Paper Craft

Paper Crafting involves a wide and varied mixture of several different hand on skills that
people use to create one, two or three-dimensional objects in paper and card stock. Paper
crafting is generally associated with Scrapbooking, Cardmaking, Stamping, Quiling, Origami
and Thrembling.
Paper Sculpture is considered to be the most difficult form of papercrafting to master because
it involves drawing, design and complex interlocking pattern making skills.
Paper and card stock are the most widely used base material for all of these crafts because
they lend themselves to a wide range of techniques including bending, folding, curving,
cutting, painting, creasing, glueing, embellishing and even sewing and stitching.
Papermaking by hand is also an important paper craft.
Paper crafts are known in most societies that use paper, with certain kinds of crafts being
particularly associated with specific countries or cultures. In Caribbean countries paper craft
is unique to Caribbean culture which reflect the importance of native animals in life of people
In addition to the aesthetic value of paper crafts, various forms of paper crafts are used in the
education of children. Paper is a relatively inexpensive medium, readily available, and easier
to work with than the more complicated media typically used in the creation of three-
dimensional artwork, such as ceramics, wood, and metals.[3] It is also neater to work with
than paints, dyes, and other coloring materials. Paper crafts may also be used in therapeutic
settings, providing children with a safe and uncomplicated creative outlet to express feelings.

