Simple, hands-on activities that build creativity, confidence, and connection for families.

As an elementary school teacher with over 30 years of experience, I’ve seen firsthand how powerful hands-on activities can be in building confidence, sparking creativity and strengthening connections. But some of my most treasured lessons haven’t come from the classroom — they’ve come from my own family.

When my daughter was young, we’d spend evenings at the dining room table working on school projects. Some nights brought laughter and success, while others tested our patience when things didn’t go as planned. Either way, those moments opened the door to conversation and connection. Now, years later, I get to relive that experience with her children, and it feels just as special.

Recently, I was invited to appear on the hit television show “Play-Doh Squished “on Amazon Freevee. The show is a high-energy competition where teams race against the clock to sculpt, build and design entire scenes out of Play-Doh. Each round brings a new challenge — from creating imaginative characters to building large, colorful storyboards — while judges evaluate the teams on creativity, teamwork and storytelling.

To prepare, I enlisted my grandkids as my practice partners. We researched videos on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok, gathering ideas on how to build all sorts of things out of Play-Doh. Together, we rolled, shaped and built, turning simple lumps of dough into imaginative creations. In fact, all four of our team members practiced with family members, which made the experience even more meaningful. While, in the end, we were lucky enough to win our team challenge, we found those hours of teamwork and giggles far more valuable than any trophy. It turns out that the real victory was the shared smiles, stories and memories made at home.

Research backs up what families know in their hearts: kids who regularly engage in shared activities with parents or grandparents report higher self-esteem, stronger communication skills and deeper emotional bonds. In fact, a 2020 American Academy of Pediatrics study found that family playtime not only boosts creativity but also improves children’s problem-solving skills.

And that’s the beauty of family crafts — they’re more than fun projects. Each shared activity is a chance to build skills, strengthen relationships and lay the groundwork for resilience that lasts a lifetime. Below are some easy ways to get started at home.

• Play-Doh Challenges: Pick a theme (animals, favorite foods, dream houses) and give everyone 10 minutes to sculpt their version. Then vote on “most creative” or “silliest.”
  
• Memory Collage: Gather old photos, ticket stubs or drawings and assemble them into a scrapbook page together. Let your child take the lead on design.
  
• DIY Story Stones: Paint small rocks with simple images (a sun, a tree, a cat) and use them to create silly family stories around the table.
  
• Gratitude Jar: Cut colorful slips of paper and invite everyone to write something they’re grateful for. Decorate a jar together and read the notes at the end of the week or month.
  
• Handprint Canvas: Paint everyone’s handprints on a canvas and turn them into a tree, flowers or animals. Add the date to track your family’s growth over the years.
  
• Kindness Rocks: Paint uplifting messages or images on small stones and leave them around the neighborhood or local park to brighten someone else’s day.
  
• Nature Crafts: Collect leaves, pinecones or shells during a walk and use them to make collages, mobiles or seasonal decorations.
  
• Sock Puppets & Show: Use old socks, buttons and fabric scraps to make puppets, then put on a silly family performance together.

At the end of the day, it’s not about how perfect the project turns out — it’s about the laughs, conversations and shared moments along the way. Those are the memories our children will carry with them.

Alex Friedrichs is a longtime elementary school teacher in Southern California and a debut author. His first book, “Sweet Rescue,” was inspired by his time competing on Play-Doh Squished. A continuation of that playful story he originally created on the show, “Sweet Rescue” will release on September 16.