Before I begin I must hold my hands up and admit that I am not good at crafts. However as the mum of three small children it would feel paramount to neglect if I didn’t attempt some kind of craft activities with them. I don’t want my children sobbing in their therapists arms in twenty years time at the lack of poster paint and glue in their formative years. The thing is though, crafts can be pretty expensive. Even more so if you are not good at them as you need to buy huge amounts of supplies to create something even remotely creative.

I do not have spare cash to buy glass paint or puppet making kits. Instead I have come up with a few ideas of my own for extremely cheap crafts to do with your children.

1. Junk modelling. My children love junk modelling, honestly the things they can do with an egg box, some sticky tape and a few felt tip pens amazes me. Ok the end results are not always easy on the eye but their creations inspire their imaginations and keep them entertained for ages. Often my children already have ideas what they want to make but if inspiration is lacking how about egg carton rocket ships with space for the people in the holes, or robots made of boxes and toilet roll tubes.

2.Magazine decoupage. You can use anything for the base, cardboard boxes, an old wooden box or even an old side table. Then take an old magazine and tear into strips and glue onto the object until it is entirely covered, cover the whole thing with glue to varnish. A brilliant craft for the cost of a magazine and some glue.

3.Musical bottles. Save your plastic bottles, milk bottles, drinks bottles and keep the lids. Then fill them with pebbles, beads, anything that will make a noise when shaken. The children can also decorate the bottles with tissue paper or stickers. A fun craft and afterwards the children can have fun making lots of noise.

So there you have it, some fun ways to be crafty with your children without breaking the bank.