Good Crafts for Teens Ages 13-16

[lovely_lil_lady]

Every year at my church we have week of Vacation Bible School and during that week there are 2 days where each age group does crafts. Each year they try to find good craft ideas for the teenagers but have a lot of trouble finding something that is inexpensive and fun for teenagers to do. Since I am older now I have chosen to help but it is very difficult to find crafts for them to do. I'm not into crafts myself so I can't really think of anything that they could do. Also it has to be done in 45 minutes. Are there any sugestions?

[Unregistered]

Check out the crafts on sites for boy and girl scouts. Have been using them for years. Also try search for teen crafts.

[annettemcd]

If you have a few hours, basket making is great, but it can not be done in 45 minutes.

You might want to see if you can get ahold of a computer photo printer. Have the teenagers take photos of their friends and activities. Many of them should have digital cameras and/or camera phones. Print the photos and then have the teenagers make picture frames, scrapbook pages, posters, and/or collages with the photos. Not only will the teenagers have fun, but they will have a way for themselves and others to have memories of the event.

[Unregistered]

Hello.
Many ideas for you.

Basket making is good. You just need many newspapers. Carefully fold or roll them he lengthwise into strips.
Weave a base. Fold up the unwoven sides. Staple or tape a rim around the edges. Then weave more strips over under all around. Make a braided handle and hot glue it on or staple it on. That could be your practice basket. Then, if you think they'd like to make a real basket use real basket making materials. You can use clothes pins to hold loose pieces while weaving.

Easy fast craft:
Pony Seed Beads and Safety pins to make a lapel pin. To start, have them make a design by coloring grid paper. A U.S. Flag, A ICTHUS FISH, their initials, a heart, their school graduation year '08. etc. Then they string the beads onto the safety pins and then attach all the beaded safety pins to the larger pin.


Picture frame. Make the frame for a standard size photo. First ahead of time make templates out of paper. Have them trace it onto cardboard and cut it out. Make the back and the hanger or fold out foot for displaying the frame. Use hot glue to assemble the frame. Then they decorate the cardboard or paint. Spray clear coat them outside when done.

Refrigerator/ Locker Magnets. Buy the magnets at the dollar store. You can get Coloring books with cute drawings on them, Christian Coloring books too. They can trace these onto felt or just color and attach to the magnets. I remember years ago making a "Holy Cow are U eating Again" felt cow in Camp Fire. It was really fun. If the students don't want to use the coloring books you can have cool letters and numbers for them to trace . They could do their name, Jesus, I Heart Jesus, or their year of graduation etc.

Prayer Journals. Old records or Cereal Boxes and printer paper and wire. Precut the paper and records or cereal boxes to make a neat journal. Sandwich the paper between the cardboard. Clamp them. Drill holes with a drill. Bind the book with colored wire . Students can keep a record of their prayers and prayers answered. Have them start this the first day. Every day allot time for them to write their prayers and at the end of camp ask them if anyone would like to share a prayer answered.

Have kids make a felt board and teach a Bible lesson to the younger kids. Just use Bible coloring books to trace the characters onto felt. The more artistic kids can make the people. The less artistic the background landscape. Good public speakers can deliver the Bible lesson to the kids.

[Unregistered]

Most of the thing her are bad ideas . there supposed to be fun? do you have kids? i dont think you do, if you did you would have a little bit of an idea about what kids like! clearly you dont. do something stop making the kids do meaning less things that are "fun" because wale up! Their not, at all!

[arteacher]

OK, if you have childern on that ages, can you inform us, what are the best idea for craft? I think it will be a good sources for us to create a craft activity for teens.

[Unregistered]

seriously!
we are not 10yr. old Boy/Girl scouts!!
Most of teens are highschoolers, meaning we don't want to make baskets. Give us something to do that is educational, while interesting. have us do a skit, or dress up as a specific person and explain who we r and what we r all about. Or have us bring in food from a specific country/ time period, etc.
It all depends on the subject that u want us to know. if u r just trying to keep us occupied, u can still do these things, just spin it ur way.
Just remember the age grou that u r dealing w/!!

