If you are a preschool teacher you must have loads of arts and crafts for kids already prepared for the upcoming school year. Have you ever stopped to think of how beneficial these art activities are for your preschool students?

Children love arts and crafts, and as nursery, and kindergarten teachers do not have to cover as much ground as older elementary classes do, they often fill up of their time with arts and crafts for kids.

All curriculum, however, in the preschool classroom needs to be planned with basic skills for the children in mind.

Developmental preschool education bases its curriculum guidelines on famous psychologists like Jean Piaget and Erick Erickson. Based on what they have discovered about how children learn is how we should be basing our curriculum.

One of the things Erick Erickson discovered is that children are struggling with basic concepts at different ages and need to successfully navigate those stages before going on to the next stage.

One of the struggles that preschoolers are dealing with is self esteem, how much do they trust themselves and how good they feel about themselves will determine their success in school

Traditional arts and crafts for kids unfortunately does not help foster a good self esteem. How good can kids feel about themselves when all of the projects in the classroom are all identical with no individuality. Even teachers that say the children do the arts and crafts themselves still have identical looking projects.

I remember speaking to a cousin of mine many years ago who distinctly remembers her kindergarten teacher holding up a model of what they were going to make for that days project and thinking to herself “Oh mine will NEVER look like that”

Wouldn’t it be better if the children were allowed to create at their own level, to make mistakes in a safe environment that are not really mistakes at their age. This way by using the wonderful medium of arts and crafts for kids it is an opportunity for children’s self esteem to develop which will allow them to safely take new risks. What an important prerequisite for elementary school.

I think its high time that preschool teachers start learning how to develop their art curriculums in their classrooms to incorporate non crafts projects instead of the traditional arts and crafts for kids

Faige Kobre a former preschool teacher and director for many years is a graduate of Bank Street College Of Education probably the foremost graduate school in the area of progressive education. Aside from her teaching and directing experience she also runs workshops for teachers specializing in educational art for young children. She runs an educational art blog at http://www.educationalartsandcrafts.com/blog

She also runs a blog for preschool teachers at http://preschoolmusings.com

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There are as many variations of crafts as there are crafters, so we obviously can’t list them all here. But for starters here are a few to consider:

Candle making: Do you love burning beautiful, scented candles? Lots of people do, and will gladly buy candles for themselves or as gifts. They would especially love unique, handcrafted candles. This is one of the easier crafts to learn, that can be both fun and very profitable.

Beading: One of the arts and crafts that traverse the ages and cultures is that of beading. Beadworks can either be worn or displayed, and their popularity is continually growing. Beading can be overwhelming when starting out due to numerous techniques and patterns. But it can make a very satisfying as well as a money-spinner.

Quilting: A craft that also qualifies as an art foam, quilting is a method of stitching two layers of cloth with stuffing in between, while foaming a decorative design. Quilting can be done by hand or machine. Handmade quilts are very popular because they are both gorgeous and functional. This is a potentially highly profitable craft.

Soap making: As we become more aware of the harmful effects of chemicals on our bodies, we begin to seek out organic alternatives. Soap is one of these. Make refreshing, homemade soaps, add your own unique fragrances and you might find yourself unable to meet the demand.

Flower pressing: Items made from pressed flowers make great gifts, and you can create amazing pieces of art and home décor items. This is one of the easier crafts to learn, that can also earn you extra money from home.

Crocheting: This is a craft that can be both satisfying and profitable. Better still, it can be done at idle moments that we almost always let go to waste. Crochet products are popular and can make you a handsome side income.

Woodworking: This can be a highly profitable hobby, as woodcrafts can be both beautiful and functional. Specializing is advisable due to the overwhelmingly numerous different types, styles and wood types.

There you have a few potentially profitable hobbies. Just know to pick a craft that you know you will enjoy as opposed to one that makes most money. This will help see you through the learning curve, as well as lean times.

Build a better mousetrap and they will beat a path to your door? Not quite. You will still need to let the world know about your wonderful creation, in this case your arts and crafts. Some marketing skills are needed here, but that is subject of another article.

