Create a craft bin for when your nieces and nephews come to visit you. What goes in a craft bin is only limited by your imagination!  Plan the contents according to the children’s ages.  Most items can be found at your local dollar store, like construction paper, scribble paper (use the backs of unwanted flyers), cardboard, envelopes (put in the ones you don’t use for bills), markers, crayons, colored pencils, pens, pencils,  scissors, liquid or solid glue, paint (if you are brave!), paint brushes, tape, ribbon, pipe cleaners, pom poms, glitter, paper bags, fabric scraps, old magazines, etc.

The minute the little ones get bored, bring out the craft bin and let them explore. Try to have new items in the bin for every visit so they will look forward to discovering something different every time. You may also want to keep some smocks in the house in case they wore that new outfit you just bought them from your trip to Paris last spring.

What do you keep in your craft bin?