[Unregistered]

I know it sounds crazy, but kids really like these! I teach high school students and am also an advisor for a student organization. When trying to come up with a fun idea to make money without selling items from those cheesy fundraising organizations, I came up with this idea. I went to my local Wal-Mart and purchased funky-colored duct tape. I did an on-line search for a pattern on duct tape wallets. (I think I found one on the DYI network website) I created the wallet at home in about a half hour. I loved my new hot pink wallet! So I brought it to school and asked all of my classes if they'd be interested in learning how to make one. "YES!", they answered. So we charged $7.00 for this fundraising activity. The students came after school to make wallets. I purchased lots of different colors of duct tape (and a few other meaterials like stamps and velvet) and we instructed students during the duct tape wallet workshop. Teens loved it. They walked out with a unique item that they could use, and more importantly, that they made!

[Unregistered]

Most of the thing her are bad ideas . there supposed to be fun? do you have kids? i dont think you do, if you did you would have a little bit of an idea about what kids like! clearly you dont. do something stop making the kids do meaning less things that are "fun" because wale up! Their not, at all!

You're dislike of these ideas was clear but the initial person didn't ask for criticism they asked for ideas--so since you strongly disliked the person's ideas who took the time to try to help by listing some why don't you do the same and give ideas that show that you clearly know what teens like.

[Unregistered]

Lets see you think of something then! How hard is it? Pretty difficult when you you try to amuse kids, now isn't it?!? MWAHAHAHAHA

[camflash11]

I really know what I like. Popsicle sticks and paper mache' fish just don't entertain me!
Duct tape is a wonderful idea!!! Just give a teen a roll of it, and let um go crazy! I love thinking of new ways to create stuff with duct tape. Wallets, ties, jewelry, i-pod covers. The possibilites are seriously endless! And by the way, I freehand all the stuff.. patterns and instructions confuse me!
Next, as a teen girl. I like jewelry. I make alot of jewelry! Shiny items, glitters, chains, beads. All are in-expensive, and teens can use there imagination to make whatever.
Some things maybe not to try, sewing projects [ugh, do I really have to explain?] and anything that is cheesey made of paper and glue. That is really boring.
Ooh, paper collages! Rip up mags, and either cover notebooks, or just make a personal poster. I love making those in my free time :]
Hope I've helped some!

[Unregistered]

Most of the thing her are bad ideas . there supposed to be fun? do you have kids? i dont think you do, if you did you would have a little bit of an idea about what kids like! clearly you dont. do something stop making the kids do meaning less things that are "fun" because wale up! Their not, at all! You dont have to be so maybe her kids do like if you dont fine so keep your attitude to yourself unless you have something constructive to say

[Lovely_Lady]

Ok first of all, you need to stop acting like everybody is clueless except for you, because thats definitley not the case. You need to let people express themselves without without being a smart @$$. All these ideas are great.

[Unregistered]

my FAV teen Craft is making hair accessory frames

Use an unfinished frame with a wide, flat front (ours is 14 by 11 inches with 2-inch-wide edges). You won't need glass or backing. Affix assorted wooden spools with wood glue. Paint frame and spools with white acrylic or latex paint; let dry. On frame back, staple ends of 1/2- and 3/4-inch-wide grosgrain ribbon to inner lip, pulling ribbons taut. Hang frame from a nail. Attach ends of a 2-inch-wide ribbon to frame back; secure to wall above frame

[Unregistered]

