4 Crafts Kids Can Make With Dogs and Why You Should Encourage It

Crafts Kids Can Make With Dogs are a wonderful way to bring your little ones and your fur baby closer together! Your dog isn’t just a pet—it’s your fur baby and a cherished member of the family. The love and adoration in a dog’s eyes are so pure and heartwarming, and creating fun crafts together is a perfect way to celebrate that special bond. When you become parents to a human baby, your dog will likely watch over your little one with immense responsibility. It is a milestone in its life as well.

Likewise, kids can also learn a lot from their canine companions. Playing with dogs and seeing them as part of the family unit teaches children about caring and responsibility. Many toddlers demand, “I fill the doggie bowl!” every morning. Children learn valuable lessons from their canine friends: being energetic, showing affection, and having unrestrained fun.

A study published in PLOS found that exposure to dogs in the early years can lower your baby’s chances of food allergies to eggs, milk, and nuts. Scientists don’t know the reason yet, but gut microbiota may have something to do with it.

As children grow up, encouraging them to spend more time with pets can be rewarding. A terrific way to cement the bond between your human and furry children is through craft. Before you scream “messy,” rest assured the ideas we have collected are low maintenance.

1 Pawsome Floral Bouquets

This craft idea is perfect for smaller kids who love dipping their hands in paint.

The only material you will need is non-toxic paints and canvas paper. 

Let your child and dog dip their hands and paws in the colors. Choose vibrant colors you would like to display around the house. Your pup might need some help pressing its paw onto the paper. Make sure the prints stay on the upper portion of the canvas.

At the end, paint in stems and leaves. And voila! You have pawsome bouquets ready to brighten up the household.

2 Doggie & Me Photoshoots

Photoshoots are an excellent way to capture memories for a lifetime. The process is tons of fun. You’ll have a blast getting the props ready, dressing up, and dealing with sneezes and fits of giggles.

For a Doggie & Me photoshoot, you can explore gratifying themes like “We love Mama and Papa.” Write the message on canvas hearts and have your babies hold them in their hands and mouths, respectively. 

Some dogs may be comfortable with floral headpieces and tiaras you have for your little girl. Boss Baby remains another popular theme, with ties and tiny briefcases. After all, they know they are the rulers of the household!

We recommend getting the whole scene together before dressing up either of your babies. Neither human nor dog babies are renowned for their patience. Once the pictures are ready, you can put them in DIY frames and use them as Christmas cards. They are also good decorations for your kids’ rooms and invite enthusiastic questions during house parties. 

3 Gaga-Goo-Goo in the Garden 

How about taking your crafts outdoors? Dogs love gardens, especially when little human friends join them. Babies can do all the gaga-goo-goo they want under the sun as their furry friends join enthusiastically.

For this craft, you need a few stones. Set up some baby-friendly acrylic paints on a washable garden mat. Let your dog and child decorate the rocks with the paints. They can do classic paw-painting, finger-painting, or put dots. The possibilities are endless. 

Once they finish, line up the stones for drying. You can use them as decorative yard items or table centerpieces.

Before doing crafts in the yard, we would advise a thorough inspection to ensure cleanliness. Even if your dog is perfectly well-behaved, poop accidents can happen. A quick search for “pet waste removal near me” will bring forth tons of professionals who scoop stray poop from the yard, patio, and flowerbeds. 

Hiring a professional will not only save you time, but also ensure a clean and safe workspace for your crafts. Plus, a poop-free yard makes for a more pleasant and stress-free environment in which you can enjoy your creative projects.

Your feelings toward outdoor crafts will depend on your neighborhood and the season. Spending time in the garden can help make the most of the last few days of autumn before winter sets in. 

For example, if you’re a dog owner from cities like Spokane in Washington, you can enjoy a warm continental climate, perfect for fun DIY projects. In dog-friendly towns, pet parents can invite other dogs and children for crafty playdates. Scoop Soldiers recommends periodic poop patrolling to ensure you always have a hygienic yard. 

When you hire professionals, you can ask for deodorization and sanitization to create a perfectly comfortable and craft-friendly outdoor space.

4 Lick-ety Masterpiece

Fair warning: the lick component of this craft idea is for just the dogs. 

Dog-mom blogger Tori Mistick explains this glorious idea of peanut butter painting for dogs. Start by preparing a canvas. Smear your chosen non-toxic paints on it. Let your child pick colors and apply dots, lines, or zigzag patterns.

Next, smear a Ziplock bag with peanut butter and carefully place the canvas inside. Finally, let your dog go to town licking up the peanut butter. In the process, they will create a visually interesting composition on the canvas inside.

After you remove the canvas from the bag, you should let it dry for a few hours before putting it on display. We bet all your children will be proud of their artistic collaboration.

Using peanut butter is not mandatory. So, if your dog is allergic or doesn’t care for nuts, you can use something else like yogurt or even banana mash.

Crafting with kids can seem messy and tough to clean up. Many parents avoid such activities for fear of the aftermath. We hope these low-effort ideas will encourage you to make the most of the ephemeral time called childhood. Your dogs and children will get an opportunity to become closer, and you’ll have riveting home decor as a bonus.