If you have one or more children around the home, thinking up new activities for them to do can be hard work. That is to say finding activities that do not involve them spending hours on their Xbox or similar. DIY is a great way for them to keep active, use their brains and also for you to have a chance to bond with them. It can also teach them the value of hard work and reward. However, it can be tricky trying coming up with DIY ideas that are suitable for younger children; they are hardly likely to be rebuilding a supporting wall.

Here is a list of some great, kid-friendly, DIY projects for them to try.

Laying out the room

Redecorating your child’s room is the ideal way to get them involved in DIY. After all, they are the ones who are going to be spending time in it. Take some time to help them draw out plans of its layout and how they would like it furnished. Once the design has been completed, get them involved in helping to move things around and carry out various tasks, such as stitching curtains and putting together basic furniture. They will feel a real sense of accomplishment staying in a room they helped create.

Custom storage

There was a reason that create-your-own storage space came up so often on Blue Peter; it is fun and easy for children to do. If they are the creative type, whether it is writing, drawing or painting, get them involved in creating custom pen/paint storage using basic woods for the base and card for the pots. In addition to teaching them about the cutting, sticking and shaping of the materials, this also gives them the chance to get involve with painting the unit to suit their own tastes. Just remember to put down plenty newspapers before letting them loose with the paint.

Lighting

Before running off in a panic, there is no suggestion that you should get your six year old to change a light switch. Children tend to make a big thing of how their room is lit, which is great, as it gives them the chance to create their own custom lampshades. As with the storage unit, creating a custom lampshade will teach them the skills of crafting and shaping materials, as well as painting and decorating them. What is more, it is also a great way for them to get exactly the sort of lighting they want, whether it is dedicated to Justin Bieber or to Ben 10. It is also worth talking to your children about what sort of window shading they want; whether they would prefer traditional curtains or something different – for example, plantation shutter blinds.

Basic furniture

Creating basic furniture from soft materials is a great DIY skill for children to learn. Even a six year old will want nothing more than a beanbag to lie around on, so why not work with them to help create their own? All that is required is the right padding for the inside and a little help selecting exactly what sort of material and colour they’d like to make the outside from. It is then simply a matter of supervising them and helping stitch it all together. Again, taking the DIY route means they can have anything from a Man Utd beanbag to one dedicated to JLS.

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