I have a youth group for middle and high schoolers, and have to come up with new crafts for them all the time. One thing we have done, painted rocks and turned them into paperweights. I went to the river and got a variety of sizes and shapes. I washed the excess dirt off. Be creative, different shaped rocks can be painted up to become different things. We turned a round one into a ladybug, an oblong one into a caterpillar. We painted landscape scenes on some of the larger ones. You would be surprised at how creative they will get once they get started. And I upped the ante a little by offering them a prize for the most creative. You turn anything into a competition for a teenager, and they bite on it like a largemouth bass! After the paint is dry, cut felt pieces to glue to the bottom, regular Elmer's Glue is what we used, and then spray the top of the rock with some acrylic sealer and wa-la...A finished paperweight. We have sold them and given them for gifts to teachers.
Another thing we've done is make Christmas ornaments to sell as a fundraiser. We actually made $240 last month selling them. I have found a lot of useful ideas just looking up "craft ideas" on the internet. I think my two favorites were filling glass ornaments with glitter glue, and making 'cookie-cutter' ornaments out of 'Pearly soda clay' (ingredients for this is on the net, just look up 'Pearly soda clay') After they dry, sand them down a little to soften the edges, and paint them. Be creative! We had alot of fun coming up with new ideas for the shapes.
We also have touched a little on decoupage. We took thin slices of wood and decoupaged dried flowers on them and then glued a magnet on the back. You have an inexpensive refrigerator magnet. Put a 'pinback' on the back and you have a beautiful nature pin for a woman's sweater or blouse. They really do turn out to be cool. And the kids are very proud of what they have accomplished.
Tomorrow night, we are doing mokume gane. A really cool crafting idea using polymer clay. Look it up on Michaels.com. They even have pictures to go along with the instructions.
A few weeks from now, we are doing painted glass. You trace a picture onto the glass with liquid lead, and after that dries, you paint it with any kind of stained glass paints you want. Because of our own time restraints, I will be tracing the pictures onto the glass ahead of time and let them paint them. To trace, all you do is put the picture you choose under the glass and trace the lines with the lead. Very easy. Good luck.

[Unregistered]

Yes these are all really cool ideas!!

I like to...

1. Make safety pin beaded bracelets. Get strong stretchy cord, but not too big, maybe 2 mm. And you'll need two equal sized circles that fit around ur wrist. Then u buy beads that are the right size to fit on the safety pin, and slip about 4 beads on each pin. Then slide the safety pins on in any pattern and tie the cirles together. The you have a pretty bracelet!!!

2. Build wooden houses. Pretty basic stuff but if your not good on your own, then go to dollarama and buy a kit to build one.

3. Painting.

4. Sewing. Too tedious for some, but i like to sew bags and things like that.

5. Scrapbooking. So much fun!

[Unregistered]

Most of the thing her are bad ideas . there supposed to be fun? do you have kids? i dont think you do, if you did you would have a little bit of an idea about what kids like! clearly you dont. do something stop making the kids do meaning less things that are "fun" because wale up! Their not, at all!

sadly, you are barely literate... do you understand what that means???? this forum is not an avenue for your negative remarks. you SOUND like a teenager who needs something to do--try some psychotherapy.

As for the folks INTERESTED in some crafts, my teens seem to like the liquid art stained glass kits, many have templates for design ideas. FOLK ART makes some liquid glass paint, also. We have purchased dollar store picture frames and made designs on the glass. We glued the glass insert to the frames with glue guns and once it dries they painted on the glass. these can then be hung up in windows by tying ribbons, etc to the brackets on the back of the frames. By the way my boys have enjoyed these also and used wires instead of ribbons.

[Unregistered]

There is a no sew bandana tote bag that is on a www.makingfriends.com website. Real cute and easy.

[Unregistered]

I think the main problem with teenagers is that they are trying to prove that they are adults, so any activity that they see as being "childish" will immediately turn them off. So instead of asking "what crafts might teenagers like to do?", ask yourself, "what crafts might I like to do?" Additionally, adult crafts cost more- but you might ask the kids' parents for a fee or else sell some of the things that are made to make up the financial loss.

Some ideas for adult crafts:
1. Distribute disposable cameras. Have a picture scavenger hunt- you must take a picture of one member of your group with an animal, you must take a picture of one member of your group doing a handstand, etc.
2. Any high school art project - clay for making vases (h.schoolers LOVE pottery wheels), bookmaking, oil painting, stampmaking, etc.
3. Knitting or crocheting- very popular with an older crowd

[Unregistered]

OK, if you have childern on that ages, can you inform us, what are the best idea for craft? I think it will be a good sources for us to create a craft activity for teens.

1. by bags and have them decorate them
2. take boxes and magazines and decoupage things.
3. use model magic and let the mgo wild
4. sew pillows and bags
5. make handmade cards
6. used hemp for braclets and neckalces
7.make cloth, paper or clay magnets
8. take old teeshirts and make bags or pillows
9. use duct tape
10. try needle felting (realy fun)
just a few ideas make sure u try it out first then let hte kids try it.

