Even very young children are often seasoned gift receivers, but may have never given a gift before. The holiday season is a super opportunity for children to learn the joy of giving. Early homemade presents become treasured artifacts of love and family history. My mother still saves a Valentine's Day card. I must have made this card when I was just learning to write as the inside message reads, "Dear Mom, I love you very mush". Simple, with crude artwork and misspelling, it sits in a box and lives in her heart. Santa does not have to be the only one giving presents this Christmas. Of course many of these ideas can be used for any occasion.
Photos and Momento Gifts
Craft
Stick Frame
Popsickle
sticks or tongue depressers can be glued to form a simple frame.
Finished frame can be left plain, painted or decorated with
tissue paper, glitter and fabric scraps. Add a photo or the
child's art work.
Cute
as a Button Photo Frame
You can start with a cheap frame of make one from sturdy
cardboard or craft sticks. Attach the lettering "I am cute
as a button!" to the top of the frame and allow children to
choose from a variety of small buttons to glue around the
perimeter of the frame.
Silhouette
Picture
Tape
a large sheet of white paper on the wall. Have child sit sideways
on a chair three to four feet away from the wall. Shine a bright
light on the child from a few feet behind them so their shawdow
is cast on the paper. A projector works well for this. Simply
trace around the shawdow. You can do a full size body portrait by
having the child lay down on a large strip of white butcher paper
and tracing around the body. The look nice plain or decorated by
the child.
Placemat
Save a cherished drawing or painting by mounting it onto hard
cardboard and covering with laminate or clear contact paper.
Ornaments
Hanging
Lids
Punch
a hole in the lid of a frozen juice can and allow children to
decorate with a variety of craft materials.
Beaded
Wreath or Candy Cane Ornaments
Form
the desired shape of a ring or hook with a pipe cleaner. Allow
older children to string on colored tricolor beads. By
alternating red and white beads on the hook, a candy cane is
made. Simply bend over the last section of the pipe cleaner to
secure. Attach a red ribbon to a ring of green beads for the
wreath.
Lacy
Balls
Mix 1/3 white craft glue with 2/3 liquid laundry starch. Dip yarn
into this mixture and drape around a small inflated balloon.
Repeat with additonal yarn strands until a desired pattern or
design is created. Once the yarn is dry, pop and remove the
balloon.
Homemade
Clay Ornaments
1 cup salt
1 1/2 cups warm water
4 cups all purpose flour
Add salt into the warm water and stir. When cool, add flour and knead for 8-10 minutes. Create figures or roll out and use cookie cutters. Be sure to leave a hold in the top for hanging. Bake at 325 apx. 45 minutes(until all the moisture is gone). Paint the ornaments when they are cool.
