A crafternoon event is an opportunity to get creative whilst socializing. Some people host crafternoon events at cafes or community centers, while other people hold events in their homes. The following ideas work well in any setting and don’t require any prior knowledge of a particular craft.

Eight Ideas for Kids Crafternoon Events

1. Candle decorating is a fun and simple activity.
You will need enough large, plain candles for every guest, a selection of colored wax crayons and an additional large candle that can be lit during the activity. Melt the tip of a wax crayon over the candle for twenty seconds, or until the top layer of colored wax becomes liquid. Dab the end of the crayon onto the plain candle to create a dot of color that will dry and set almost instantly.

Repeat this process to create beautiful designs. You can also get creative with beads and sequins – simply press a bead into the dot of wax before it dries.

2. Form a D.I.Y life drawing class.
The focal point of the class can be anything from a bowl of fruit to a life model. Hiring a life model is relatively inexpensive and may be possible if your event is in a community center or other commercial venue. It would be more difficult to hire a model for an event at a private home, but it might be possible to find someone to volunteer.

Alternatively, the group can take it in turns to model hands, feet and faces whilst everyone draws them. The only equipment necessary for life drawing is paper and pencils, although it can be beneficial to have a standing or side lamp in order to alter the lighting.

3. For a fun and tasty afternoon of craft, try making artisan chocolates.
To make chocolate truffles, mix equal quantities of melted chocolate and double cream together, and refrigerate for two hours. Then, mold the mixture into balls or other shapes and put inside small confectionery cases.

You can experiment with adding different flavors into the truffle mix, for example flavored liquors, vanilla essence or concentrated fruit juice. Truffles can be coated in confectioner’s sugar or cocoa powder, and covered with chopped nuts, colored sprinkles or edible glitter.

4. Up-cycle your old clothes by customizing them.
You can cut and stitch new necklines and pockets, or add panels of contrasting fabric to a plain garment. Ribbons, buttons, and beads can be used to make beautiful new designs, or techniques such as batik or tie-dye can totally rejuvenate an item. To achieve beautiful, lasting batik designs on colored clothes, try drawing patterns with bleach pens.

See also: Keeping Medicine Out of Children’s Hands.

Clothing dyes can be bought online or at craft shops, and the rings and patterns found on tie-dyed clothes can be created by tying string or elastic bands around sections of the garment, soaking the piece in dye, then removing the string or elastic bands when the item is dry.

5. A collective project is a great way to create a communal focus for a crafternoon.
If the group enjoys sewing, creating individual panels for a patchwork quilt can be a lovely project, and the actual piecing together and quilting can be done collectively over a number of weeks.

6. A more accessible project is a collective scrapbook, where everybody creates a page to be collated into a book.
Scrap-booking resources can be expensive, but you can minimize the expense by recycling gift wrapping paper, creating flowers from tissue paper and using buttons, lace and fabric from unwanted clothes.

7. Create a surrealist drawing circle.
Place a focal point in the center of a circle, and set a timer. Everyone begins to draw the object in the middle from their perspective, but every three minutes everyone has to switch places and continue drawing from a new perspective. This activity can produce some brilliant results.

Get really creative by changing artistic medium every time you change seats, for example begin drawing with just pencil and paper, then switch and start using chalk, then switch again and continue the picture using acrylic paint.

8. Try making costumes for a party or night out.
The group can use anything, from bin bags and tea towels to lampshades and laundry bins, but they should refrain from using actual clothes to create their costumes.

The afternoon could end with a costume party where everyone models their new creations.

A crafternoon should achieve a good balance between craft and creation, and a fun social space. The activities detailed above are perfect for crafternoon events and can be done inexpensively and with no prior knowledge or expertise.