Christmas Decoration Ideas for Kids (and Parents)

As a parent you already know just how much kids love the holidays. One of the things they love is helping you decorate for Christmas. Most children love to make their own handmade Christmas decorations, and there are a number of fun and exciting Christmas decorations that they can easily make.

There are a number of ways to make Christmas ornaments. Christmas ornaments can be made from regular paper or any other type of material. In fact, you can purchase a number of Christmas ornament cutouts or guides from your local craft store. These ornament pieces are likely plain, but already shaped like something, such as a star or a cross which the child can then paint. This type of Christmas decoration craft project is great for small children or those who may be making their own Christmas decorations for the first time.

Your children can also easily make their own Christmas paintings or drawings, often with the supplies that can already be found inside your home. You can then put it on your refrigerator or you could even frame the picture and hang it up somewhere else or give it to a grandparent as a Christmas gift. You can also have the child draw on a large sheet of paper or stamp it and use it as wrapping paper. This makes a double gift. This type of Christmas decoration craft project is ideal for children of any age and is a great way to save money since you likely already have all of the needed supplies. Many newspaper offices will sell end rolls of blank newsprint which is ideal for making wrapping paper.

Another fun Christmas project that your children could do is to make a centerpiece for your dining room table, or individual place cards. You children will be thrilled if you use that centerpiece for your Christmas dinner. The children can create a somewhat elegant centerpiece, with artificial flowers, a large bowl or vase, some Christmas balls, as well as other decorative items. Your children can easily arrange these items to create their own unique centerpieces for your dining room table. If your children are a little older, they may be able to create a centerpiece in the shape of an Angel, a Santa or a Christmas tree by using construction paper and a few other small supplies.

Making a gingerbread house together is also fun. It is important that the house be constructed the day before so that the icing will have a chance to harden, but the children can have a wonderful time decorating the gingerbread house. It can even be used as a centerpiece for a Christmas display and then the children can eat it later.

Another similar idea is to take Social Tea Biscuits and make them into a small house, putting a ribbon between the seam of the roof top. It takes 7 cookies to make a house, a little Royal Icing, a ribbon loop long enough to hang over a tree branch, and some imagination to decorate it. These can be take home or eat gifts for children who visit your home around Christmas. Hang several on the Christmas tree.

There are a number of places online where you will be able to Christmas craft projects for kids. You can find a collection of ideas by performing a standard internet search. Also, your local library will no doubt have some Christmas Craft books. Your local book stores will also have a collection of Christmas craft books for children. These books tend to outline the supplies needed, as well as give detailed directions on how to make the Christmas decorations. These decorations may include Christmas drawings or paintings, tree ornaments, table centerpieces, and much more.

Regardless of which type of Christmas decorations you allow your child or children to make, they will likely enjoy the experience, especially if you participate as well. For a child, there is nothing like seeing their Christmas drawings hanging on the walls or their Christmas ornaments hanging on the tree.

Preschool Kids - "When I Grow Up, I Want To Be"

For preschool kids, one of the biggest open-ended questions they can be asked is "what do you want to be when you grow up?" When asked this question, many preschool kids tend to shoot for the stars. However, this question can be an easy way to introduce a unit on occupations and community helpers, two subjects that can be explored though games, activities, crafts and even guest speakers.

The Helpers in the Community

It's important to teach preschool kids about the many tasks of community helpers, such as doctors, dentists, nurses, teachers, mail carriers, and police officers. Start by asking the children if they know any adults with these professions to see how much children know about the tasks associated with these various occupations.

When learning about doctors and nurses, try this fun craft called "Fix my Wound". For this craft, trace the outline of the child's arm or leg on a piece of paper. The children are to color or paint their limb including a small wound. Once the paint has dried, distribute band-aids to the children for them to place over the wounds on their crafts. Then, have each child present a story to the class as to how they got hurt and who helped them fix it.

Here's a craft where children make police badges that's perfect for learning about safety and the police. To begin the craft, cut out a number of badges from cardboard, and cover each badge with aluminum foil. Use stickers to decorate the badges, or try etching patterns into the foil with the stubby end of a paintbrush.