Types of Paper Craft

The paper is widely used by the artists to show their creativity in the paper craft ideas. There
are many types of paper craft.
1. Scrapbooking
In scrapbooking, family history is conserved and arranged as a book, card, or box.
Photographs, wishing cards, or artwork is used for this purpose. Many people want to save
their memories by making and decorating their scrapbook with the help of paper craft ideas.
2. Card Making
In this type of paper craft, hand-made greeting cards are created beautifully. Many people
love to greet their family, friends, and relatives by their hand-crafted cards.
3. Paper Flowers
Making of flowers by using paper is called paper flowers craft. It is one of the very famous
paper craft ideas.
4. Decoupage
It is the art of paper crafting in which an object such as photo frames, and bottles,etc. are
decorated with the cutouts of colored paper along with paints effects and other embellishing
material.
The Benefits of Engaging Your Kids in Paper Crafts
With a technology based society it can be hard to get children involved with an activity that
does not involve some form of electronic device. In addition to that battle there is the issue of
finding time to do crafts and art projects with your children. Families seem to be on the go all
the time with different activities and social obligations. By the time we get it all done there is
no more energy to do anything apart from lie down and relax for a few minutes.
It can seem like there is no time in the day to spend making things with your kids, but I can
assure you the end result will be more precious than what any social obligation or
extracurricular activity can provide. The only people that you should feel obligated to spend
time with are your family. Others will just have to move aside.
Spending time does not have to involve an entire day or even have to cost much at all. The
main factor is finding things that you and your family can do together and one of the best
ways to spend time together is doing a homemade craft. Crafts can be made of almost any
household item. The best crafts often involve paper and the benefits from allowing children
to make these paper crafts will help them throughout their lives.
Improves Focus
It is a problem that faces many families today, lack of focus among children. Countless
parents have been called to the office of the school to learn that their precious angel is not
focusing in class. Lack of focus can affect a child for their entire lives if not addressed early.
Many physicians will recommend medication to help children focus better, but a more
positive approach is to get your children involved in crafts.
The problem with many kids in school today is that they do not understand why they have to
go. They cannot see the end result so they are more apt to let their mind wonder. Crafting
allows a child to pick a project and see it through to the end. They can see the end result and
will realize that if they focus on achieving a goal they can make anything happen.
Creativity
It is a growing trend that parents will put their child in front of the television set or give them
a tablet to keep them occupied so the parent can have a break. Everyone needs a break from
time to time, but it is important to realise that the television offers little in creativity
development. Even if the program is educational, they are merely learning facts. To have a
well-rounded child you have to have an environment that promotes creativity as well as fact
based learning.
Paper crafts give the child a chance to express itself in a purely creative environment. They
do not have to stick to strict protocol with paper crafts and are freer to let their creativity
flow.
Life Skills
You may not think of paper crafts in terms of building life skills, but a child that is given the
task of creating something out of paper has to use their brains to finish the task. Children
build many problem-solving skills from paper crafting. In addition to problem solving your
child will learn social skills and how to follow directions, which is something greatly lacking
among many adults today. Apart from these life skills your child will earn the satisfaction of
making something with their own hands and they will be able to carry that confidence with
them throughout life.
Motor Skills
Young children are learning at an alarming rate, however motor skills are not thought much
of anymore. Developing the motor skills of a child is vital to their overall developmental
process. Paper crafts can employ different shapes and colours to teach kids their
relationships. Matching up pieces for these paper crafts gives the child a great advantage
when they reach school age. Children that are encouraged in motor skill development are
known to do better in school.
Spending time with the family is vital to having a healthy environment for a child to grow up
in. Paper crafts may seem like a small thing, but for a small child it is the little things that
often mean the most. Money can be made every day, but time is the one thing you will never
get back. The world is moving fast and children are growing up and leaving home quicker
than ever. It is so important to spend time with your children before they are out on their own.
Twenty Fingers is a family focused company. We understand the importance of family
togetherness and encourage every family to spend time together doing paper crafts. You
never know what you will create together and you will cherish the time spent with one
another forever.
Reasons Why Craft Activities for Kids Are So Important
1. Crafting Helps Kids Communicate Their Feelings
Parent asks “Why did you put that hat on the elephant you made?” The child answers
“Because it makes me happy.”
A child given free reign to make, and paint, to their heart’s content will often match their
creations to their feelings. Colour, different art materials (like these), different textures of
materials, and some inspiration from a parent, can prompt children to express themselves
with real originality.
2. Kids Enjoy Seeing That They Can Improve
By exposing kids to a wide range of crafting activities, they will begin to home in on the ones
that really spark their interest. Some might enjoy moulding with clay, others making faces in
trays of plaster of Paris. So try and expose your kids to lots of different art and craft forms at
home.
As their talent for a particular craft improves, they will also enjoy looking back at earlier
creations to see how much they have improved, which will boost their confidence.
3. Schoolwork Can Improve
A happy side effect of crafting sessions, is that children’s schoolwork can also improve.
Concepts that might otherwise be tricky to grasp, can become clearer when they are explored
with a little lateral thinking.
Children who build a house from various household items might get a better understanding of
three-dimensional shapes.
A favourite story character, whose portrait was created using scraps of coloured cloth, may
become more memorable – and in turn, reading becomes a way to discover other interesting
characters.
Using two circles for eyes, two lollipop sticks for arms and two for legs also introduces basic
arithmetic.
4. Crafting Teaches Kids to Follow Instructions
Arts and crafts are two quite different activities, offering different learning opportunities.
American art therapist Anna Reyner draws a distinction between the two activities: “While
art is an open-ended or ‘unstructured’ activity, crafts are goal oriented or ‘structured’.”
And is this goal oriented part that teaches kids to follow instructions – by following a simple
set of steps, in the correct order, they will complete their craft. Crafting also teaches kids the
consequences if they don’t follow the steps, and why they should do things the right way,
first time. An important life lesson.
5. Learn Teamwork & Social Skills
Working on a craft project together with your child can help improve their teamwork,
communication and social skills, as they will have to learn to co-operate and communicate to
complete their projects.
Crafting can also be a great team activity at a kids party. Set up an operation line where each
child has to do a part of the craft. Raising your child to become a team player will set them up
with a valuable skill in all walks of life.
6. Allows Quality Time Between Parent & Child
Doing crafts with your child allows you to spend some quality time together and make
important memories that will often longer than the craft itself.
As you craft together, you have an opportunity to talk to each other, and will generally hear
more at this time, about their day, their hopes or their worries than you might have otherwise
heard.
7. Crafting Improves Fine Motor Skills
The activity of sticking, colouring, glueing, cutting and keeping within lines or patterns, can
assist fine motor skill development, and improve hand eye co-ordination in kids. In fact, even
simple tasks such as separating squares of tissue paper and scrunching them up into the right
shape are great for developing their skills.
Cute Paper Art Crafts like these help to improve fine motor skills and teach kids how to
follow instructions to complete an activity.
They (and you) may not realise it, but even small crafting exercises like these teach your kids
a lot of hugely valuable skills.
8. Teaches Kids to Try
Craft projects are a great way to teach kids to try something, and potentially even fail. We
have all had many failed attempts at crafting, which ultimately teach kids that it’s good to try
something anyhow, even if it’s not a roaring success.
Finally don’t worry if you are not the world’s greatest crafter. It’s still worth making the time
to do some projects with your kids, teaching them that you are willing to give it go, and spend
some quality time with them in the process.