For the past 28 years I have operated my own childcare business, and I have a pretty good pulse on the kinds of crafts that children like to make. When I choose a craft project I have a few things in mind, such as how easy the craft is to make, how messy it will be in the process, and the clean up that is involved with the project.
One fun craft project that children just love to make are the Makit & Bakit Suncatchers. These are not too expensive, and they come in a wide variety of themes, so there is most likely something for every child to choose from that they would love to make.
Among the suncatcher themes are those having to do with the solar system, such as rockets and planets, stars and rainbows, the sun and moon. The of course we have the all too favorite choice of animals. Children love to draw, color and make any craft project that has an animal theme. The animals that Makit & Bakit have are: frogs, dogs, a unicorn, butterflies, kittens, a lady bug, dolphins, a horse, bumble bee, monkey, and a teddy bear. There are even more themes, such as sports, smiley face, cupcake, a crown, “girl power”, guitar, and race cars.
Each kit has everything you will need to make an attractive suncatcher. They come with the frames that outline the themes, multi colored crystals, and a suction cup so that this piece of art can be hung in a window and enjoyed by the children year round!
The Makit & Bakit Suncatcher craft projects have been on the market for years, I remember making them when i was a child! These do take some adult supervision if you are working with younger children (they are recommended for children age 8 and up), and they might need some guidance to get the crystals in the proper sections on the suncatcher, but the directions are very easy to follow. I find all of the suncatchers have a wonderful blend of colors, and they are very bright and look great when hung up in a sunny location.
To make them, you simply pour the crystals into the frame, then bake them for a short period of time. The hardest part is waiting for them to cool down before they can be touched! The frames are colored gray, and have the look of solder that is used in real stained glass to connect the pieces of glass. The finished projects are extremely lightweight, so I assume some sort of oven safe plastic is used in these kits.
You might notice an odd smell while these are baking, and if you are chemically sensitive at all, you might want to leave the doors or windows open during the baking process. I didn’t find the smell too offensive.
The Makit & Bakit projects come in other varieties other than suncatchers. You can make bowls, jewelry, and key chains to name a few. They also come with glittery and glow in the dark versions. If you are looking for a fun and easy craft to do with your children during the summer months, I highly recommend giving the Makit & Bakit craft kits a try. Look for them in craft stores like JoAnns, Michaels and Hobby Lobby (and don’t forget to use those 40% off coupons!). The crystals are a choking hazard for children under the age of three, so do take some caution.
