Easy Flower Sponge Painting Banner Craft for Kids

I have a confession to make: I’m actually not great at doing crafts with my kids. It’s not that I don’t love crafting or that I don’t realize the benefits of crafting for kids…But there’s a slew of other reasons craft-making (including sponge painting for kids) usually gets pushed to the bottom of my list.

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I’m not good at coming up with fun ideas…I don’t have time to buy the supplies…I don’t want to clean up yet another mess…

However, when inspiration strikes—i.e. my kids come up with a craft on their own with stuff we have at home, or we receive a kit with a preprepped craft all ready to go—we are all over that like, well, a toddler on a tube of glitter glue.

One of my closest friends is the exact opposite of me in this regard. In her home, every day is craft day. She even started a subscription box full of amazing crafts for families to do together, which of course, I’m all over.

So, you can imagine my delight when she agreed to put together a regular craft column for My Cup Runs Over. I am thrilled to step aside and let the crafting expert lead you in some sweet and easy projects to do with your little ones.

Without further ado, I want to introduce you to Niki Shewfelt, our new craft contributor, and her first project: Easy Flower Sponge Painted Banner.

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Sponge Painting For Kids: Easy Flower Banner Craft

 Despite what you may think, you have a philosophy on crafts in your home. The reason it is important to discover by admitting the following truths, is simple. Crafting with your children can be more life-giving, not life-sucking.

You may fall into three basic camps, or a bit of all:

1.  Crafts are messy and a waste of resources for the brief entertainment value

2.  The finished product is quickly recycled and conflict to any décor in your house

3.  The age and ability ranges make it difficult and exhausting to facilitate

Crafts should be

1.  Parent-initiated but child-led

2.  Use mostly recycled material

3.  Create a common goal for a project with a challenge while maintaining a general color palate which is appointed for the day.

That’s it.

With that in mind, and my simple philosophy fresh in your heart. Take a moment to enjoy this sponge painting for kids craft, and perhaps more that 10 minutes of a tea-in-your-hand.

Prepare in advance the following:

• Tempra paint in three colors of your choice
• Sponge
• Scissors
• (optional clothes pins to use as sponge-holders for those texturally more sensitive)
• A plate to squeeze paint onto
• Paper of choice (card stock is usually my favorite – but re-used recycled paper is just perfect too)
• String and tape for hanging the banner

Prepare your space before your people are invited. I usually do this while they are making their beds, getting dressed for the day, or even watching their morning sneaky show so I can drink my coffee and prepare for a moment.

Your older learners are able to cut their own sponges into sections, but you may want to also do that in advance.

I like to give them 4 options of colors, but no more and on this particular day, I said, “Momma is feeling rather pink, orange and green”

Then I gave them the challenge—and I believe this may be the KEY to your success.

The challenge of the day, “Please use only these materials to make me some flowers for a banner decoration for our hallway.”

After a brief explanation of sponge painting, versus finger or brush painting, they went to work for a solid 20 minutes making shapes. With my role being moving wet works of art to a drying station and drinking my tea.

Ahhh, success.

The finished product which can be hung over your mantle, in your entryway, or even a banner for a birthday party or event. It makes a great craft idea for toddlers, preschoolers, and kids of all ages.

Perfection!

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