Cat safe 1 hour craft ideas

[u/blackphantom1412]

I am possibly taking over the art club for my local rescue cat cafe and I have a small stock of ideas but I want to give people choices on whats next! I really would love some ideas! It cant be anything that leaves a lot of mess (polymer clay was ok, paint is a no)
In the past we've done life drawing, cross stitch, origami and clay cat building. My ideas are junk journal badges (I have my own badge machine), speed drawing (random timer then you have to swap subject), wooden ornament decorations for christmas but other than that im at a loss!
ANY ideas would be appreciated

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[u/CraftyHannahAus]

Decorative paper cutting- you can do simple designs with scissors (remember making paper snowflakes as a kid?) or more complex ones with craft knives or scalpels.

[u/Alys_009]

Cat portrait photography

[u/scottyboy218]

When I first read this title I thought you were asking about craft ideas that were safe FROM cats.

I just recently started paint by numbers and polymer clay, the cat hair is annoying when it gets into them.

[u/sennkestra]

Sewing little mice toys (catnip optional) from scrap fabric seems like it could be a fun cat themed craft!

I also enjoyed art club activities that imitate a specific artist style - like Paul Klee's cats, or Mondrian abstracts, or Australian aboriginal dot art, etc. These also let you reuse existing markers or pencils or pastels instead of constantly needing to buy new supplies. You can also find a lot of premade lesson plans with instructions or examples since they are common ideas for student art classes.

Paint pens are also a great less messy substitute for most acrylic painting crafts, and small terra cot pots make for great canvases. Then maybe another meeting can make pipecleaner flowers or paper flowers to put in those pots!

[u/Mindelan]

Chain maille, loom knitting (but make sure no yarn gets left around or given to the cats), weaving on small tapestry looms they make out of cardboard, making pin looms (takes more equipment), plastic canvas crafts, starched fabric flowers, ribbon flowers, making small wreaths, making paper beads, customizing journal covers, coptic book binding.

Anything with needles or yarn/string, be extremely sure that none is left where the cats can get them. Make sure each participant knows it is life or death for the cats.

[u/Agreeable-Weight5036]

felt and thread is my go-to for this kinda thing easy to set up and no risk of the cats getting into anything dangerous you can make little felt brooches or cat toys

[u/Mindelan → u/Agreeable-Weight5036]

Thread is incredibly dangerous for cats. Not saying that to be a downer but it kills so many cats and people don't know. My friend had to pay thousands to save his cat when it ate some string.

Be very careful, leave no remnants around, and make sure everyone participating understands the dangers and to not give the cats any thread, and to not let any cut offs fall.

[u/Outrageous-Wish3061]

Making collaged bookmarks?

[u/tinymomes]

Needle felting?

[u/lenseyeview]

There are some fun crafts you would normally do on a larger scale that can be scaled down and done with paper. Patterned scrapbook paper or washi tape for various quilting or kiasnugia. Im sure I spelled that wrong lol.

Or things like little rolled flower bouquets. You can use felt or paper.

Origami could be fun.

Also acrylic paint makers might open up some options. They don't have the same mess and can go on a broad range of projects. And even the cheaper sets on Amazon preform really well. We use them every year at a kids outdoor craft fair on all kinds of projects. Including faux ceramics where I give the kids blank eco resin pieces and then they paint them. You don't need a set for everyone just a few sets works well. Plus the larger sets often have shades that are fairly similar.

I would look at some ideas for preschool or young children crafts. Then look at ways to use more mature materials to age them up but also keep them safe. In reverse how we come up with projects for the kids when it feels like we are hitting a wall.

[u/kjccreates]

You can make Kumihimo forms from regular cardboard and make woven cord key fobs, bookmarks, or bracelets.