[Chikka123]

Well, as a teen, i think personally, you dont have 2 get so worked up about wether or not its gonna b fun! BUT!!! here are some of my ideas:

FOR CHICKS:
fuzzy flip flops :::THIS LINK::: http://jas.familyfun.go.com/arts-and-crafts?page=CraftDisplay&craftid=11414

scrapbooking is a great idea!!!
modge podge scrapbook paper ono frames etc.

FOR DUDES:
Photo scavenger hunts and anything active and outdoorsy.
i have no idea! im a chick!!!! :D

FOR BOTH:
make puppets using styrofoam balls for the faces. Paint the balls, then decorate peices of fabric cut in half for the outfits. Yarn works great for the hair, and burrons are great for decor!!!

Buy some blank books (barebooks.com) and decorate them. you can fill them with poetry, fav bible stories etc.


Well, i hope this helps whoever neede this idea!

And to the dude that is FREAKIN out, ease up! this is an idea column! not debate club!! so chillax and go eat a twinkie!!! ;D


~a koolio teen!

[ching lee]

teachers get paid so little cause they don't do their jobs duhh

[Unregistered]

The best craft project I have done with kids is rocket cars. You will need styro foam plates like the trays the meat is packed in. A sharp pencil or point. Tape, scissors, a ballon, straw, and sum straight or push pins. Yon need a small post card shape peice of foam and four round piece that make up the wheel. You need to tape the straw to the end of the ballon and then tape the straw to the post card size foam bendy straw work go then you need to attach the wheel to the side of the postcard size foam with the pins. now that you are finish you can blow up the ballon and race the cars. It can also become a science lessons

[Unregistered]

Most of the thing her are bad ideas . there supposed to be fun? do you have kids? i dont think you do, if you did you would have a little bit of an idea about what kids like! clearly you dont. do something stop making the kids do meaning less things that are "fun" because wale up! Their not, at all!

Actually I'm a girl at the age of 13 and I thought most of these ideas sounded pretty fun, so dont be so critical.

[Liane]

Quite unexpectedly, my High School students (9th, 10, 11th & 12th graders) absolutely fell in LOVE with origami (Japanese Paper Folding). We read a story in class that talked about the crane. So I showed them how to fold a crane. They ended up bribing me (one class three times) for time to sit down and fold more things (I printed off a bunch of instruction sheets from my origami books).

[Unregistered]

1. by bags and have them decorate them
2. take boxes and magazines and decoupage things.
3. use model magic and let the mgo wild
4. sew pillows and bags
5. make handmade cards
6. used hemp for braclets and neckalces
7.make cloth, paper or clay magnets
8. take old teeshirts and make bags or pillows
9. use duct tape
10. try needle felting (realy fun)
just a few ideas make sure u try it out first then let hte kids try it.


These are very useful ideas. Thanks.

[melissa30021]

Teens love youtube. Youtube gets over 70 million hits a day so a teacher who wants a captive audience should learn what kids look for on you tube.

Using the hottest searched for videos on youtube, just have students do any of the following:

a) make papier mache logos of any shows that kids like the most when they visit you tube

b) students can make collages of their favorite celebrities

c) students can paint plates, bowls or mugs related to their favorite you tube videos

I just recently did a blog about using Naruto, Nick Jonas from the Jonas Brothers, Family Guy and Chris Brown to make interesting content for SAT and PSAT preparation, teen-relevant lesson plans, better tests and quizzes and other teaching materials. You will love how my little daughter helped me understand the importance of kids doing what they like so that they will learn when you read the blog. Your students will really appreciate this if you use it.

http://www.myspace.com/seekingthebest

[new kid]

Ok first of all, you need to stop acting like everybody is clueless except for you, because thats definitley not the case. You need to let people express themselves without without being a smart @$$. All these ideas are great.

