Stuff Your Stockings…
Thinking of Craft Caravan for Christmas? With every Kids Craft Club gift subscription (4,6, or 12 months), we will send the gift-giver a welcome card and Christmas craft to stuff into stockings or place under the tree. Simply indicate ‘Christmas gift’ in the comments area of the online shopping cart system.
Deck the Halls…
Decorating for Christmas moves to a whole new level with preschoolers around. Little sets of hands are always ready and willing to decorate anything and everything they can reach! The countdown to Christmas has already begun, so why not channel some of that excited energy into Christmas crafts. Homemade play-dough makes great tree ornaments, while preschool-friendly gingerbread houses are delightful displays for the table or mantle.
Play-Dough Tree Ornaments:
Supplies: Christmas cookie cutters, homemade play-dough (see recipe) or modeling clay (air-dry or baked), toothpick, paints, decorating accessories such as sparkles, ribbons, glitter, etc, family photos or old Christmas cards, wire hooks or ribbon/string.
Directions: Make play-dough according to recipe. Roll out the dough and cut shapes with cookie cutters. Place shapes on baking sheet and make a hanging hole in each, using toothpick. Bake and cool. Decorate ornaments with paints, decorating supplies, clippings of old Christmas cards, family photos. Let dry. Hang with wire or ribbon.
Play-Dough recipe:
1 cup salt
Mix Salt and Flour together. Mix water with oil. Combine all.
4 cups flour
Knead for 10 minutes. Add flour if too wet, water if too dry.
1 ½ c warm water
Roll to ¼” thick and cut shapes. Prick bottoms of shapes and place
4 Tbsp salad oil
on greased pan. Bake at 350 for ½ hr to 3 hr, depending on thickness
Milk Carton “Gingerbread” House
Supplies: Graham crackers, clean cardboard milk carton (500ml, 1L or 2L), icing, candies, spreading knife
Directions: If starting with a large milk carton, cut to about half height. Build the house by icing one side of the graham crackers and then attaching to carton. Add more icing and decorate with candies. Let icing harden.
Back to Basics
In the early days, Christmas tree ornaments were usually hand-crafted or edible. Nuts, candies, fruits, and pieces of coloured paper were the most common. Think of your tree as a blank canvas for creative little minds! String popcorn garlands or paper chains around the tree, and hang decorations made from beads, clay, paper, or anything they’ve deemed an ‘ornament’.
Jokes, Jokes, Jokes!
Mixed up words make kids giggle, so have some fun with word play this month. Classic Christmas stories and songs are even more fun when mommy or daddy get it wrong. The kids will love correcting you! Some examples
Dashing through the muck
In a one-horse open truck…
‘Twas the night before Christmas,
When all through the garage,
not a creature was stirring,
not even a porcupine
Five Minute Fun – Glitter Glue Christmas Ornaments
A piece of waxed paper and some creativity can turn glitter glue into sparkling ornaments. Draw a few easy shapes (circle, triangle, square) on regular paper and cover with waxed paper. Ask your little one to trace with glitter glue. Let dry, gently peel from waxed paper, and hang with ribbon or thread. For the really young ones, recognizable shapes might be a tall order – any ‘scribble’ will work; as long as it has one loop to string ribbon through. For older kids, encourage them to draw and then trace their own shapes. Some suggestions: Trees, stars, stockings
Tip: To make the glue flow more easily for your tot, snip off the end to make a wider opening.
Blatant Product Plug
We’re very excited about our Christmas and Seasonal card making kits , and with December just a few days away, the Christmas card lists will soon be making an appearance. Try our card making kits with your kids!
We’d love to hear about your crafts, jokes, or Five Minute Fun. Let Us Know!