Three fun and simple craft ideas to keep your children entertained

If you're trying to come up with arts and craft ideas to keep your children entertained, these creative step-by-step guides offer just that.

Debbie Perriss runs arts and craft business Gratitude 43, based in West Winch, and is an 'activity angel' on the Angels of King’s Lynn Facebook group.

The business owner has given three ideas to inspire children to get creative and make their own art and craft pieces.

Parental supervision is advised for these crafts.

3D Balloons

You Need: 5 A5 sheets of coloured paper, 1 toilet roll, extra coloured paper strips to decorate the toilet roll, a piece of string, glue and a hole punch.

Stage 1: Preparing your 3D Balloon

Select what coloured card you want to use.
Fold your pieces of paper in half lengthways.
Using a circular object such as a small bowl, put at the top of the paper draw round it, so you have a semicircle, leaving a gap of about an inch at the bottom.
At the other end of the paper go in about an inch and draw a line up towards the semicircle to complete your balloon, as in picture (4).
Take your scissors and cut round all the Balloon shapes.
Take each one of your coloured balloons using the glue put a little bit just inside along the edge of the semicircle.
Take another balloon shape and keeping it folded, stick it to the one you have just glued. For example you have one blue balloon and you stick the orange balloon to it. Repeat on the remaining coloured balloon shapes.
On the last remaining balloon shape - taking your piece of string fold it in half - put glue in the middle of the last balloon shape, and put glue inside on the edge.
Place the folded piece of string in the middle of the balloon shape.
So you can hang your balloon when complete, keep a loop of string at the top of the balloon. When your string is in position, glue the remaining balloon shapes together. Now your 5 pieces of coloured paper balloons should all be glued together with the two lengths of string coming out of the bottom, ready to attach the basket.
Take your toilet roll and cut in half.
Taking the strips of coloured paper, glue them around your toilet roll to decorate.
If you like you can draw a design on the strips first with some coloured pens, stickers or glitter.
Using a hole punch, make two holes either side of your toilet roll. Taking the string from the bottom of the balloons thread through the holes and tie in a knot to secure.

Eastern Daily Press: 3D balloon art piece by Debbie Perriss. 3D balloon art piece by Debbie Perriss. (Image: Debbie Perriss)

Creative Flower Art

You need: 1 piece of A4 white card, 2 toilet rolls, coloured paints, pens and scissors.

With both of your toilet rolls, using a pair of scissors and cut up the toilet roll tube to about half way. Repeat this going all the way around the toilet roll until you have created a fringe at one end.
Take the toilet roll which you have cut into the fringe. Stand on a surface and push gently down so the fringe starts to fan out.
Choosing one or two colours of paint put a small amount on to a clean surface or an old plate or lid.
Using a paint brush, put the brush in one of the colours making a circle with the paint big enough to take the circumference of the fanned our toilet roll fringe.
Taking your toilet roll put the fringed end into the paint and push down so the paint goes on the fringe. Once there is enough paint on the fringed toilet roll gently stamp it onto the white card, and then again until the paint becomes slightly faint in colour. Repeat again using a different colour of paint, going over the first colour making a lovely flower design.
When you are happy with the amount of flowers you have, take a colouring pen or paint and draw in the stems and leaves on the flowers.

Eastern Daily Press: Creative flower art piece by Debbie Perriss. Creative flower art piece by Debbie Perriss. (Image: Debbie Perriss)

Smiley Faces Mobile

You will need: 26 paper circles, 12 sticky backed foam stickers, 1 drinking straw, some string and a glue stick.

Using a pair of scissors cut the string into four pieces - one long enough to go through the straw, so you can hang your mobile. The remaining string cut into different lengths to hang from the straw.
Taking the piece of string cut a piece long enough to go through the straw. Begin to thread the string through the straw till it comes out the other end and then tie the two ends of the string together, making a triangle with the string when hanging. This is how you hang your mobile.
Tie the remaining three pieces of string to the straw. The string should be different lengths, if not just cut them to adjust.
Take the paper circles and using your glue stick, glue one of the circles and put it under one of the pieces of string, at the top just under the straw.
Take the paper circles and using your glue stick, glue one of the circles and put it under one of the pieces of string, at the top just under the straw.
Taking another paper circle, glue one side and stick it on top of the other circle on top of the string. There should be string in between the two paper circles.
Taking the 12 Sticky backed Foam Stickers stick some to the paper circles. Arranging however you wish. With the remaining paper circles you can draw your own funny faces on or flowers, cars, boats anything you like.

Eastern Daily Press: Mobile smiley art piece by Debbie Perriss. Mobile smiley art piece by Debbie Perriss. (Image: Debbie Perriss)