David Kamau is webmaster of http://mercantilecentral.com Need helpful resources about the arts and crafts featured here? Go to http://mercantilecentral.com/articles/arts_and_crafts.htm and look at bottom of reprinted article.

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Praise just for the sake of praise isn’t effective in building a child’s self esteem. Kids are very insightful, especially teens, and even the most enthusiastic praise will ring hollow if it is not attached to something meaningful. “Wow, you are amazing!” “Why, what did I do?”

Creative activities such as arts and crafts provide an outstanding opportunity for adults to help bolster a child’s self esteem. As the child works the observant adult has almost unlimited opportunities to point out what the child is doing well.

Top ten reasons arts and crafts helps boost a child’s self esteem.

1.      Arts and crafts invites the child to experiment with supplies, techniques, and directions that are often foreign and intimidating. Tackling and becoming adept at creative new tasks brings satisfaction and gratification to children of all ages.

2.      Arts and crafts encourages children to push themselves to plan and finish an entire project. Children feel a great sense of accomplishment when they are responsible for completing an entire task from A to Z.

3.      Arts and crafts classes produce a fertile environment for meeting and interacting with new people. It can be difficult for some children to venture beyond their comfort zones and intermingle with children they don’t know. It is very flattering and a boost to self esteem for children to hit it off and work with new friends.

4.      Arts and crafts classes force children to take risk and put themselves and their work “out there”. It is a gamble to create something and show people because there is the possibility of receiving criticism. Children, especially teens are averse to this type of hazard. A supportive arts and crafts trainer creates an environment where children feel comfortable exposing their work. Children who learn how to tackle risk are better suited and more comfortable tackling appropriate risk as adults.

5.      Arts and crafts teach open mindedness. Creative questions do not have finite answers like math or physics problems. When doing arts and crafts children learn how to explore the many different possible solutions to the problems that they face. Being imaginative and open minded allows for them to invent solutions that are exciting and inspired. Children gain the confidence to tackle many problems in creative and ingenious ways.

6.      Arts and crafts aid in dispelling a child’s “limiting beliefs”. It is very common for children to create ideas about their own abilities that restrict their activities. Thoughts like, “I am not smart enough to do this,” are destructive and chip away at their self esteem. Craft projects teach children how to change damaging preconceived notions. Children learn how much they truly are capable of and build on each experience gaining confidence with each project.

7.      Arts and crafts projects illustrate to children that they can achieve success. It is good for children to discover that they can be victorious. Success feels great and inspires children to reach for more and attempt harder and harder tasks.

8.      Arts and crafts allows an opportunity for children to let loose and have fun. In a relaxed and non-competitive atmosphere children can explore their carefree and imaginative side. Seeing that they are multidimensional beings contributes to their overall sense of well being and a healthy sense of self.

9.      Arts and crafts classes permit children to see themselves in a fresh, new light. It is important that kids have the opportunity to survey many different pursuits. Allowing kids to choose the activities that excite and delight them gives them the confidence to later pursue their own interests and eventually choose meaningful careers and pastimes.

10. Arts and crafts promote a passion for learning! Kids who have expanded their confidence through creativity and developing a healthy self esteem are curious about learning new things. The self assurance that they build doing arts and crafts overflows into all of their endeavors making for a rich and highly satisfying childhood.

Elena Neitlich is owner of Arts and Crafts Moms at http://www.artsandcraftsmoms.com If you want to follow your passion for creativity, start your own business, and have a lasting impact on kids and teens, become a certified Arts and Crafts Trainer Take the steps to make a difference in the lives of kids and in your own life.

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Through the use of popular crafts and art forms, we have been able to have a look into the past and how various cultures were able to represent their own traditions. Arts and crafts are present everywhere, from the Americas, to the Pacific.

Each nation has its own form of crafts or art. India is well known for their wide range of cultural displays. European art started to show the impact of the growing culture in the nineteenth century, and it also showed a decrease in the romanticism aspects.

Machines were invented instead of hands having to make various art forms. In our world today, no matter where you live, it is hard to imagine living without machines, without metal, or technology.

