Fun Crafts Using Printed Photos for Kids

Keeping kids entertained is tricky business. Perhaps it is because they have the attention span of a squirrel – you blink and they are onto something else. It is the main reason why screens seem to be the only thing that can keep up with their relentless energy.

So, if you are trying to capture their attention for long, you need something that really stimulates their minds and rivals screen time. And that is where crafts with printed photos come in.

4 Fun Crafts Using Printed Photos

Before we begin the crafting itself, you first need to get the photos printed. The easiest way to go about this is to print the photos yourself. But not everyone has a printer at home. So, the next best thing is to use an online service that prints photos, such as Photobox.

It is actually very simple and convenient to use these platforms – maybe even more than printing the photos yourself at home. Just select the pictures, upload and customise the dimensions, then place the order. Within a few days, you will receive the photo prints right at your doorstep.

Now that you have the photos, here are the 5 fun crafts to keep those little ones glued for hours:

Photo Collage Art

Creating photo collages is perhaps the most fun craft to do with kids. It involves all the things they like, including cutting and arranging photos.

Some of the things you will need (besides the printed photos) are glue, child-safe pair of scissors, canvas/cardstock as the base and colour markers or crayons. You can have a theme (like birthday, adventure or Christmas), but don’t let it limit creativity.

Besides being fun, creating photo collages is also educational. It helps improve focus and refine motor skills.

Memory Jars

Another great alternative is memory jar keepsakes. Making memory jars can be very enjoyable for kids, especially when using familiar photos like pets or them holding their favourite toys, etc. It allows them to turn those little snapshot moments into a hands-on treasure jar that they could own for the rest of their lives.

Making memory jars is quite simple. All you will need is a clean jar (old jam jar or spice jar) and a couple of printed photos. Let them express their creativity by doodling little notes to describe each picture and add glitter as they please. It’s gloriously messy and personal – and the best part – every memory jar is unique in its own way.

Photo Wall

Another fun craft that your kids would love is creating a photo wall. Photo walls are particularly interesting to kids because it allows them to contribute to the interior décor of their personal space or even the home.

Before we go further, a photo wall is an artistic arrangement of photo prints that are displayed together on the wall.

To create one, start by picking the spot (in their bedrooms or in common spaces like the hallway). Let the kids pick their favourite photos, which could be family, pets, holidays or silly moments.

Next, choose a layout. You can arrange the photos on the floor first to see how they’ll look once it’s done. Try out different iterations – grids, rows or fun random patterns till you find one that everyone likes.

The next step will be sticking them up. Use kid-friendly tapes, stick tacks or removable photo mounts (makes it easier to switch the photos should it be needed). Do not forget to add decorations as well. Let the kids add things like drawings, stickers or string lights to make the spaces truly personal.

Handmade Scrapbooks

Last but not least, make handmade scrapbooks. These are easy and very exciting to create, making it a fun activity to do with the kids.

Scrapbooks can have anything, as long as it fits on the pages. But, these are the few essentials that the kids will need to bring the chaos together:

• Printed photos (cut, torn, overlapped. All acceptable).
• A base (paper, card and old notebook. Thick paper is better because kids and glue could quickly get too messy.
• Glue (glue sticks are easier to handle, but liquid glue will also work)
• Child-safe scissors. Pens, pencils, markers and crayons (for doodling stuff)

The cutting lines or arrangements (photos, leaves or flowers) don’t need to be perfect. Let the chaos reign; that is how kids express creativity and personality. Encourage the kids to write their own captions or scribble whatever swirls feel suitable for them. At the end of the day, they will be entertained and will have a masterpiece to prove that. Afterwards, you can help them bind the pages together with staples, strings or tape.

Conclusion

If you are looking for something, outside screens, to keep kids glued, printed-photo crafts are arguably the best direction to go. They combine creativity, learning and personal connection – everything you need to keep them entertained for hours. The best thing about these crafts is that they are pretty affordable, plus you can easily adapt them to different ages without changing too much.