Kids Crafts and Activities Using Straws

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Today I am taking part in an awesome series from Craftulate called the Ultimate Guide to 50 Craft Materials. My contribution to the series is all about straws, so if you have some on hand and you want to do something fun with them, check out the ideas below! It is a linky too so bloggers pleas come add your straw crafts and activities posts!

To see a list of allllll 50 materials that are covered by this awesome series, please visit the landing page for the Ultimate Guide to 50 Craft Materials. I dare you to visit Craftulate and not find anther post or two to fall in love with….it is just not possible!

Straws: The Thick and Thin

Okay so. Straws! I know you are probably thinking, lets see what fun she came up with for those standard drinking straws but wait just a second because there are way more than just one kind of straws and you never know where the inspiration to craft will strike you!

The top photo up there is a quick sample of the straws in our house. Extra thick Milkshake straws are like a super wide version of the standard version and some times they are referred to as bubble tea straws. I really like using these because they are chunky for little fingers to grab but they also fit just right into the cap from apple sauce and baby food pouches. They play a central roll as the axle in our Shrinky Dinks Rolling Car Toys and they are the handle in our Fireworks Wand and Fairy Wands.

 

 

 

 

We also have some Ikea bendy straws, which are great for construction activities as well as these thicker candy colored party straws from Party City. I am waiting for inspiration to hit me with those guys! They're so mesmerizing!

Of course, you can't go wrong with Silly Straws, these loopy, bendy, but not flexible colorful straws. They are used in the coolest way in these Glass Sculptures from Life with Moore Babies.

My favorite standard drinking straws craft has to be Frugal Fun For Boys' Pipe Cleaner Ninjas. She comes up with all kinds of cool things, but seriously, I don't know a boy alive who wouldn't spend hours playing with these dudes!

 

 

 

The smaller straws in that top photo were bought at our neighborhood liquor store believe it or not. They are Collins brand (like Collins Mix) cocktail short straws and sip stirrers. These are perfect for cutting practice and art projects.

Fine Motor Activity Using Straws

My straw activity today is a new favorite because I was able to adapt it for my 3 1/2 year old as well as my 15 month old and they both were really focused on it. For the three year old I set out a plastic dredge container with a wide-holed lid. A spice shaker, short colander or Parmesan cheese container would also work. I set out straws, picks and stirrers of varying widths and lengths on a tray with the dredge. When she came to see what was on the tray I told her it was a game called “Will it Fit?” Some did fit but some were too wide, some were too tall and the picks had decorative tips which wouldn't fit. She had a funny game show host type of voice every time she picked up something new, “Will THIS fiiit?!” She came back to it a few times over the next couple days.

I hadn't considered setting this out for Little Big Man until I saw Nicolette's Toothpicks in a Spice Bottle post over at Powerful Mothering. Her daughter is not much older than Little Big Man so one morning when I needed to get a few things done in the kitchen, I set it on the floor and let him try. He sat there totally focused pretty much for longer than he has since he started walking (okay, other than eating), it was AWESOME.

Ultimate Guide to 50 Craft Materials

Now it is your Turn! Let's see what kind of crafts and activities you have come up with using straws!! Please add only posts using straws, others will be deleted. Thanks for coming by, and please go through and check out the other craft materials in this series!

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