Even though technology has highly evolved from recent years, the term, craft, is still referred to as activities that involve some sort of skill, or a dedication to a specific object and tradition.

Even though each culture in the world has a different idea of tradition, they still remain true to the idea of craft.

Women’s rights around the world are also an important factor of their craft skill. When women live in countries with very little input about the workplace and they are to stay in the home, they often have a more traditional skill for crafts or art.

They only know the skill that their own mothers or grandmothers taught them for married life. The only problem is that when these women are silent wives, with the bread winning husband, they are not recognized for their wonderful talents, and instead it is thought of as their household duty.

In countries where women are thought to be equal, their craft skill is more appreciated and they are able to show their talents in the work force. The sad truth is that the issue of women only being in the home affects more countries than few.

For example, in most of south East Asia, the primary role of the woman is to mend the flock and take care of the home.

Most of their daily activities involve the crafts that so many of the women before them knew, but their activities are not granted with pay or recognition due to the fact that the man believes that it is her duty to him.

In India, the role for the woman is slightly more advanced. The area is less traditional in the means that the woman should stay home and tend to the house.

However, the woman is usually thought to still take part in traditional crafts, such as making saris or clothing wraps. America is very much the same.

While women do not have to wear special wraps to show their place in society or make traditional garments, they still practice basic crafts each day in the home. America is thought to be the best place for equality for women, but many people still assume that a woman’s place is in the home.

Many women are embracing this idea and staying home, while others choose to show their skills in the work place.

Rod Dagan provides resources and information about native and aboriginal art around the world. Find out more about how women have [http://www.nativeart-world.com/influenceofwomen.html] contributed to Native Art at http://www.NativeArt-World.com

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Below are five tips that will help you make an income with your own arts and crafts.

Build a business foundation: When building a business to earn money with your arts and crafts, make sure your product is in demand and a marketable craft. When picking your foundation products, make sure they are not seasonal items. You need to pick products that can be sold year round, then add a
few holiday crafts throughout the year. If you choose to produce crafts that have a shelf life, try to pick just a few items to sell in addition to the foundation product. By adding a large variety of products
to your display you will draw the attention of many different customers.

Arts and Crafts that are in demand: Look for items that are needed such as:baby items, home decor, personalized gifts, holiday crafts, jewelry or other personal items. The list could go on and on- your opportunities could be endless. One approach to help you make a decisions on products is to visit boutiques, craft suppliers and other retail stores in your area. By doing this and researching what sells effectively in your area, you can make those very important decisions.

Determine necessity: The best-selling crafts are the ones that are needed by consumers, not ones that are simply wanted. If you are making something like beautiful baby quilts, they are far more likely to sell than something like a higher priced wood carving.

Make your arts and crafts target your demographic: Where will you be selling your product? Are you selling it at a Craft Boutique? Then perhaps, you should not make a hunting related product, save that for a Hunting and Camping Expo. Instead, make something like a wooden home de’cor product.

Don’t follow trends: Trends in crafts come and go. Don’t base your business solely on what’s hot right now. It’s okay to sell trendy and hot items, but make sure you also have a variety of other items for when this trend is no longer popular.

By using these five easy steps, you should be ready to choose the arts and or crafts you would like to create for your business. You should start out slow-only making a few of each item until you see what is going to sell. This way you are not going to be left with hundreds of left over products that you just did not market well. The most important thing to remember when starting your own retail business is to have fun with it, and to learn from your mistakes. You will make mistakes, but that is the way a good business is built.

Bio: Terri Grace, successful business owner of a boutique for the past 5 years. Owner and entrepreneur of an online boutique. Expert in boutique sales and marketing. For more information on boutiques go to =>[http://www.terrisbluegooseboutique.com]

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In my opinion one of the best crafts you can teach your children is to make Indian crafts. Indians arts and crafts range from the complex to the very simple. I believe this is because of the vast amount of American Indian tribes that have contributed to Indian arts and crafts. This is also a good way to teach your kids about American history, and the tradition, and spirituality of a beautiful people.

