Krafty Kidz Creations: A Crafty Way to Do Crafts With Your Kids

Joanne Soltesz was on maternity leave with her third child when she started her business Krafty Kidz Creations with Karla Mikulus. Joanne knew she was onto something when moms starting commenting about how organized her parties were and how much fun the kids had with her cool craft ideas. Encouraged to “do birthday parties”, Joanne sought Karla’s help since her soon to be sister-in-law was “equally crafty”.

The duo started doing birthday parties, but it was clear that the real draw was in their craft ideas. “We found that our crafts were so well liked that people wanted them all the time,” Joanne recalls, whose goal is to make the kits fun and affordable. “Most crafts are in the $1.50 to $3.00 range, with some as low as 50 cents.”

It’s easy to see how the crafts would be perfect for loot bags or keeping kids entertained at birthday parties. But there is an added bonus of just having a few of these affordable kits around the house for rainy days or stowed away in a carry-on for airplane rides. My four-year-old and I worked on a St. Patrick’s Day ornament together after dinner one night, and then the next evening worked on another one for Spring. It was great way to pass some time.

Kidz Kraft Creations have crafts for a variety of ages – even toddlers. My husband and two-year-old put together an eye-patch, which got both of my girls talking like pirates for days.

“My children are a huge inspiration and our team of field testers,” says Joanne. “They help us decide what age group the craft is designed for, difficulty level and help work out the bugs.” Her children also help Joanne and Karla package crafts and get ready for parties.

The crafts also make terrific gifts for teachers or grandparents.

Last year, Kidz Kraft Creations expanded into making loot bags, which contain no junkie candy or toys – a welcome relief for parents whose homes are bulging toys and other stuff. “We always included a loot bag with our birthday parties,” says Joanne. “When people saw how awesome they were, we started getting requests. We still make custom loot bags, but keep many of the popular ones in stock.”

Although Joanne and Karla have returned back to work four days a week, the two have plans for their business. Krafty Kidz Creations sponsors the BC Scrapbooking Crop 4 Kids, which raises money for BC Chldren’s Hospital. “As we grow, we would love to do more,” says Joanne, who hopes to visit some hospital children’s wards for a fun craft day.

Located in Maple Ridge, Joanne and Karla are happy to meet with you about your next birthday party. If you can’t make it out to see them, you can order on their site and they’ll ship it to you. A few stores also carry their crafts; see their site for locations.