Top 10 Reasons to Get Crafty with Playfoam

You know that crafting with your kiddos is a wonderful way to spend sweet time together. And, according to the Experts in Play at EI, crafting is also a great way to help kids build a variety of skills, from dexterity and vocabulary to problem solving, stress-reduction, and more.Since Playfoam® is specifically designed to help kids learn and grow while they squish, squash, and sculpt, this non-toxic compound is perfect for craft time! This National Craft Month grab a few pods and spend your next crafting session helping your kids build skills like:1. Fine Motor SkillsPinching, scooping, squeezing, pressing, and rolling Playfoam helps your kids build the fine motor skills and manual dexterity they need in order to button their shirts, hold a crayon, and eat with a fork.2. Hand Eye CoordinationCrafting generally requires the use of both hands, working in tandem, building bilateral and hand eye coordination.3. Shape, Color, and Texture IdentificationCrafting provides hands-on experience with different shapes, colors, and textures – press your Playfoam into a square or make a rainbow with multiple colors! Older kids can squish the Playfoam into letters and numbers or even sculpt their names!4. VocabularyTalk to your kids while you craft together. What are they making? What colors are they using? How does the Playfoam feel in their fingers? All that chit chat introduces new words and provides exposure to the overall flow of language.5. Risk-free ExplorationExperimenting with different shapes, colors, structures, and techniques during craft time is a great way to encourage your kids to try new things with no risk of failure or judgement.6. Problem SolvingWhat shapes do you need to make a Playfoam snowman? Should they be the same size? Which shape goes on the bottom and which on the top? Figuring out what needs to happen in order to craft the creation kids envision helps builds strategic thinking skills.7. CreativityArts and crafts are a wonderful way to encourage creativity and imagination! With no instructions to follow, the sky’s the limit – kids can craft whatever they feel. Offer a variety of materials, allowing kids to choose what they like and assemble their way.8. Self-expressionCrafting allows kids to express their feelings even when they don’t have the experience to identify them or the words to communicate them. Look closely at your kiddo’s creations, including their choice of colors, and ask them about what you’re seeing.9. Confidence and Self-esteemThe feedback kids get when creating arts and crafts is a definite confidence booster! Compliment everything from the effort your child put into their masterpiece to their choice of colors and unique construction.10.  Stress ReductionArts and crafts are proven to reduce feelings of stress and anxiety in both adults and children. Squeezing, pressing, pulling, and flattening sensory-soothing Playfoam – particularly when your kids are feeling overstimulated – can be especially relaxing.