One of my favorite projects of arts and crafts to work on as a kid, was to hand make moccasins. I thought it was very neat to actually make something like a shoe. Even though I never got my pair of moccasins to stay together no longer than a week or two, and I never was able to get my pottery shaped the right way. I still was able to enjoy doing American Indians arts and crafts.

The main detail that came to my mind while searching through the outpost was how easily my scoutmaster was able to show me a good time, and instill in me the ability to learn about other cultures and have an open mind.

So, if you’re thinking about starting on arts and crafts project with your kid. One of the best things I would suggest is to look into Native American Indians arts and crafts. It should turn into a great learning experience for you and your child, and should be something that they will never forget. Remember, that one of the key things to do is to also teach them a little history on the actual crafting that is being done.

Hey, I’m the author Carlos Penn. I’m having fun writing articles online and currently making money and have fun doing at home crafting. click here for a look at what I do in my spare time Craft Jobs

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Any material, waste or otherwise, can be converted into works or art. Wood, wick, cane, leaves, sticks and stones can be converted into artworks if you have an artistic bend of mind. Our forefathers also used these materials in a crude way, but remnants of the artifacts of those periods still enamor most of us. However, we, who lives in this industrialized age, have better choices.

The only pre-requisite for creating arts and crafts is a creative mind. There is no dearth of materials. You should know how to utilize the available things to make artifacts.

Large scale industries manufacturing arts and crafts on a big level have come up. The decorative pieces manufactured by them are comparatively cheaper, but there is a belief that hand crafted items are more valuable and intricate. They even command a huge margin over the prices of machine made articles.

Human beings have developed their own arts and crafts after learning from the Nature. Every man made thing, be it our cloths, our bags, our furnishings, the pieces adorning our houses – all are arts and crafts work. Recently, arts and crafts have become synonymous to stylish living. Most of us love to collect arts and crafts, but many go overboard with their collections, giving their houses the cluttered look of a garage.

If you are looking for more information then feel free to visit Crunch Arts and Group Packs.

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Now there are many different styles of work, from the plain and simple lines of the Quakers, to the highly decorated Queen Anne pieces with turned legs and curved fronts, to the ultra modern pieces that infuse wood and other materials. In my mind the best style is Arts and Craft. I think there is a lot of agreement with that choice. One of the things I have learned since I began to research the Arts and Craft movement is that the style is not limited to just the furniture. It’s a whole package which can encompass your entire house. If you doubt this, go to your local DIY store, where you will find an ever increasing supply of Hardwood Oak moldings and trim. Or go to any of the thousands of furniture stores, and even though a lot of the stuff is particle board and laminate, a lot of the designs have very strong Arts and Craft influences. When we moved into our current home, we had the standard builder’s grade painted 1 3/8″ molding on every door and window. As time and budget has allowed, we have replaced every single piece of it with wide, stained oak molding. We recently replaced the stair risers and treads with oak, and most of the carpet has found its way to the junk yard. Why, because we love the look and feel of real wood. Most of the furniture I make is either a reproduction of an Arts and Craft piece, or a variant of it. The furniture that we have purchased is either Leather or Danish Modern.

Both the Leather and Danish Modern blend well with the Arts and Craft design, Most of the early work done by Gustav Stickley, the father of the Arts and Craft movement in America, was done using the natural beauty of the Wood and Leather. The only difference I can see between the Arts and Craft and the Danish Modern, is the choice of finish. The original Arts and Craft pieces tended to be rather dark, while the Danish Modern is a light, oil based finish. Both styles of furniture feature simple lines and honest craftsmanship. Some of the Danish pieces are too eccentric for my personal taste, but I have to admire the craftsmanship.

The Arts and Craft Movement in America can trace its humble beginning back to late 1800’s to the early 1900’s. Most of the furniture of the era was being mass produced, highly decorative, and to some, shabby in appearance and workmanship. While at the same time, Europe was under going a cultural revolution, lead chiefly by William Morris, who later became infamous for his “Morris Chair”, and fellow Britisher John Ruskin, against this mass produced, and highly decorated style of furniture. These followers of the Arts and Craft Movement preached a return to handcrafted styles and a philosophy of a simpler life. The young American, Gustav Stickley, during a trip to Europe, became a disciple of the movement and the world of woodworking and furniture in America was forever changed.

