SERIES: Let's All Look at Some Blogs // Kids/Craft

I cannot believe I am saying this, but I feel like I’ve run out of things to blog about. 

No, no, no, before I start to really believe that, I need to get something up on here quick. Today marks the one week mark until school starts again. I am so sad – as one of my friends said a couple of days ago (who I know subscribes so might read this – I hope you don’t mind me quoting you!), “I just really like hanging out with my kids.” I already miss by bigger boy.

As promised, the second in the LALASB series is about kids/craft. And it’s appropriate too, because of the aforementioned week ’til school, and the fact that the weather seems to have had a lobotomy (as have some catalogue retailers who sent me a pamphlet this week – that’s this week in AUGUST – saying ‘it’s never too early to start getting prepared for Christmas’. Yes, yes it is). It might be good to have some indoor activities up one’s sleeve, wouldntcha say?

To explain: there’s a slash between ‘kid’ and ‘craft because most of it is for craft to do with kids. But there is also one in which everything you’d make you could use for kids’ presents, parties or rooms – but it’s not really for doing ‘with’ kids.

Because I am not keen on the cutesy cupcakey mummy blogs (sorry, just being honest), I am not really up for those that make me feel guilty for not sitting with my toddler five days a week sorting out craft projects for him to do.

I like ones where I can pick up simple ideas – craft that’s achievable with paper, some scissors and a pot of paint gets an A-star.

But as shown with the first post in this series (about fashion/interiors/design), I also like to dream and I like pretty pictures. So I’ve also included a kids/craft blog where the posts are just so juicy to look at that they’re like viewing a beautiful painting – but I will probably never get round to doing/instigating these things.

I wonder if you will love them too? You can always let me know in the comments section below.

KIDS/CRAFT

MINI ECO

This is the juiciest craft blog I know of. It is written by Kate Lilley, who has since penned two books on neon/eco crafting. Like me, she started writing her blog to ‘give her brain a bit of a workout’ when she had young children at home. But unlike mine, her blog now receives 300,000+ visitors per month.

Mini-eco is the kind of blog I could only dream of writing, and I encourage you to get lost in Kate’s neon world. It’s absolutely abundantly inspiring in a ‘I’m-never-going-to-be-able-to-do-that-but-I-can-dream’ way.

(Except the thing is, you just might be able to do it because it’s all quite easy-looking… If you do, please can you do me one of whatever you’re making too?).

Website: minieco.co.uk

Mini-eco on Twitter: @mini_eco_craft

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KID PLAY DO

This is a blog co-written by a couple of sister-in-laws, Kat and Tess, who look from their posts to have a big, fun, all-get-along kind of family. They live locally in Brighton, so some of the pictures of beaches and other places where they’ve photographed activities may look familiar.

Kat and Tess wrote a book together a few years back called ‘The Happy Campers‘ that gives all sorts of ideas and info from games to play on camping trips, to recipes to chef up with ease. I have flicked through it at my friend E’s house, but this past summer became a bit more of a camper so I think a purchase is in my future.

What I love about Kid Play Do is how easy everything looks. There are ‘make & do’ sections divided by age group, so I can find things that are easy for the toddler and that are more suited to my kid-kid. There’s also a section for ‘All Ages‘ for when they’re together. All of it is simple and easy – a big plus – and the results always look fantastic (and not just because Kat is a photographer and everything looks so beautiful on the blog anyway).

Other sections include ‘Yum Yum‘ (food ideas), ‘Memories‘ (trips and days they’ve had all together’, ‘Play‘ (literally games – I love the beach games post so much), and ‘Living & Decor‘ (filled with luscious interiors ideas).

Website: kidplaydo.blogspot.co.uk

Kid Play Do on Instagram: instagram.com/kidplaydo

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NURTURESTORE

I receive a weekly emailed roundup of A-MAZING activities for toddlers and pre-schoolers from Nurturestore – crafty, sensory, educational, outdoor play, cooking ideas, messy stuff and so on. And through this play planner, you get a week of activities – one for each day – along a single theme. Each day’s picture leads to the relevant post on some other kids crafting blog, so it’s also way of discovering new ones to earmark for later.

Browsing the website itself – put together by a woman called Cathy James, who has worked in schools, nurseries and creches – can see you lose hours. I particularly like the ‘100 Kids Art Projects‘ page though as a place to start. It’s also handily divided into theme/activity (Painting, Outdoor, Rainbows, Sculpture, Printing etc.).

The ideas and opportunities for play are quite literally endless. Watch out for this one though, it has massive potential for guilt-tripping, alright.

Website: nurturestore.co.uk

Nurturestore on Twitter: @nurturestore

Disclosure: No compensation, financial or otherwise, was offered or accepted in exchange for this post. This is just an indulgent kowtow from me to the bloggers out there that I admire and enjoy, and whose blogs I thought it would be nice to share with others. 

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