It’s that time of year where the days are getting shorter, the air is getting cooler and your kids are spending more time indoors. You may be looking for a fun indoor activity to fight boredom on a cool or rainy day. Here is an easy and frugal craft for kids of all ages that uses materials you probably already have on hand! These fall frames would make a cute teacher gift, a creative way to display a colorful leaf or simply to frame a fall photo.
Materials Needed:
- Wooden picture frame (these can be found for $1 at your local Michaels or Jo-Ann’s craft store. You could also find inexpensive frames at Goodwill or Red Racks.)
- White glue
- Water
- Sponge brush
- Split peas, lentils, pumpkin seeds or yarn
Split Pea Frame:
Mix a little bit of water with the glue and brush a thick coat onto the frame. Then sprinkle a layer of split peas or lentils onto the frame. Don’t pick it up until it is dry, or the peas will fall off. Older children can experiment with using brown lentils and green split peas to make a stripe or pattern.
Pumpkin Seed Frame:
Mix a little bit of water with glue and brush a thick coat onto the frame. Take the pumpkin seeds and line them up along the frame to create rows. Younger children can simply sprinkle the seeds on the frame. Once the seeds have dried, you can brush another layer of the glue mixture on top to make sure the seeds have fully adhered.
Yarn Wrapped Frame:
Choose one or a few colors of yarn. Tie a knot in the yarn on the backside of the frame and then wrap it around tightly. Repeat the process with another color or colors until the frame is fully covered. Older children can create patterns with the yarn while younger children can just have fun practicing their fine motor skills by wrapping one color of yarn, leaving spaces in between.
Megan Kapple is a blogger from Kansas City, MO, where she lives with her husband and three young daughters. She loves anything DIY and crafty and blogs about her adventures at www.HomemadeGinger.com.