Upon his return to America, Gustav opened his “Craftsman Store”, in 1898, where he perfected his unique design. His work was based on rectilinear designs, featuring mortise and tenon joinery, or dovetails. These joints were celebrated, not hidden, as it was in the Victorian pieces. One of the tenants that Gustav believed in was hand craftsman. This ultimately led to his company’s demise. In 1916, a short 18 years after it inception, Gustav Stickley filed for Bankruptcy.

While his stay in business was short, Gustav’s legacy lives on today. Many of his designs are still copied and his original pieces now are in museums or private collections. Their monetary value is unreachable for most.

Gustav had two younger brothers, Leopold and John George, who were also very accomplished craftsman. Together they opened their own company, “L & JG Stickley, Inc” in 1904. The L & JG Stickley Company is still in business today. Although it is no longer held by the Stickley Family, they still produce high quality furniture of the Arts and Craft era. Leopold and John George also believed in hand crafting the furniture, but understood that machines could be used to get the piece to the point that hand workmanship could complete the piece.

The Stickley’s were not opposed to machinery, they just the rejected the sloppy workmanship that mass production and machines brought to the work place. A concept that still plagues some work places over 100 years later, perhaps it’s not too late to learn from Leopold and John George. Today we would call this a “strong work ethic”, but what ever you call it, it worked, because in 1918, Leopold and John George purchased the bankrupt “Craftsman Store”. Leopold and John George are also responsible for the 1905 introduction of the Mission Oak design that is still very much in vogue today. And in 1922, they introduced their “Cherry Valley Collection”.

A lot of other names have been associated with the Arts and Craft Movement, too many to name. However, in my mind, no discussion would be complete without adding the names, “Greene & Greene”. Charles and Henry Greene were not actually furniture builders, but rather Architects, along the line of Frank Lloyd Wright. When commissioned to design a home, they also designed the furniture to go in the home, this was a strict requirement. If the client could not afford their furniture, Greene and Greene would require that they purchase furniture from Gustav Stickley. The Greene and Greene designs varied from the traditional Arts and Craft, their choice of wood was Mahogany, instead of Oak, and instead of straight stretchers, their Asian influenced designs have a “Cloud Lift “. Often the Cloud Lift was repeated in the bottom of the apron. Today’s woodworkers can replicate the Cloud Lift detail with a template and a router. I marvel at the skill it took the original craftsman to do this.

Another design element that identifies the Greene and Greene style is the use of inlaid ebony pegs into major joints. These pegs were either decorative, when used to cover a screw, or structural. After a mortise and tenon were fitted and glued in place, a hole was made in the side of the leg into the tenon. A corresponding ebony peg was inserted into the hole, creating incredible strength. The ends of the pegs were shaped to add visual interest.

Greene and Greene home and furniture designs were published in a magazine, created by Gustav Stickley, fittingly enough named “The Craftsman”. The magazine was also an avenue for Gustav to spread his gospel regarding all manners of life. If you were to compare the writing in “the Craftsman” to those of today’s DIY magazines, you would truly note that the authors of the Arts and Craft movement were more renaissance men than strictly woodworkers. They shared their beliefs on all matters of life.

There has been some confusion about the name, Craftsman home. Some feel that the name represents the design concepts of the Arts and Craft Movement, while other think of the “Craftsman Home” sold by Sears. From about 1908 to 1940, Sears manufactured a line of stick built homes that were sold from a catalog and delivered to the job site with all of the pieces cut and labeled. Sears had over 400 stock designs, but allowed individual customers to modify any of the Plans. Sears reportedly sold some where between 70 and 75 thousand of these homes. Out of the Arts and Craft movement, also came some interesting, and some what dangerous, methods of finishing. Gustav Stickley and his followers advocated “Fuming” as the finish of choice. Now remember, this was long before, OSHA, and the workers rights movements. The completed pieces were placed in an “airtight” room, and exposed to high strength ammonia. The tannins in Oak, will react to the ammonia, and color the wood. This is a practice not in use anymore in industry, as working with the high strength ammonia is a health risk. Just like I marvel at the craftsmanship, I often think about the workers who day after day carried the wood into the fuming rooms, having little or no breathing protection.