I'm with u she/he needs to stop being a @$$ big time

[Unregistered]

I know it sounds crazy, but kids really like these! I teach high school students and am also an advisor for a student organization. When trying to come up with a fun idea to make money without selling items from those cheesy fundraising organizations, I came up with this idea. I went to my local Wal-Mart and purchased funky-colored duct tape. I did an on-line search for a pattern on duct tape wallets. (I think I found one on the DYI network website) I created the wallet at home in about a half hour. I loved my new hot pink wallet! So I brought it to school and asked all of my classes if they'd be interested in learning how to make one. "YES!", they answered. So we charged $7.00 for this fundraising activity. The students came after school to make wallets. I purchased lots of different colors of duct tape (and a few other meaterials like stamps and velvet) and we instructed students during the duct tape wallet workshop. Teens loved it. They walked out with a unique item that they could use, and more importantly, that they made!

This is a great idea. Thank you for the info. I work at a high school and I will try this idea with my students.

[Unregistered]

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[Unregistered]

we do a family craft every thanksgiving and eventually everyone seems to participate, even the 6 teens. We had candles available to decorate with candle pens and beads one yr. we had rubber stamps and papers to make gift cards for presents. we had pre-dyed napkins on which we used fabric pens to create our own napkin. we did beading one yr and ha d some heavy guy beads and leather string as well as more traditional beading materials. this yr is still undecided ... any ideas?

[Unregistered]

Most of the thing her are bad ideas . there supposed to be fun? do you have kids? i dont think you do, if you did you would have a little bit of an idea about what kids like! clearly you dont. do something stop making the kids do meaning less things that are "fun" because wale up! Their not, at all!

Unless you're trying to invent a new language, (I assume you were trying for english when you responded to this string of posts?) - try spell checks before you send are fast and easy. I'm sure wale up would have been flagged. Usually I don't respond to stuff like this but your post was so negative I couldn't resist.

[Unregistered]

What teens usually like right now is to have a unique touch for what they own. So, for example, you could buy some key chains, some thread and some beads. Then, make up some bead decorations for backpacks.

Or, maybe some name tags for the school books. All you'd need would be some paper, scissors, markers, colors, pencils, and imagination.

[Unregistered]

Do a search for Kumihimo (we did this using yarn and small styrofoam plates), Iris Folding and Quilling (not quilting). You can also find Kumihimo on YouTube!

Cathibrown@aol.com

[Unregistered]

OK, if you have childern on that ages, can you inform us, what are the best idea for craft? I think it will be a good sources for us to create a craft activity for teens.

hey maybe this will help
im a 14yr old girl and what me and my friends like to do are paint and decorate-non painted birdhouses
we put stuff like cardboard trees and animals on them
you could also make bracelets or something i personaly like to do is fingerprint drawing-
what you do is get washable ink and paper
then you use your finger or thumb to make a print
and then take a sharpie and draw on eyes and hands and feet
you can make people or animals or pretty much anything
and you dont neccissarily have to be that artistic because you dont have to draw the body or
that much details
a simply 2 eyes and a curved nose can make a goofy looking thumb character
they even have books on it if you wanna check them out
so i hope this helps!!!

[Unregistered]

I worked as a activity coordinator at a library. The teens there loved :

1) getting into groups and creating a music videa
2) trying foods from different countries
3) tie-dying shirts
3) Lego competitions
4)we set up and had a 'carnival' with small prizes based upon what they'd earned from a summer reading program
5) 'fear factor' competitions.
6) photography 'classes'

Someone else on here posted a duct tape billfold which sounds awesome. My girls love making Capri Sun package purses.

The Homeschool Group I'm leading now enjoyed:

1) Using rooting hormone to plant clippings
2) Coming up with a company (name, logo, etc) and actually setting up at a market day selling their products
3) Planning and putting together a meal (includes decorations, invitations, cooking meal, budgeting)
4) Designing and putting together gingerbread houses (around Christmas time)
5) Photography Competition
6) Cake Decorating
7) Making an instructional Video with something they are accomplished in (piano, knitting, card making, automotives, horses, etc.) More of a speech project.

[Unregistered]

Now, that list is straight from the Teen's mouth! Thank you for your input. It is hard for adults to think like a teen. I like your ideas and ran them by a group of 18 teens and they liked them too! Again, thank you.
CajunLou