Spirituality Page: Arts and Crafts

Author's Biography: Theresa has been nice enough to donate several articles and chants to PaganParenting.com

Alphabet Beads

Alphabet beads can spell a lot of things.

Easter egg runes

Find your fortune hunt. This is really neat and you can use any symbols you like. After the eggs are boiled, but before you dye them, have the children draw the symbols onto the egg in white or yellow crayon. When the eggs are dyed the symbol will resist the dye and stand out. Then when the eggs are hidden you can have a great time figuring out each person's fortune from the eggs and symbols he or she collected.

Making candles for rituals

You will need some colored wax or you can get wax colorants, a double boiler, some wicks of the appropriate lengths, candle scents or essential oils. There are several good books on making candles that are available at most bookstores and you can usually pick some up at a used book store. For the wax melting and stove part of this I think a parent or older child, say over 13, should be the ones in charge, but even little ones can help to chant and dip the wick to help make the candles as long as there is a parent in attendance. This is a good opportunity to teach about magical correspondences or why certain seasons are associated with certain colors, scents, etc. And why we use candles in our rituals. Note* the hot wax really is dangerous please be extra careful.

Letters to Write

Writing letters to the Gods and Goddesses or seasonal figures to thank them for the blessings of each season can be really fun, and is also good writing practice. Children can use colored paper, paints glitter etc., to make their letter extra special and they also get a feeling for the blessings of each season, this is great in conjunction with a wheel of the year project.

Making a Pagan Game set

Actually this project is certainly largely for the older set say 10 and up as littler ones have a hard time understanding the rules to a game well enough to help create the pieces or boards necessary, but they will enjoy playing on them. How about a pentacle shaped Chinese checkers board, or a Holly King and Oak King Tic Tac Toe Board, for the really advanced a Pagan chess set with one set of Green figures and one set in fall colors. Many of the game boards can be painted onto a canvas cloth that has been treated with Gesso or onto the top of a coffee table. Lacquer or varnish well either way so that the surface can be washed easily. The ideas are endless.