What actually killed the original Arts and Craft Movement? Historians tell us that World War One was the Death knell to the movement. With the country at War, most of the able bodied men left the factories and shops in support the war effort, including the craftsmen and artisans of the day. Factory productions were switched to supporting this effort, leaving few resources for furniture manufacturing that wasn’t strictly functional. Returning GI’s, brought back with them a new love for the Art Deco look which was very popular in Europe.

I think that there are probably two other factors that created the end of the movement, the 1930’s brought about the great depression, where people were much more concerned about actual survival, then obtaining quality furniture. The second thing is a problem that still haunts us today, a knowledge drain.

With the skilled craftsman leaving to go to the Europe and the Asian theaters of War, their knowledge left with them. The woodworking guilds closed down as the craftsmen left and those who took their places in the workplace were unskilled laborers. As woodworkers, I think we can all agree that the difference between an average woodworker and a craftsperson, is often training under a skilled master woodworker.

So there you have it, if you are like me, I look for every book or article I can find about the Arts and Craft movement. Not because I want to build everything in the book, I don’t have the room, time or budget for that, but because I love the style. If you’re new to the Arts and Craft style, you came at a good time, recently there has been a renewed interest, and with that brings more information, books, and CD’s. Go find a project you like, and work at it, but be careful, you might get hooked on the style.

The Jersey Woodworker has been a successful woodworker for over 30 years. To see more of his tips and projects please visit Sawdust on the Floor

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Here is a general list of art supplies that children may need:

Glue stick

Scissors

Crayons

Colored Pencils

Markers

Water Color Paints

Play-Doh (for elementary age)

Sketch Pads

Now that you have your art supply list ready, make sure you get everything else your child needs too. This will help make the school year start off on the right foot. Now they can come home with all those great pictures and crafts they make in school. So get your refrigerator ready, you know every child likes to see there art work displayed for everyone to see.

If you want to know more about Arts and Crafts material then feel free to visit Crunch Art and Craft Foam

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Shoe boxes are the culprits of many arts and crafts ideas! You can create dioramas, doll houses, and box guitars. The arts and crafts ideas using shoe boxes are virtually endless- limited only by your imagination. You can also use shoe boxes for more traditional means, and create decorative storage boxes for your favorite things, momentos or other objects.

CD’s are also great items to encourage arts and crafts ideas. They are perfectly round, and give off a wonderful shine when light hits them. The little hole in the center is perfect for stringing twine or chain through, in order to create hanging arts and crafts. Ideas include Christmas ornaments, candle holders, dreamcatchers, photo frames, clocks and magnets. Start with a CD you don’t need (like the ones you get in the mail from advertisers, or a CD that has too many scratches to work properly) and see just how many arts and crafts ideas the little shiny circle can generate!

Clear thirty five millimeter film cannisters can cause many arts and crafts ideas. With a little mirrored paper board (available at a craft store), plastic wrap and cake sprinkles you can make a miniature kaleidoscope. Drill a small hole in the bottom of the film cannister. Fold the mirrored paper board into a triangle shape that will fit inside the cannister, and tape it inside. Place several cake sprinkles in the lid of the cannister and cover with a piece of plastic wrap, taped into place. Pop the cap back onto the cannister. When you look through the hole at the bottom of the cannister and turn the film cannister in your hand, the sprinkles will create shapes against the mirrored kaleidoscope. How is that for unique arts and crafts ideas!

Arts and crafts ideas can come from anywhere. You can recycle your empty jelly jars and make beach scenes in a jar, a time capsule, or a candle holder.

Common household items often invoke many arts and crafts ideas. Just think outside the box, and you might surprise yourself with how many arts and crafts ideas you come up with!

Warren and Karen have been involved in the internet for a number of years and run several websites. They are most interested in providing opportunities for people to connect with information relating to business, health and creativity. Check out their Arts and Crafts Idea [http://arts-and-crafts-idea.blogspot.com] blog for more information.

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