Crafts by: Kayla Koslow @mskoslowsartroom
Spread kindness around like confetti and make someone smile today! I’m excited to share with you not just one, but three fantastic craft ideas that are perfect for spreading cheer and warmth in your classrooms or at home with your loved ones.
These crafts are inspired by the colorful partnership of OOLY and Kids for Peace, who have come together to sprinkle creativity and kindness in every corner of the world. Through their collaboration, they aim to inspire the young and young at heart to express themselves, explore their imaginations, and, most importantly, spread positivity wherever they go. OOLY is the official sponsor of The Great Kindness Challenge for 2024. This global initiative, led by Kids for Peace, is all about encouraging children to perform acts of kindness, big and small. Imagine, 20 million children worldwide uniting to perform a billion acts of kindness! And guess what? You can be a part of this kindness revolution too, right from your art corner!
So, grab your art supplies, and let’s dive into these three acts of kindness – crafting heartwarming gifts for friends, creating bookmarks that spread joy with every page turn, and painting rocks that show our appreciation in the most artistic way. Each of these crafts is not just an activity; it's a small but powerful way to make the world a brighter, kinder place. Ready to unleash your creativity and kindness? Let's get started!
Cut Out 10 Hearts and Give them to Friends
These crafty hearts are a great way to spread kindness by sharing the love! Simple, sweet, and oh so fun, you can spend 10 minutes or 10 hours creating your hearts - it all depends on how detailed you want them to be. I like making a range of designs because stretching my creative wings brings me just as much joy as passing out these hearts to friends and family! Whatever you choose, this craft is sure to spread kindness to you and yours. Enjoy!
OOLY Products You’ll Need:
- Lil’ Watercolor Paint Pad
- Lil’ Watercolor Paint Pods
- Lil’ Paint Brush Set
- The Ink Works Markers
- Yummy Yummy Scented Glitter Gel Pens
Step 1: Create Colorful Watercolor Backgrounds The first step is to create a few different colorful backgrounds that will serve as the base of your design. You can create any size, but I find the best approach is to lay your Lil’ Watercolor Paint Pad paper horizontally and create one design on the left half and a different design on the right. Take advantage of the opportunities to really stretch your creative wings. Create patterns, mix colors, or even blow through a straw to create a unique pattern or sprinkle a pinch of salt to create depth and texture. No matter what colorful creation you make, just make sure you give everything a little time to dry.
Step 2: Create Your Heart Template Taking another piece of paper from your Lil’ Watercolor Paint Pad, fold it in half and draw half a heart right along the crease. Snip along your guide line, remove your solid heart and, violà, you have a heart shaped template ready for step 3!
Step 3: Find the Design that Makes Your Heart Soar Move your new heart template over the colorful designs you created, using it like a magic window to find the perfect placement that makes your heart sing. Trace it, cut it out, and behold – you’ve got a heart that’s ready to spread joy!
Step 4: Add Flourish to Your Heart’s Content, Share the Love, and Spread Kindness Here comes the best part! Decorate your hearts with details, drawings, and endearing sentiments using The Ink Works Markers and Yummy Yummy Scented Glitter Gel Pens. Messages that'll make someone's day like, “You light up the world!” or “Keep being amazing” are the perfect ways to spread kindness! Then give these hearts to friends, family, your teacher, or anyone who could use a smile.
Make a Bookmark for a Friend
In the spirit of spreading kindness and sparking imagination, we're crafting personalized bookmarks – perfect for keeping your place in your latest adventure or, better yet, gifting to a fellow book lover. So, grab your OOLY supplies, and let's turn the page to an artful and kind-hearted escapade!
OOLY Products You’ll Need:
Step 1: Craft Your Bookmark Base Let's start by designing the shape of your bookmark. Grabbing a page from your White DIY Cover Sketchbook, snip out a shape that works best for your design – this may be a traditional rectangle or a triangle tipped rectangle for slightly more flair. Remember that the shape is your canvas, so let your imagination soar!
Step 2: Add Pizzazz and Personality Now, let's jazz it up using the Switch-Eroo Color Changing Markers to draw designs and doodles! Add some pizazz with a message on your bookmarks! Make them simple or deluxe – your bookmark, your rules!
Step 3: Stick, Style, and Smile! It’s sticker time! Add stickers to make it a bookmark to remember! Stickiville Stickers come in a wide array of themes, formats, and sizes. You can add a rainbow heart here, a flower there – anything that lets your bookmark tell a story. Once your bookmark is complete, it's ready to share. I love this craft because not only am I happy making this for my book loving friends, I know they are happy to get it, and I also know that each time they pick up a book, they’ll be reminded of how much they mean to me! What a tremendous way to spread kindness!
Show Appreciation to your Principal Creatively - Rock Painting
With this craft, we are going to combine the joy of art with the warmth of appreciation, by creating beautifully painted rocks to show our gratitude in the most unique way. Whether it's a thank you to a wonderful principal or a token for a special teacher, these rocks are more than just art; they're symbols of our heartfelt thanks. So, let’s put on our creative caps and get ready to rock this project with OOLY!
OOLY Products You’ll Need:
Step 1: Find Your Canvas in Nature First things first, let’s go on a little nature walk to hunt for the perfect rock. Look for one that’s smooth with no sharp edges – it’ll be our canvas. Once you’ve found it, give it a nice bath and let it dry. Now, it’s time to bring out your favorite OOLY products and let the creativity flow!
Step 2: Bold and Beautiful with Vivid Pop! Now for the fun part – painting! The Vivid Pop! Water Based Paint Markers are perfect for rock art. Why, you ask? They're amazing on porous surfaces, and their bold, vibrant colors bring your rock to life. Once your masterpiece is complete, use The Ink Works Markers to write a note or a message of appreciation to your principal (or teacher!) - a great way to spread kindness! Imagine how special they will feel receiving this one-of-a-kind paperweight!
Step 3: Chunkies Layering Fun Or, if you want to mix it up, start with Chunkies Paint Sticks for a quick and easy base. Then, layer on the magic with Vivid Pop! before adding your design and heartfelt message of kindness. This is such a fun and simple way to show gratitude while spreading kindness! It’s not just a rock; it's a token of appreciation that comes straight from the heart. So, happy rock painting, my kind-hearted artists! I can't wait to see your amazing rock creations.
Let's keep spreading kindness, one colorful creation at a time! Each stroke of your brush, every sticker placed, and every heart cutout you create isn't just an act of creativity; it's an act of kindness that ripples through the world. In partnering with Kids for Peace and supporting The Great Kindness Challenge, OOLY is committed to helping spread this ripple of joy and compassion. So, whether you’re in a bustling classroom or cozy at home, remember that your artistic creations are powerful tools for change. They’re not just crafts; they’re messages of hope, love, and kindness. With each colorful creation, you’re helping to paint a more vibrant and kinder world. Together, we’re not just making art – we’re making a difference.
We want to see your works of art! Tag us on Instagram at @WeAreOOLY using the hashtags: #OOLY #OOLYcreatekindness #GreatKindnessChallenge
