I have heard from so many mothers they “don’t allow” glitter in their homes. Somehow glitter has gotten a bad reputation for being overly messy, and I’m here to clear the good name of glitter!
Here are the top 6 reasons not to be afraid of glitter:
- Glitter is easy to clean. Wipe it up with a damp rag, or use the vacuum or broom. For stubborn, clingy glitter, try using a swifter sweeper refill. It’s not a big deal- I promise!
- Glitter doesn’t stain. If you let your kids paint, you really shouldn’t be afraid of glitter. Even if your kids shake a whole bottle of the stuff over your house, the worst you’re looking at is that your living room will have some extra sparkle until you’ve vacuumed a few times, but it won’t do any long-term damage. I mean, would you rather see your carpet covered in paint or glitter?
- Glitter isn’t sticky. If you allow glue in your home, what’s your beef with glitter? Again, glitter messes don’t have any long-term consequences.
- Glitter sparkles! Yes, this is obvious, but glitter is so pretty! It can bring serious shine to your crafts, and that’s worth mentioning.
Make glittery Jesus fish from cardboard tubes
- Kids love glitter. And isn’t it about the kids? A mommy who lets their kids do a glitter project is the best mommy ever. Trust me. 😉
- Glitter is to crafting as sprinkles are to cooking. Glitter and sprinkles are rarely necessary, but they’re above and beyond! They add the “wow” to your project. Why wouldn’t you want to “wow”?
- Glitter is less messy than many other craft supplies. I’ve already mentioned glitter being less messy than glue and paint, but if crayons or markers are misused, they pose a larger threat than glitter as well. And if you don’t allow crayons or markers in your home, why are you even reading this blog?
Glittery Monstrance Craft. (Click picture to find directions)
All of that being said, I feel obligated to share a few glitter warnings with you. No need to panic- these common glitter pitfalls are easily avoidable with a little planning! Here goes:
- Glitter will clog your sink! If your kid’s hands are caked with glitter, wipe off the majority of them with baby wipes before sending them to wash their hands.
- Glitter will cling to your skin. One time my husband went to work and he had some glitter stuck on his eyelid. He couldn’t see it when he looked in the mirror, but every time he blinked, there it was. Hey, it happens. You can use a piece of tape to remove glitter that is being stubborn about coming off.
- Glitter is not a “free rein” craft supply. While my kids may be allowed to color any time they wish, glitter is definitely for special times only.
Print this Divine Mercy Jesus Craft for Free!
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Now that you’re ready to allow glitter in your home again, I’d like to share a few glitter tips with you!
- Look for glitter at your Dollar Tree. It’s way cheaper there than at craft stores, and sometimes they have really great colors! I almost always find red, green, silver, and gold at the Dollar tree, but some days you can find blue, pink and purple as well.
- Glitter things over paper plates. That way, when you’re finished, you can curve the paper plate in half and use it as a funnel to return the leftover glitter to the bottle. Now you have extra glitter for your next crafting adventure!
Click to see how to make your own Priest peg dolls… with glittery vestiments!
So, do you allow glitter in your home? Why or why not? What are your favorite glittery projects?
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Perhaps my home is the exception, but it gets absolutely everywhere. My children never make a project and then display it. Rather, they make it and play with it and drag it around the house with them. It only makes sense that the glitter falls off all over, but I’m just not willing to have sparkle all over our home. When I taught in a school setting, we used glitter all the time. But projects were completed and hung on the walls…and sent home with the children. I have enough trouble keeping the house clean without adding glitter patrol to my duties. (although the fish mobile really tempts me!)
I will admit that I DON’T let my kids run around with glitter crafts. That’s one of the reasons the Jesus fish were strung into a mobile. Now my kids can’t reach them. 🙂
I have three GIRLS, therefore, we glitter! My husband has come home from work more than once commenting that someone pointed out yet another fleck of glitter somewhere on him. And we have girls, even if we didn’t glitter, some piece of clothing would have glitter on it, and we’d still have to deal with it. HOWEVER, the BIG bottle of glitter that holds like two cups of glitter is a very bad thing dumped into the liquid fabric softener dispenser in the washing machine. “NOT ME” got into big trouble for that! Still haven’t gotten it all out, can’t figure out how to. Probably a good thing that we don’t use liquid fabric softener – it isn’t getting all over the clothes, so I’m not going to mess with it. I will admit that we use glitter glue more than glitter – a little bit less messy for my 3-year-old.
