Kids love making things and showing them off proudly or sharing them with people they love. That’s why a crafts party is an ideal theme for a birthday, a holiday like Valentine's Day, or some other type of celebration for kids.

With just a few fun crafts materials, you can set up a fun kids' party that your child and her guests will love. Kids can use their imagination and some simple crafts materials to create fun jewelry, pouches, flowers -- whatever they can think of!

Here are some simple steps to setting up a crafts party for kids:

1. Plan out your projects.
   First, sit down with your child and select the crafts you want to make at the party. Do you want to make a paper flower wreath? Cute felt pouches? A Rainbow Loom bracelet or easy friendship bracelets made out of embroidery floss orrattail cord? Pretty paper fans? Or something general, like things made using washi tape or colorful paper?
2. Go with simple and doable.
   Try to pick craft projects that are not too complicated and can be done in the time allotted for the party. (If you are doing a sleepover crafts party, you will have more time -- say, for glue to dry in between steps, for example.)
3. Consider the mess factor.
   Steer clear of projects that are likely to get messy, such as painting with permanent paint, unless you have the space to put down a lot of newspapers or can take the project outside. Messy projects will also require a sink where kids can wash paintbrushes and paint-splattered hands. And whatever you plan to have kids make, be sure to provide lots of wet wipes and paper towels within easy reach of where each child will be sitting.

1. Get the crafts materials.
   Have some good basic arts and crafts supplies on hand in case some kids finish their project and want to make something else. Get a well-stocked kids' crafts box and have it at the ready. Then buy enough materials for the specific crafts the kids will be doing at the party, and buy some extra in case of mess-ups.
2. Set up stations.
   Create an area at a table where each child can work. At each station, make sure there are enough supplies to make the designated craft. As much as possible, prepare some of the materials beforehand and try to plan out how much time each project will take to do. (For younger children, who tend to have shorter attention spans, you may want to prepare more materials ahead of time to make the project easier and faster.)
3. Don't forget the snacks!
   All the crafting is bound to make kids hungry. Think easy snacks that can be grabbed in between creating, such as veggies and hummus or mini pizzas or homemade chicken tenders. For dessert, you may want to bake or buy some cookies or a cake that fits the theme of your party. For instance, if you’re planning to make paper flowers, you can get cookies in the shape of a flower.

CRAFTS PROJECTS FOR A PARTY

Here are some ideas for crafts projects for kids that will work well at a party.

• Washi tape crafts
• Rainbow Loom rubber band bracelets
• Easy friendship bracelets with embroidery floss
• Paper flower bouquet
• Felt pouches
• Paper fans
• Tulip flower wreath
• Fabric ribbon necklaces