Archive for December 2010
Tomorrow we kick off our annual year end Best Of series. For ten days we count down our most popular and most commented on posts of 2010. I hope you check it out daily to see what made the list this year. That’s tomorrow, today is all about you. Post your best of 2010 This link up has become a very popular weekly read for people looking for great activities and superb reads . If you’ve been to shy to link , please do I want to check you out!
I hope Santa brings everyone a few good books, crayons and paint !
Last year my son and my dad made a gingerbread house for fun and this year they cemented it as a tradition for years to come. It’s so important to have traditions and special events only for certain special people in your children’s lives. I am not surprised at all that I was exiled upstairs to nurse and have some alone time with my daughter while he made the house with my parents. I didn’t mind one bit. I hope your holiday season is filled with special events likes these.
You will need an over excited child, a more than willing to let said child eat far too much candy grandparent and another lenient grand parent to take the photos. Oh and a pre made ginger bread house, and extra candies that were suppose to be for the house but you suspect may just be for your kid.
Before they cracked open the house I put my son to work sorting the chocolate rocks for the path, and after they were done decorating my dad commented on how when he started a pattern with the candies my son kept it going. There was learning in this activity for sure , not to mention fire motor exercise too picking up and placing the candies.
Honestly though I couldn’t care less about the learning because that is not what this activity was about. It was about strengthening family bonds, creating tradition and making memories that will last longer than any craft or project, even cool ones with glitter.
I hate just recycling scrap wrapping paper after wrapping gifts. I’d much rather use it for crafts! I also like that this craft is a pretty fast one to set up and depending on your child’s abilities they can do this semi independently. I made lunch while my son did this , stopping only to take pictures and reign in his glue habit ( I would have used a glue stick if mine weren’t all dried up – must get some new ones). One other thing I’d do differently – I’d use a larger piece of paper ( or smaller trees) so you could also make the squares larger, the small ones were at some times tricky to match up.
- Gather your materials. You will need a large sheet of construction paper multiple scrap pieces of wrapping paper,a marker, scissors and glue.
- Start by cutting your wrapping paper into 3 different trees .
- cut the rest into square ‘gifts”
- Glue the trees onto the paper.
- Invite your child to sort and match!
- Glue them on. Like I said a glue stick would be ideal but white glue worked.
More Gift Wrap Crafts
I sorta promised my husband I wouldn’t spend much on craft supplies this holiday so I have been keeping my word and finding great ways to recycle instead. These ornaments are fun, fast, and cheap. Also as I sit writing this I am looking at how awesome these ornaments are on a lit Christmas tree!
- Gather your materials. You will need some cleaned lids ( yogurt, icing, even jar lids will work), old Christmas cards or photos, scissors, glue , permanent double stick tape, a pipe cleaner per ornament and glitter.
- Start by choosing your photos or cards and tracing the lid on the back of it.
- Cut out.
- Using the double stick tape attach the picture to the lid. Press and hold for a bit.
- Grab the glue and add to edge on the front.
- Add glitter.
- Let dry.
- Punch a hole and thread the pipe cleaner through.
If you are using a metal jar you can use hot glue to attach a pipe cleaner to the back. Adults only though!
Christmas Books
The Little Drummer Mouse
Merry Un-Christmas
Mini Merry Book: Gingerbread Joy 
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