone – including siblings. Sometimes any uncertainty or uneasiness on the sibling’s part…
Combining craft with making lasting, visual memories is a fantastic way to bond together with your children. If you’ve never tried scrapbooking before, it doesn’t have to be…
School holidays require a little bit of extra effort on the part of parents of school aged children. Generally speaking all extra activities are off for the school…
Many of you will recall seeing the video a while ago of an incredibly elaborate marble run that rolled all over the creator’s lounge (sadly, I couldn’t find it to…
Welcome to the school holidays! Whether you dread the thought of filling those long school-less days or you love the chance to hang with your crew, we’ve got…
I saw this on a craft blog and LOVED it so I had to share it! This would be great for in mum’s handbag, in the car or…
As Christmas comes closer, I’ve been thinking about things that I can do with my children to celebrate the Christmas season. Here are three easy ideas that you can…
We love getting creative in our family and I believe it is extremely important for children to be able to use their minds and imagination to explore different…
How well do you know stories of your ancestors? I go back five generations in this land, on each side of my family, but what came before that…
Painting can be a messy business but it’s also LOADS of fun and your baby will love getting their hands (and the rest of their body) mucky while…
Young children love arts and crafts, and you do not need lots of art supplies to keep them happy. A pack of crayons is all you need to…
I love being creative and crafty in all aspects and know how much children crave the stimulation and challenges that especially arts and crafts can create. My two…
I don’t know about you, but I find it really tricky to think of great gifts the kids can give their Dad. I don’t want to spend a…
I don’t know about you, but we’re in the middle of Games fever here at the moment! If your kids are keen on the Games too, here are some…
July holidays can be cold and wet and it can be tough to keep the kids entertained. Here’s a great activity that’s fun to make and will also…
At 4 years, my youngest child William would draw the most elaborate pictures. He would draw cars with steering wheels, wing mirrors, and indicators. I admired William’s confidence to…
To me, growing families is all about work together and creating memories while learning. As my partner works full time it’s hard sometimes and I know a lot…
When I was young, no volcano explosion would be complete without some baking soda and vinegar. No matter what age your children are this is a fun, experimental,…
When I was pregnant with my first daughter I was subscribed to a few parenting magazines. I always waited with anticipation when I knew they were due in…
Here is an idea for an easy Mother’s Day craft for younger children. They will probably need a bit of help but there are fewer steps than with…
These are a great idea to make for Mother’s Day but may be suited for the older children or will need some assistance from a parent. They look…
If you tend to have constant back/shoulder pain and need some heat packs on hand without having to shell out a good amount of money to buy some,…
School holidays are over but there are still those days where it seems that nothing is going to go your way. These stress balls will have you chilled…
It’s almost Easter and the smell of chocolate is in the air!  I thought it would be good to have some Easter crafts for kids that you can…
The weather is getting cooler and even on sunny days you know that winter is not far away. I’ve been thinking about fun craft ideas for my girls…
Homemade is certainly the new black and there’s nothing better than a custom-made piece, designed and made just by you. Whether it’s jewellery, clothing, homeware, art or quilts…
Find out what can you create with your kids for free or at low cost in our Craft Activities for Parent and Child article. Craft activities like card…
Teenagers need occupying in the holidays too. We have some craft activities ideas for them. Check them out in our Craft Activities for Teenagers article.
Here are some free or low cost craft activities for 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 year old kids. Create something fabulous and practical that you and your children can…
Here are some free or low cost craft activities for young children. Fabric and ceramic painting, mosaics and more. Find it all in Craft Activities for 4 –…
When buying equipment for creative play it’s important to consider safety, and make sure the equipment is appropriate for the age and stage of your child. Staff at…
When you first start scrapbooking, everybody will give you lots of tips. The key is to find your own scrapbooking style, and use tips and techniques that work…
When you start scrapbooking you will hear all sorts of terms and jargon, and it will feel like scrapbookers speak in another language. Don’t worry – after a…