4 Craft and Art Projects Perfect For Teens

Creative teens need projects that let them express themselves and to develop their skills. The best art and crafts projects use materials that aren't hard to find or expensive, so if you make a few mistakes you won't be wasting expensive and rare supplies. With a little practice and a good eye, teens can turn their crafts into a small side income during summer break by selling them at flea markets or to friends and family members.

1. Beaded Jewelry

While other types of forged or cast jewelry is too complicated for most teens, beaded jewelry is an easy but totally flexible craft project. With a small supply of beads, a few types of bead wire and jewelry string and some findings like clasps, a creative teen can make bracelets, necklaces and even beaded earrings. Arranging bead combinations allows for plenty of creative expression. For more crafting fun, make pendants from air dry paper clay or beads from rolled up newspaper. Both can be painted with acrylic paint and sealed for durable handmade jewelry components.

2. Decoupage

Decoupaging requires only a glue-like decoupage sealer and a stack of old magazines or scrapbook paper. Teens cut out their favorite pictures or decorative papers, then glue them onto old furniture, small paper mache boxes and other decorative items. The sealer also works as a top coat to make the paper finish resistant to spills. Decoupaging also involves creating pleasing collages of different images or patterns, teaching teens important art concepts like color matching. Decoupage sealers work on a wide variety of surfaces including glass, wood and cardboard.

3. Origami and Papercrafts

Folding beautiful paper into the shape of a swan, goldfish or thousands of other designs gives mathematically inclined teens a creative outlet. Basic practice requires just an origami book or website and a stack of squares cut from plain copy paper. Once the teen knows a few origami patterns very well, a pack of high quality origami papers makes a great gift. Many modern paper crafts involve cutting and gluing instead of just folding, but they allow teens to create large scale models of their favorite video game characters, robots or dinosaurs.

4. Candle Making

For teenagers who want to earn extra money for summer fun, candle making is a great craft to learn. Young teens can use no-melt candle materials, while older teens can handle melting and pouring hot wax without injuring themselves. A wide range of scent and color options allows for artistic development, and handmade candles make great gifts for all family members. This craft does require the purchase of more equipment and supplies than other projects, including molds, candle wax and additives to change the color and scent.

Megan Perry is a writer who enjoys sharing her knowledge and advice with readers. For more on arts and crafts, The Alternative Consumer offers readers tips for making their own arts and crafts supplies.