PSHE craft activities

We know how much children enjoy getting involved in a craft activity. Why not use them to cover PSHE at the same time? It’s a great way of getting them to open up and express their feelings, which is something that is more important than ever in the current times. Here are a couple of suggested activities from our curriculum buyer Rachael.

My Feelings Pets

Take a moment to think about certain things that might make you feel upset or maybe irritate you, you might feel cross or angry or it might make you sad and cause you to cry. It’s important to express how we feel and sometimes this might be writing a journal or talking it through with a friend but sometimes we can use other ways to express our inside feelings and you could try making a feelings pet! Feelings come in all shapes and sizes and can be big and small, so anything goes with a feelings pet!

What you’ll need

Balloons

Pipe Cleaners Assorted, Pack of 250 

Wiggly Eyes, Pack of 1000

Sharpie Twin Tip Permanent Markers

tickit Translucent Coloured Funnel, Pack of 6 

Scissors, Pack of 24 Assorted

YPO PVA Glue, 1 Litre 

Glue Spreaders White, Pack of 75 

Plain Flour

How to make

Choose some different coloured balloons which will be the body of your pet.

Fill your balloon to the desired size with some plain flour (but not too big just enough so your pet can fit into the palm of your hand), and tie a knot in the top to secure it. You can use either a plastic funnel or make one using an old drinks bottle by cutting the bottle in half then securing your balloon to the bottle. Be careful of sharp edges though!

Get some coloured pipe cleaners and give your pet some hair by entwining round the knot of your balloon.

You can stick some wiggly eyes on them and draw a face that reflects different feelings and emotions you might feel sometimes. Why not create a full family of feelings!

Your feelings pets are finished and can go anywhere with you or be there just as a friend to talk to when you need one.

My Kindness Kite

It’s important when we experience different emotions that we find useful coping mechanisms to help us feel better. In an ideal world we all sometimes wish our worries would just fly away and whilst it isn’t always that easy, we can find ways through them by being kind to our inner self, accepting how we feel, understanding how to move on from it and what we can do to help ourselves. Being outdoors is a perfect therapy for boosting our mood, whilst embracing all that it has to offer as we take in new smells, sunshine or even rain on our faces, and what better activity to do outdoors but to fly a kite!

What you’ll need

Sticks from your garden or local park - making sure they’re long enough for the length and width of your kite

Crepe Paper Sheets, 12 pack

YPO Glue Sticks, 10 pack 

Self–Adhesive Acrylic Jewels 

Dazzle Dots Assorted Pack 

White Cotton String, Thick 

Sharpie Twin Tip Permanent Markers

Sellotape, Pack of 6 Rolls 

YPO PVA Glue, 1 Litre 

Glue Spreaders White, Pack of 75 

Jumbo Craft Sticks Natural Wood, Pack of 100 

How to make

Dig out an old birthday party tablecloth or if you haven’t got one a black plastic bag or sheets of crepe paper will be fine, as you can decorate it with stickers, sequins, or anything lightweight to create your own design!

You will need some wooden dowels/garden canes or some thin sticks which you can cut to length to make a diamond shape for the main structure of your kite that your main material will attach to. Place the longest one in the middle and attach the smaller dowels/sticks around the edges to make a diamond shape. Secure together using strong sticky tape onto your plastic sheet/crepe paper.

Take some string/wool and make a bridle by tying a piece of string top to bottom then side to side making sure it isn’t too tight and that you have a good length of string when your kite is in the air.

Get some different lengths of ribbon or cut strips from different coloured crepe paper which will be the tail for your kite. Attach them using sticky tape on the back of your kite approximately 8cm from the bottom point (depending on the overall size of your kite), so they fly freely in the wind.

Cut some paper strips the same length as your tassels or cut out some circles or bow shapes and write on them some positive affirmations that make you feel better about yourself and attach them using sticky tape. If using paper tassels add them to your ribbon as above in step 4 or your bow/circles can go on the string.

Use a lolly stick to wrap round a good length of string or your ball of wool so your kite can be released in the sky and obtain a good height!

Decorate the front of your kite with lightweight brightly coloured bits and bobs. You might have different shapes of tissue paper, sequins, or your kite might have eyes or be your favourite animal.

Your kindness kite is ready! Wait for a breezy day and enjoy letting your feelings go free, take some deep breaths and feel your surroundings as you watch your kite dance around in the sky!

We hope you enjoyed our PSHE crafting ideas! This article was from our Everything Curriculum primary magazine. To sign up to receive future editions for FREE, click here.