15 Home Craft Projects That Are Surprisingly Dangerous for Kids
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Kids and crafts are a great combination, and craft can be a great way to spark kids’ creativity and let them explore. But some seemingly innocent home craft projects can be more dangerous than you’d think. Some projects seem like easy kids craft fun on the outside, but they contain sharp objects, toxic materials, or even dangerous techniques that may not be appropriate for young hands at all.
In this article, I’m going to share 15 craft projects that might be better for adults or older teens than for younger children. These projects can have some surprising dangers whether it’s using scissors, working with glue guns, or playing with messy materials.
Soap Making
Soap making might seem a fun and safe way for kids to get creative, but it can be quite hazardous. Lye is a highly caustic substance used in many homemade soaps and, if it comes in contact with skin, can burn it and irritate eyes and lungs. Even when lye free options are available, there still is a risk for burns created by heated soap bases. It’s safest to have adults do this project.
Candle Making
Making candles is a relaxing activity for adults, but it’s a risky project for kids because of hot wax and open flames. High temperatures are needed to melt wax, and they can easily burn you if you don’t handle them correctly. In addition, hot wax can be dangerous to pour into containers. If you’re going to do it, then don’t make it a DIY project for younger kids, or see if you can find an alternative candle kit that doesn’t involve heat.
Resin Art
Social media has been taken over by resin art, but the materials involved are not child friendly. The fumes are particularly harmful to developing lungs, and if inhaled, resin is toxic. Most resins are handled safely with masks and gloves as even minimal contact with the skin can cause rashes or burns. Resin crafts are beautiful, but they’re best left to older teens or adults who know the safety precautions.
Sewing With Needles
Sewing with needles can be hazardous for little ones, even if teaching kids to sew can be fun. If not handled carefully, needles can cause painful pricks, and sometimes they can disappear into the fabric and poke someone later. It’s safer to start with plastic needles and yarn, and only use real needles when your kids are a little older and more coordinated.
Wood Burning
Pyrography, wood burning, is a beautiful art that uses a heated tool in order to create designs on wood. But the tool is so hot that it can burn skin just by touching it. It also produces smoke, which, if inhaled, would be harmful to children. If your kids are interested in wood burning, consider waiting until they are older, or find alternatives that use non heat tools.
Papier-Mâché With Glue
The common glue used in papier-mâché projects can be problematic, but the substance itself doesn’t seem so bad. Glues that contain chemicals that are not safe to inhale over long periods of time. If you’re working with papier-mâché, opt for child safe glue and work in a well ventilated area to minimize the risk of fumes.
Jewelry Making With Beads
Jewelry making kits can be an exciting thing for kids to play with, but small beads and other pieces can be dangerous if they’re small enough to be swallowed. Kids can easily inhale or swallow beads when they are focused on their designs. For little ones, choose large chunky beads or other crafts until they’re old enough to handle small parts safely.
Pottery With a Kiln
It sounds like a great artistic outlet to throw pottery on a wheel, but using a kiln involves temperatures of over 2,000°F! It’s far too dangerous for children to be unsupervised with. Much safer pottery kits that allow air drying are available, and young artists have an opportunity to create without the added risk of extreme heat.
X-Acto Knives and Sharp Scissors
Often times, precision cutting is involved in crafting, and such sharp tools like scissors and X acto knives are used. These tools can easily slip and if mishandled, can cut deep. Child safe scissors are everywhere, but some crafts need finer cutting tools, so it’s best to save those projects for older, more dexterous hands.
Hot Glue Gun Crafts
All kinds of crafts use hot glue guns, but they’re dangerous for children because the hot glue can burn them if they touch it before it cools. Even low temperature glue guns get hot enough to burn your skin. Younger children may do better working with stick or liquid glue until they can handle the heat when working with glue.
Small Particle Crafts and Glitter
Glitter is small so it can seem like harmless fun, but crafting with glitter can be dangerous as it can easily be inhaled or end up in eyes. Messy and hard to control, glitter is not something that you want to have around. With small children, you’ll find safer substitutes such as large confetti or paint that washes off, though neither is as colorful as the splendors of the glitter.
Floral Arrangements With Sharp Wire
Floral arrangements may seem like a safe, easy craft, but the wire that is used to keep flowers in place can be dangerous. Puncture wounds can result from sharp ends, and bending wire takes some muscle, which can result in accidental pokes or scratches. If children want to do flower crafts, it’s best to do flower pressing activities or artificial flowers without wires.
Mosaic Tile Projects
Mosaics with tiles and grout are beautiful and can be done but are risky for children. Glass or ceramic mosaic tiles are often cut with edges that can cut small fingers. Meanwhile, grout can contain chemicals that aren’t safe for kids to handle without gloves. If you’re into mosaic crafts, look for kits for kids with plastic, soft tiles.
Kinetic Sand Sculptures
A trendy craft material, kinetic sand is safe, but, in small particles, can get into eyes or be inhaled. Kinetic sand for larger projects are pretty safe, but any fine sand craft should be done with caution, especially if it is not contained. Larger sand sets in an enclosed area still give kids under five the same sensory experience but with less risk.
Plaster Casting
Plaster casts are great to make handprints or other keepsakes, but plaster can irritate the skin and lungs. After mixing with water, plaster dries fast and if you touch it too early it will burn you because of the heat of chemical process. If plaster is used, adults should do the mixing and setting stage, but safer alternatives are available.
Disclaimer: This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information.
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