But glitter is fun and shiny and girly.
That’s so crazy! Kids do the weirdest things. Yes, I wouldn’t switch to liquid fabric softener anytime soon- lol!
We love glitter here. Cant beat it for wow factor. But it always.gets stuck on the baby’s scalp…seems like his.head is sparkly for weeks,hehe.
I’m going to say, for all these reasons, glitter is an EXCELLENT way to teach kids how easily germs spread too – glitter is easily transferred and is a great example of how easy it is to get and give germs! (put a little glitter on your hands and shake someone else’s hand, etc.)
I gave up on glitter several kiddos ago! Literally EVERY time it would get in someone’s eye. 🙁
It wasn’t worth it anymore…. but oh…. those fish TEMPT me!!! And the glitttery Divine Mercy…. ahhh…
Wow, such a fun post — and great title. I loved that you wrote this. Very creative.
3 children (2 boys & a girl) and a mommy who loves glitter = lots of fun projects! our favorite this holiday season was paper mache deer which we painted, then glittered and sealed. They sparkled on the front porch. We plan on making the fish mobile for spring/Easter – can’t wait!!! I definitely pinned that project. 🙂
I understand what you’re saying, but I have to say that whenever I see a project with loads of glitter, my mind immediately starts thinking of ways to make the project without it. My own kids are too old for most of these projects anymore, but I am a 2nd grade catechist…& our pastor has told us, in no uncertain terms, that glitter is NEVER to be used in any area of the church–not for PREP, not for sacramental prep, and not for VBS. One time a small boy was dressed up for All Saints’ Day & the costume had a load of gold glitter on it…which ended up on the pews, on the kneelers, on the carpet…etc., etc. And so, although I LIKE the way the fish mobile looks with the glitter, I’ve been trying to figure out how I will make it with my students without it!
You have to be so careful when crafting costumes with glitter, but it can be done right. You should forward this post to your priest. 😉
My children love glitter… as do I… but I save that for outside. We set up a table and do it on the back porch. Otherwise, it’s everywhere in the house – including on my youngest (who isn’t capable of using glitter just yet) and all of our clothing. I wish we had the success of keeping the glitter “spread” under control as you mention in the post, but it’s never worked out that way for us! (Even with it being outside, much is tracked in… and all over!)
Lol! what is everyone’s beef with a little extra sparkle in your home? 😉 Great idea to use it outside, though.
I’m so glad to know my husband isn’t the only man to go to work with glitter somewhere on him! (He oftentimes will tell clients, “I have three daughters at home, please forgive me if I have glitter somewhere on my face!” ha!ha!)
This post is fantastic, as are all of yours!! I made the Divine Mercy Jesus last year with our then 3-year old and she can now recognize a Divine Mercy picture, statue, portrait at any given moment!! 🙂
Thanks, Lacy, for all you do in helping us bring our Catholic faith alive in our home!
So happy to hear it! My kids can all identify the Divine Mery image, too. 🙂
I forwarded my husband the link to this post and here was his response: “All this time I thought it would hurt me!!!…Get them some glitter already!!!”
Bring on the Glitter Jesus Fish!! 🙂 her!hee!
Lol! Love that! Although I did get a warning about getting glitter in your eyes… you better make him wear some safety goggles before he starts crafting. 😉
Thanks for this great post! My friends think I’m crazy for all the glitter projects I do, especially in our co-ops. I did glitter candle holders with 25 boys in our boys club —gifts for their moms for Christmas. I can’t help it…. I just love the sparkle. I even have a pinterest board called “For the Love of Sparkle.” Thanks for adding sparkle to our lives with your awesome ideas.
A whole Pinterest board devoted to glitter?! You should leave us the link!
