When it comes to making things with kids, keeping it simple should be the order of the day. When things get complicated, kids will tend to get fussy and your fuse as a parent is bound to short circuit eventually. Fun and simple is the best way to go. Other important ingredients to inject into the craft exercise would be lots of praises and laughter. Here are some very simple ideas for Christmas crafts:

• Glitter gift tags – surprise everyone with this more innovative way of tagging the Christmas presents under the tree. Simply cut out rectangular shapes big enough to write a name and after punching a hole and stringing it, your child can decorate the tags.
• Hanging Christmas stockings – get your child to collect different colorful pictures from magazines. Encourage your child to cut out stocking shapes while still maintaining the gist of the picture. Ideally, the eventual sequence of the sticking should tell a story.
• Christmas cards – instead of the more common drawings kids do on the cards, encourage your child to get creative by using various Christmas themes to make cards. Cutting out circles using colorful Christmas paper and then sticking ribbons to the ends to make them look like dangling baubles, before pasting them on plain white cards is innovative. The same can be done using Christmas tree shapes.
• Christmas baubles – instead of the more common bauble decorations, use old Christmas family photos. Cutting the photos into circles and punching a hole at the top, then using pretty colored ribbons to string them up, is something any child will be able to get done.
• Glitter baubles – all you need is a collection of either old baubles or some polystyrene crafting balls, some sparkles and stick ons. Let your child get creative sticking on the stuff to make them exciting and new.
• Pipe cleaner snowflakes – this is so simple, your kids may want to get crazy using lots of colors instead of just the regular white. Simply cut the pipe cleaners into the various sizes needed and twine them to make a snowflake shape. Then string them up to twinkle in the breeze.
• Toy ornaments – this is one way of reducing clutter. Get your child to sort out and separate all his/her small lightweight toys, then string them up one by one to make ideal Christmas room decorations. A little glue and sparkles will brighten up the dull old ones.
• Christmas gift monograms – using old Christmas paper, your child can trace and cut out alphabets that reflect each family member’s name. These can then be glued to the respective gifts.
• Paper snowflakes – this can be a little challenging, as you would have to draw the snowflakes and help your child cut them out. This would be suitable to an older child who is able to use the scissors competently.
• Aprons – if you and your child enjoy baking and cooking together, then try making Christmas themed aprons. Cutting out Christmas designs from washable felt and sticking them onto plain aprons would be fun.

 

 

 

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