Mindful Parenting: Getting Boys Interested in Crafts

Sometimes it's harder to get boys interested in craft, than girls. I notice every time I drop my son at preschool, that most of the boys race up to play with the blocks and cars, rather than sit at the craft tables.

 

Since having my son 5 years ago I've learnt a few tricks to get him doing some craft. I'm keen to share them with other mums out there having the same trouble. Craft is not just about having fun, it's also teaching them important skills like eye-hand coordination, hand strength and fine motor skills.

 

1) Themed craft

Find craft ideas that are within your boys interests. For example, my son's interests are trains, sports and superheros. A couple of examples of how we have incorporated his interests into craft are: to buy a colouring book of Spiderman which he has spent long periods colouring in; and cutting out a Spiderman mask and gluing it to cardboard.

 

2) Crafting with Dad

As Dr Phil has told us many times, the greatest influence in a boys life is his male role model, be it Dad, Uncle, Grandpa, etc. So it's a great idea to get this person to do some craft with your boy. Something that has worked in our house is cartoon characters. My husband found a site on the internet that taught him how to draw cartoons (there are many, just google it). Our son watches him draw the outline and then colours it in. It's fun for both of them.

 

3)Wobble chairs

A friend of mine is an occupational therapist and put me onto the idea of wobble cushions. It's a simple concept that basically lets a child wobble slightly when sitting on a chair. A chair with slightly uneven legs would give the same effect. This is a great aide for boys who have trouble sitting still long enough to do crafts. The wobble motion gives them a sense of movement while still sitting.

 

Claire is a mum of two young children, a preschool boy and a toddler girl. She runs Spotty Dot Baby Shoes a small business selling soft sole baby shoes.