We glitter, free reign and I have two boys 2 and 4! Love glitter here! Who cares if there is a little on the floor, in our hair and where ever else…it’s pretty!
Oh my goodness. I just LOVE glitter. I remember when my oldest said, “Really mom? We can REALLY use glitter?!” Many times when I was teaching, I would haul out my glitter bin for projects and sometimes would walk around with glitter in my hair. There is something magical about the stuff. And really, what’s a little clean-up if magic happens?! 😉
Some people drive me crazy! I worked with a girl who wouldn’t even let her 5 year old play with PLAY DOH! She was a NEAT FREAK an didn’t like any toys “that made a mess” I think that is so wrong! Kids need to learn creativity 🙂
I’m totally with you, Lacy. Bring on the glitter. It doesn’t bother anyone here one bit if we’re a little sparkly. My husband is an elementary school teacher, though, so he may be more forgiving of crafty messes than some dads.
We’re about halfway through your curriculum, and my kids are loving it (I’m using it with my just-turned-5-year-old, and my special needs 9-year-old. They have learned so much. I smile every time I hear my youngest say big words like Immaculate Conception with confidence. They love the routine of our circle time, and they love all the crafts. Thanks so much!!
So glad to hear it’s going well for you! This comment definitely made me smile. 🙂
I loved this post! We actually packed away our glitter while selling our house and I can’t wait until we get unpacked now and can start glittering again! My girls love to add sparkle to everything. 🙂 I do make sure glitter projects are done at the table and if it gets out of control (ie. thrown) I warn them about it. I prefer washable glitter glue for non-messy projects. It stays relatively where you put it and if it gets on clothes it washes out. I think glitter is awesome for brightening up projects (especially in the dreary winter months) and it’s also fun to put in homemade play-doh! Go glitter! 🙂
Horray! Another glitter lover. I know moms who despise playdough, glitter, even glue. Sometimes I wonder if they are clean/neat freaks or just lazy or if their children are simply undisciplined. You have to TEACH children how to properly use these materials. Like you say, glitter is not a “free reign” craft supply. But then again, my daughter tells me I’m a “cool mom” compared to other moms who always say no. Shrug. Life is too short to worry about a little glitter mess. LIVE!
🙂
Your post made me laugh. We have this running joke in our family. My mom absolutely loves glitter and would use it all the time. Every time my dad would go out people would find glitter on him. He took it in stride and was a good sport about her crafting, but he was always covered in glitter.
I have glitter – I should pull it out – the kids would love it.
Love this post! 🙂 I can’t imagine not having glitter/glitter glue in our craft closet!! My kids (now 9 & 11) have loved using glitter since they were toddlers. My 9 year old just went through a ton of glitter decorating her valentine’s shoe box for school and making all her valentine’s to give to her classmates. As she said, “glitter always gives everything that something extra special!!!” Granted, she is now 9 years old, but when I walked in the kitchen I couldn’t tell at all that she had just had a 2-hour glitter-fest. When they were younger, glitter was definitely a craft item I kept on the upper shelves that we took out to use and then put away when they were done ( as oppose to regular craft supplies they had ready access to whenever they wanted to use them). We have hardwood floors in our kitchen so we just swept up any extra from the floor and my kids always loved the “clean-up game” of using a damp paper towel to capture any stray glitter pieces trying to escape on the table or floor. I’ve never had a problem with it getting all over the house, so I’m not sure what people are doing differently with it to actually ban it from their homes… We would hang up most of their arts and crafts, but I also remember a lot of princess hats and wands etc. that had a fair dose of glitter on them. For costume items like that, I always used their preschool teacher’s trick of spraying some hairspray on the play items to set the glitter. I know people have different tolerance levels for things–but I can’t imagine denying my kids all the fun and pleasure that glitter has given them the past 10 years. I remember one of my daughter’s friends who used to love play dates at our home because she actually got to use play-doh! Worrying about things like glitter and play-doh remind me of a saying my mom told me when I had a newborn baby– “The days may seem long, but the years are so short!” Embrace the joys of childhood and get crafty with your kids!!!