This Blog Was Updated In May Of 2022

 

Regardless of the time of year – spring, summer, fall or winter – almost every kid loves to spend time indoors making crafts.

Sure, as parents we certainly want our kids to spend time outdoors, away from screens and video games, and doing what kids love to do: run, play, yell, and have fun with their friends. But we also know that there are times when those same kids need to settle in and apply their eyes, hands, and minds to a fun task indoors.

And, when it comes to indoor activities for kids, nothing beats glue projects.

Except maybe glitter glue projects!

 

 

If It Sticks and Glitters It’s Great!7 Glitter Glue Art Ideas for Children | Fundemonium Toys

If there’s anything that most kids have in common, it’s the joy of spending time sticking things to paper with glue. In the “good ole days” when many of us were kids, our Elmer’s glue only consisted of either some brand of white glue or little tubs of paste.

And, if we were lucky, we would have a pack of construction paper and blunt-nosed scissors to work with. If we were REALLY lucky, the construction paper pack would be a multi-colored one!

Oh, and the things we could make! Paper doilies, hip collages, and creative outdoor scenes…

The really cool thing is that, today, kids still love to glue things to paper. But they also have a much broader variety of materials to work with, including glitter glue. By the way, parents love glitter glue, too. But probably more because of the fact that it eliminates the glitter that can end up all over the place when kids try to use loose glitter.

In fact, there are many other things to love about glitter glue, such as:

 

  • It comes in a wide variety of colors
  • It is packaged in large bottles, small bottles, tubes, and even glitter glue pens
  • It’s dimensional instead of flat
  • You can add water for cool effects

 

And that’s just the tip of the glittery iceberg since there is so much you and your kids can do with this dazzling and versatile medium.

By the way, have you ever wondered where glitter came from in the first place?

Turns out that it wasn’t from a crafter, an artist, or even a scientist. Nope. It was a rancher! That’s right. As the website Mental Floss has it,

“Glitter as we know it today wasn’t invented until 1934. According to glitter lore, New Jersey machinist Henry Ruschmann accidentally invented the stuff after he took a load of scrap metals and plastics and ground it up very fine…

While the origin story is murky, Ruschmann is a strong candidate: He did file for four separate patents for inventions related to cutting up strips of foil or film. And though he died in 1989, his company Meadowbrook Inventions is still in the glitter business today, peddling more than 20,000 different kinds of glitter.”

Interestingly, no one seems to know for sure who came up with the first batch of glitter glue…

 

Get Your Glitter On And Make Some Fun!

So, are you ready for some cool glitter glue ideas for children?

Here’s a handful that we think are especially great for younger kids – and those who just love making things with glitter glue!

 

5 Awesome Glitter Glue Art Ideas for Little Kids

 

  1. Glittering While Coloring

This is an especially simple art project that uses basic coloring book images or simple clip art images, printed on white card stock. Armed with a few color selections of glitter glue in squeeze bottles, toddlers and preschoolers can easily “color” the images with glitter glue to create dazzling artwork.

 

  1. Handmade “Stained Glass” Art

This project requires some hand-cut sheets of wax paper or pre-cut translucent baking paper sheets. You should tape down the corners onto a slightly larger piece of cardstock or thin cardboard. Arm your child with a few small foam brushes and a selection of different colored glitter glues.

 

The artwork can be simply free-form to create abstract swirls of glittering color, or somewhat contained within a simple line-drawn image. Once it’s dry, the sheet can be mounted to a cardstock frame or simply taped to a windowpane.

 

  1. A Fancy “Stained Glass” Picture

Inexpensive photo picture frames can be found at discount stores, dollar stores, and other outlets. Look for those frames that use clear plastic instead of actual glass in the frame. To help the child create a clean art piece when finished, you might consider taping off the inside edges of the frame (or the entire

frame!) with masking tape first.

 

Again, provide your young artist with brushes and glitter glue bottles and let them create! When the glue has dried, the finished work can be displayed standing on a table or suspended in front of a window.

 

  1. Stars, Ghosts, and Fireworks

Try using a heavy sheet of black construction paper, cardstock, or even a small sheet of black foam core. The idea is that the blacker, the better. Now provide your preschooler with just one or two colors – preferably white, yellow, or red.

 

With a stark, black background as a canvas, urge your child to draw images with the glue bottle tip. Stars work well with this medium, as do ghosts, spaceships, and fireworks. The glittering contrast between the glue lines and the black background make for stunning images.

 

  1. “My Name” Sign

This requires a bit of simple construction on a parent’s or other older kid’s part first. Cut out a rectangle of cardboard or foam core that measures approximately 8 inches by 14 inches. Not much smaller, nor much bigger. Using heavy-duty aluminum foil, wrap the board tightly to create a seamless face of foil on one side. This will be the front.

 

Using a fine-tipped marker, write the child’s first name in simple, block letters. Once that’s all done, give the foil-wrapped board to your preschooler, let him or her pick glitter glues, and then help them paint the letters on the board. The end result should be a glittery and – possibly – multi-colored rendition of their name. This, of course, needs to be hung in a place of prominence in their room.

