Crafty Kids make Clever Adults!
KIDS cRAFTS - Christmas!
Inspiration is child's play when you take the ordinary and make it extraordinary!
GINGERBREAD HOUSES
A Classic Holiday Project
The ginger flavored treats are a popular snack during the holidays! A long standing tradition of making houses of gingerbread began back in the 1600's, in Germany, and through out Europe and France during the middle ages. A delicacy made with ginger root would be enjoyed during festive occasions and gatherings all over the world! Gingerbread was, and is used to create ornaments for trees, cookies, and of course, elaborate houses that rival the imagination! Soft Gingerbread, crispy gingerbread, and of course loaves of gingerbread are created with an array of recipes easily found today!
While the most adventurous bakers will begin their gingerbread houses by actually creating walls and roofs to assemble later, I highly recommend using a kit when working with children. After all, the idea is in the creativity of decoration, and after the kids handle and lick the many delicious candies and frostings, they most likely will end up on display until the holiday ends. Kids attention spans do not allow for perfection or miniscule details, so success depends on the completion of a kid created gingerbread house in the time that holds the child's interest! I have found many kits, ranging from one big house that the whole family can participate in, to the small villages with several little houses in the kit. I have found that when each kid has their very own creation, the results are less stress, more mess, and very happy kiddos!
GOLDEN NOODLE WREATHS
Easy Decoration and Gift Giving
A throwback from elementary school art class, this easy project can be completed by any age!
Preparing materials ahead of time will make this simple project as easy as it gets! Simply cut out circles of cardboard, any size, cutting out a center hole as well. Place a variety of uncooked noodles in dishes for easy access. Place liquid school glue in dishes near each project. Glue noodles to cardboard, let dry, then have an adult spray paint on the project! When dry, add a bow to hang! Done!
A twist in the project can be to forgo spray painting and opt to use colored noodles. Glitter will add some sparkle to your beautiful artwork!
PINECONE TREES
Create an ornament or a forest!
The gathering of pine cones in itself can be a fun field trip opportunity! Not everyone has a pine tree in their yard, let alone the right kind of pinecones that will work for this project! Look around your yard, neighborhood, parks, family and friends properties, and search out the size and shape of the open pinecone that will become your tabletop or ornament tree! Be sure that the pinecone is open, to grace the tree with extended branches. Gather them early, so that they are dry to handle and paint. (Pine pitch is very sticky!) Of course, another resource to finding perfect pinecones is a trip to your local craft store! Bags of pinecones can also be purchased online!
This project will require pinecones to be approximately 4" tall and no wider than a muffin tin!
First, the pinecones are spray painted by an adult, to create a nice, green base. Kids can also paint on the pinecones, add white glue and sparkles to tips to simulate "snow", glue on beads and glitter, or anything the imagination creates! Depending on the age of the creator, the results will vary immensely!
After trees are painted and dry, prepare muffin tins with foil cups.
Prepare homemade Plaster of Paris: Combine 1 cup of hot water with 2 cups of flour and stir. Use within 10 minutes before it sets!
Add plaster to cups until 3/4 filled. then press pinecone tree into plaster. Let it set for 48 hours.
Peel foil wrapper from plaster base after it is hardened. Leave white or paint as desired.
Tie a bow on top to hang as an ornament, or place trees anywhere as holiday decorations!
CLOTHESPIN REINDEER
So many reindeer games!
Kids groups, art class, or home entertainment are but a few of the places these little critters will show up! Making eight reindeer to pull Santa's sleigh or just Rudolph to display as an ornament on the tree will add whimsical delight to any home!
First, gather your materials! you might find wooden clothespins WITHOUT the metal spring at most craft stores, along with tiny "googly eyes" felt, and tiny felt balls for nose and tail, pipe cleaners and quickset craft glue. You will need 3 clothespins for each reindeer.
Glue together 3 clothespins, 2 down (legs and body) and one up (face and antlers). Let glue dry. Cut a small rectangle of felt to cover just the tops (body) of the 2 clothespins that form legs. Glue white felt or cotton) ball to back (butt) of reindeer. Glue red felt ball and googly eyes onto front (face) of reindeer. Make a loop with 6" pipe cleaner and glue ends between "antlers". Let dry!
Paper Stockings
Stickers and scraps wanted here!
This easy peasy project can be as simple as sticking little pieces of paper to a paper stocking, to creating paper decorations with an unlimited supply of mediums such as paint, stickers, crayons, beads, yarns... the list is endless!
For younger kids, I will suggest precutting paper stockings. From 8 x 10 sheets of construction paper, (any color will do) cut out at least 2 at a time (even numbers as it will take 2 for each stocking). I highly recommend creating a tem This easy project can be entertaining for preschoolers and older folks alike! The mediums used are oonly limited by the immaginaithe imagination, and the results s are satisisfying! festive! The most simple of pruprojects will consist of nothing more than torn pieces of paper (kids love to hephelp with this) glued to a paper stocking!
The fun part of this project is decorating two sidesstockings facing opposite directions, then sweingn swesewing them together, before stuffing cottonballs in between! (stapling of course using staples is quicker and easirer). balls
In In order to prepare for this project, cut stockings out of an 8x108x8x10 construction paper (2 for each stocking) and struprips of various colors for steartearing. Older kids or adults may choose to use cloth or p0paper scraps, stickers, beads, yarns yarbsyarns, paint, crayons, ets.etc.
Simply decorate one side of 2 stockings, facing opposite direcxtionsections. When glue is dry, attach them together as one by either stapling or use a paper punch to put holes along outer edge and "seesew" together with yarn. (Do not close utop yet!). Fill stocking with cotton to add 3D effect.