Xmas Crafts WEEK ONE

[bright sparks]

Thought I'd see what everyone has done and has planned for Xmas Crafts Week One.

This Week I have made the kids Xmas tree cut outs (huge poster size) each. Everyday they are at daycare they choose from a selection of dollar store decorations to stick on their tree and on the last day before I close down for Xmas they can take it home. Even though its only day 2 of doing this, it was the first thing they asked for this morning when they arrived.

I am also making an outdoor snowman decoration with them. I take a fence post or similar 4x4 pressure treated timber post. Cut it into shorter 6-8" lengths and they paint it white. We decorate it with scraps of material to make a scarf and hat. then we put "coal" eyes and a "carrot" nose on. I will seal the white paint after so it won't wash off when put outside the front door of their house. It's prep for me and finishing work but a simple craft for the kids and a great keepsake.

We are also going to make macaroni wreaths and that will fill up our week for sure.

What has everyone else got planned??

[apples and bananas]

We have started our Christmas cards... started our handprint ornament and last week we did our big tree made out of hand prints. This week we will start decorating our tree. It's turning out so nice I almost want to frame it and send it home as a present!

In the next few weeks we'll finish the card and the ornament and do a centrepeice for mom and dad's christmas table.

I would love to see pics of the outdoor craft you're doing. Sounds great!

[GymMom]

I have 2 babies 13 months and 17 months who don't do much more than color. (Any craft ideas for this age?). My 2 y/o dcb is not into crafts much but yesterday I printed off a pic of a Christmas tree. He painted it green. I will give him some stickers and paint to decorate the tree today and tomorrow he can paint a star to glue on top. Haven't thought of much more than that as we're not too crafty around here yet.

[mimi]

We are doing simple crafts. I bought fake snow at the dollar store so we will do a snow scape with cotton ball snowmen. We do this on black paper for a night scene and then put stars all over the sky and the snow and snowmen stand out nicely.

[apples and bananas]

I have been using cotton balls stretched out in our colouring and the kids love it!

I have a 15 month old, 2 X 20 months and a 3 year old. So, we do a lot of hand crafts for the little guys. If you go to Michaels you can get clear round ornaments for a buck. I fill them with sprinkles and confetti and do a painted hand print on the outside for the little guys. Then I write their name on the back with a sharpie and the date.

I find with little ones I'm doing most of the craft work. It's more of a keep sake for the parents. Most of what we do at that age is playdough, colouring, finger paint etc. Not a lot of stuff they can bring home.

I thought of doing pictures of all of the little ones art work then framing a collage (sp) of them together... but I'm too late in the season... maybe next year.

[kelleyg19]

Last week we wrapped a shoe box with wrapping paper for all the Christmas crafts we do this month to send home as a gift for mom and dad.
This week or crafts are:
Monday- Santa made from the kids hand print
Tuesday- raindeer made from toilet paper roll
Wednesday- using a white Xmas oridement to make finger print with name
Thursday- raindeer made from foot and hand prints
Friday- gingerbread man
I have differnent crafts planned up till dec 19 and the kid will take home their box on the 20.

[sunnydays]

Yesterday we started our handprint ornaments...we will add soem sparkly jewels and things (for the 2 and up kids) later on. Today I cut a pair of contruction paper mittens out for each child and they put Christmas stickers on them and later we will glue cotton balls onto them and stick them together like they are holding a snowball..I have also put a string on each to hang from the Christmas tree. I plan tomorrow to do a big Christmas tree as a group project...I will draw it on big paper and then they will paint it green...after it dries, I will give them corks to paint Christmas lights in many colours all over the green. As I am sure the green will go outside of the lines, I will cut the whole thing out and then hang it on the wall for everyone to admire That's it for this week!