There are many benefits to spending time learning and crafting with your child. Research shows that when children and parents play together, the bond between them strengthens, and attachment deepens. Developing an interest in a shared hobby when your child is still young is one way to provide an opportunity to strengthen the attachments essential to a child’s social and emotional growth and development.
For young children, motor development is another important developmental skill that is enhanced when crafting with a parent. Gross (large) motor skills and fine (small) motor skills develop as children learn to use the tools necessary to complete the crafts included in each kit. Scissors, iron, glue sticks, writing tools, and measuring tapes or rulers, are just some of the items your child learns to use, under your watchful eyes. Not only will their fine and gross motor skills be enhanced, but other, academic skills, are exercised while crafting. Here are a few more benefits of crafting with your children. 
Practicing math skills
Counting out each piece as you unpack your box will help your little ones learn about numbers and quantity. Measuring, using the appropriate tools, and estimating, where needed are more advanced math skills for older children.
Practicing reading skills
Read the instructions aloud to your younger children, using your finger in a left to right motion across the page, to help them follow along. For your older children allow them to read the instructions to you. Not only will you be helping them to read better orally, but comprehension skills will be enhanced as the child follows the instructions.
Learning to follow directions
This is another essential skill children must master. Can you think of a more fun way to learn this? Us either.
Hands-on social studies learning
Many of the things we enjoy as crafts today, candle-making, soap making, bath teas, and more, are skills everyone needed to learn in older times. These things were an essential part of everyday life, and there were no stores to provide them.
Discovering the science
The science behind the craft, e.g. soap making, and candle making, is exciting too. Follow up your crafting with a little research on why you use cotton for wicking, or what other ingredients are useful in soap-making.
In addition to the learning that takes place when you do crafts with your children, they will also gain a sense of accomplishment and pride resulting from the successful completion of their projects.
While a one-on-one craft activity is great, why not share the fun? Have a party! Here are a few ideas to get you and your child started on a unique crafting party for friends and their moms.
Saturday Crafternoon
- Ask a few of your child’s friends and their moms over to spend the afternoon crafting together.
- Make sure they know how to order their kits, before the first date, so you will all be ready for the fun.
- Rotate houses each time the new kits arrive, to share the fun.
DIY Birthday Party
- Plan a DIY party for your child’s next birthday celebration.
- Order enough Hippie Hobby kits for each child to have one. You won’t need to worry about shopping for favors because each child will be making her own.
- Continue the DIY theme with food stations.
- Set up a create-your-own ice-cream sundae bar. Include ice cream, sliced bananas, chocolate sauce, sprinkles and anything else you want to add. Let each child create their own special treat.
- Last, provide icing, decorations and plain cupcakes at another station. Each child can decorate a cupcake to eat after you sing Happy Birthday.
Quality time spent with your child crafting, playing, and planning are memories in the making, skills you are building, and bonding that can’t be broken.
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