Will you be decorating your home this Christmas with store-bought designer ornaments and wall hangings, or will yours be a DIY Christmas?
This festive season is the perfect time to indulge in some home-based creative activities and games that are a lot of fun and can involve the whole family. Whether you are at home or holidaying with family and friends, it’s possible to get crafty and inventive with a little imagination and with not many resources at hand.
Simple wall hangings and window displays
One of the easiest home decorations you can do with small children is with a piece of paper and scissors to cut designs that will open up to a row of amazing shapes and patterns. It really is that simple, and the results can be spectacular.
Start by folding a piece of paper in half and then fold again and again depending upon the size of the paper. Then, with a pair of scissors, cut from the bottom of the folded side of the paper any shape you wish to be repeated to form a long pattern. The most effective shapes for a fantastic design are simple stars, triangles, crosses, or people, that can be cut by your little ones. Once you have cut out your shape, unfold the paper and open it up to reveal a wonderful hanging for your doors, windows, or walls. Feel free to add glitter glue, paint or stickers for an extra festive touch.
Store-bought craft kits
Make it yourself craft kits are not only a fun and crafty activity to do when decorating your home this Christmas but they also make really great gifts. For example Seedling they have great craft kits for Christmas.
Or you can check out some of these brilliant products available online now:
- DIY Advent calendar
- Christmas banner decorations kit
- DIY Christmas gifts – make your own snow globe
- Christmas puzzles and games
Cooking up a ‘blizzard in the Christmas kitchen’
For some, the idea of baking with toddlers conjures up nightmare images of dirty benches and floors covered in flour and spilt milk, raw egg splattered over trays and bowls, and ‘cookie dough clumped’ benchtops. Welcome to baking with kids! We all know it can be stressful and messy but baking can be more about fun and creativity if you just ‘let it go’.
Following recipes, counting out and measuring ingredients, using hands to touch, smell, and taste, taking turns to share and communicate methods with each other are great skills to learn, and empowering for your children. Choose a simple recipe that involves less complicated methods (perhaps one that you have done before) will be a great way to introduce the wonderful world of baking to your little ones.
Look out for these baby and toddler cooking related products that are available online now!
- Annabel Karmel’s, ‘New Baby and Toddler Cookbook’
- Moulin Roty La Grande Famille Valise Cooking Suitcase
- Melissa & Doug, ‘Let’s Play House! Stir & Serve Cooking Utensils’
Here’s to a ‘Crafty Christmas’!
Feeling Crafty?