 

 

Three Glitter Glue Art Ideas for Bigger Kids with Bigger SkillsGlitter Glue Art Ideas for Bigger Kids with Bigger Skills

 

  1. Three-Dimensional Glitter Glue Artwork

Draw a shape such as a snowflake, hearts, or a spiral pattern on white paper using black ink. Using wax paper as a translucent foundation, place this over your drawing and tape it down so that it doesn’t shift around.

Now, using the glitter glue colors of your choice, trace your drawing multiple times to build up thick layers of glue to create a glitter glue copy of your drawing.

Allow this to dry overnight and then gently peel it away from the wax paper foundation. The end result can be strung from a windowsill, used as a Christmas tree decoration, or hung from a rear-view mirror in the family car!

 

  1. Magic Glitter Jars

The “magic” is in the cool calming effect these jars have while watching the glitter solution drift down and settle at the bottom of the jar.

Here’s what’s needed:

  • Two or three tubes of glitter glue
  • A few ounces of loose glitter
  • A clear, glass jar of roughly 16 ounces capacity
  • Hot water (Parents should assist here!)
  • Hot glue gun or Super Glue (Optional)

 

Steps:

  1. Squeeze about half a tube of glitter glue into the jar. Select another glitter glue color and squeeze half a tube into the jar.
  2. Pour very warm – almost hot -water into the jar. This keeps the glitter glue from clumping together. If your water is not hot enough, it may take a day for the glitter glue clumps to disappear.
  3. Add the loose glitter into the jar. This gives it all an extra boost of glitter sparkle!
  4. Twist on the cap tightly. (Gluing it on with hot glue or Super Glue may be desired to prevent spills.) Now shake the jar to let the ingredients mix up.

 

The jar can be used as a cool “stress” jar to relax while watching the glitter flow down, or as a glittery, liquid “hourglass” for timing homework breaks.

 

  1. Birthday Photo Booth Frame

Make this DIY photo prop for your child’s next birthday party and have fun taking unique souvenir photos!

You will need the following:

 

  • Scissors
  • Pencil
  • Poster board
  • Heavy construction paper or card stock
  • Acrylic or craft paints
  • Brushes
  • Metallic ink markers
  • Glitter glue

 

 

 

Steps:

  1. Cut rectangular opening on poster board and leave a 3” border.
  2. Paint the poster board as you like and dry for 1–2 hours. Add second coat. Dry 1–2 hours.
  3. Sketch and cut out construction paper balloons, noise makers, party horns, and message bubble. Glue all of these to poster board frame.
  4. Add a sparkly birthday party message with glitter glue and markers.
  5. Add more sparkly details with glitter glue. Allow it all to dry 3–4 hours.
  6. Have children hold up the frame and pose for a fun Birthday Party souvenir photo!

 

 

Glitter Glue Art Projects: Memories and Messes

If there is one thing that many parents agree on it is their shared love-hate relationship with glitter glue!

Some parents jokingly state that it is a substance that should be “outlawed” while others lament the drips and drops of hardened glitter glue globs everywhere after their kids have been “crafting” to their little heart’s content.

Granted, in a less-restrained art project environment glitter glue can get the best of us. But it is still one of the most versatile and inspiring products out there for both small crafters and artists and creative adults.

On the downside, according to a post at favecrafts.com,

 

  1. There is less variety in colors and thicknesses with glitter glue.

If you’ve been to the craft store lately, you know the selection of loose glitter is incredible! Glitter glue, however, tends to only come in a handful of colors and thicknesses.

 

  1. With time, it might dry out.

If you or your child leave that tube of glitter glue uncapped overnight, the product becomes virtually useless. Loose glitter, however

 

  1. It might not be as sparkly as traditional glitter.

Depending on the glitter glue you choose and the way you apply it, the amount of glitter might be less dense than if you apply glitter the traditional way.

 

  1. The application process can be tricky.

If you have a brand new tube of glitter glue that is of good quality, applying the product should be smooth and easy. However, an older, half-empty tube can be challenging to apply.

 

On the other hand, it is far less messy than loose glitter and other adhesive approaches. And dries faster than those other methods for adhering or sealing glitter.

Plus, you won’t have glitter all over your hands, your clothes, your face, your hair, the floor, and…  well, you get the idea!

Glitter Glue Art Projects: Family Fun for Everyone

 

At Fundemonium, you’ll discover tons of great arts and crafts products along with toys, games, and hobby items. Fundemonium is more than a store – it’s a fun family experience, where families and artists and crafters of all ages can meet and play.

And Fundemonium also offers a safe and friendly place where adults and children can enjoy creative fun. In addition to arts and crafts projects and materials, we stock a huge selection of toys, games, models, and hobby products for your entire family.

Got questions? Our friendly and knowledgeable staff makes it their business to help you have fun.

One way we can do this by always doing our best to quickly respond to your questions and website inquiries about arts and crafts (and toys!) and you can also find answers to your questions by calling us at (707) 540-0701.

So, if you’d like to speak to one of our Fundemoniacs, just give us a call during our business hours.

Thank you and we hope to see you soon!

 

 

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