There are also a number of fun games for preschool kids to learn about the objects and tasks associated with various community helpers. First, cut out a number of pictures from magazines that are associated with community helpers, such as letters, stethoscopes, toothbrushes, or fire hydrants. Next, place a picture of each community helper on the wall and have the children match the objects to the corresponding person from the community.

"Special Delivery!"

Here's another fun matching game that's perfect for practicing what it might be like to deliver mail. Cut out a large number of different colored shapes, like triangles, circles, stars, and squares. Gather an equal number of mailboxes to the number of shapes, and label each mailbox with a picture of one of the shapes. Give the shapes to the children to place in the corresponding mailboxes. After all the shapes have been delivered, try the exercises again by sorting the deliveries by color instead of by shape.

Finally, here's a matching game that teaches children good nutritional habits, which can be played in conjunction with learning about oral hygiene and dentists. Place two large teeth on the wall. One tooth should be white and sparkling clean while the other is covered with dirt and plaque.

Next, hold up a series of pictures of foods, both good and bad, and have children decide which food goes with which tooth. This last exercise in this preschool kids series can also be performed with real food, as long as there aren't too many examples of bad food!

Kids Craft - Fall Leaf Placemats

Making placemats from fall leaves is a fun activity for kids of
all ages. Even toddlers will have fun collecting leaves and
creating their own placemat. For this craft you will need:

Roll of contact paper

Fall leaves

Scissors

This activity is very inexpensive. The only item you will have
to buy is the contact paper, and you can pick this up for about
$5 a roll. One roll will make many placemats.

Have your kids go out in the yard and collect some fall leaves.
Have them look for a variety of colors and shapes. If the leaves
are dry you can use them right away. If they are wet, let them
set on a piece of newspaper to dry before you start the craft
project.

Before you sit the kids down cut some pieces of contact paper
into the shape of placemats. I used the width of the contact
paper for the width of the placemat so I would only have to make
one cut for each placemat. You will need two pieces of contact
paper for each placemat. You can make the placemats any size you
choose.

After the contact paper is ready, sit your kids down at a table
and have them spread out the leaves in the center of the table.
Give them a piece of contact paper with the backing paper
removed. Let them arrange their leaves on the sticky side of the
paper. After they are happy with the arrangement of their
leaves, take another piece of contact paper and carefully lay it
on top of the leaves so that the sticky sides of both pieces of
contact paper are together. Carefully use your hands to smooth
out any bubbles or wrinkles. You won't be able to get them all
out, but don't worry, a few wrinkles will not be noticeable when
you are done.

When you are finished you can use the scissors to trim around the
edges to make sure they are all even and straight. This is an
easy project that can be completed in about an hour. Remember
the younger the child, the shorter their attention span, so if
you are making very many you may end up finishing them yourself!
My toddler boys spent about 15 minutes on theirs and they had a
great time.

Don't forget to proudly display your fall leaf placemats on your
Thanksgiving table!

Photos of fall leaf placemat project:
http://www.crafty-moms.com/fall-leaf-placemat.shtml

Every child should Crafts

You want your child to get away from the TV, the I-pod or the computer and participate in a creative, hands-on activity. You know a craft project fits the bill but do you know which supplies your child should have? Here is a list of craft supplies every child should have to complete projects at a moment's notice. A bonus is that you may already have many of these items in your home.

Crayons and Markers. A 24 pack of crayons and a set of primary color markers are all you need. Use water-based markers instead of permanent markers which are not washable.

Construction Paper. A pack of construction paper is an inexpensive and colorful addition to your craft supplies. Construction paper comes in many different sizes. As your child makes different crafts, keep the larger scraps of paper in a container for use in future projects.

Safety Scissors. Safety scissors have Blunt ends and are small for small hands. For very young children, the development of fine motor skills, there are spring-loaded scissors available that automatically open after bruising. Scissor skills are important for the development of children before entering kindergarten.

white glue, craft glue or glue stick. Each of these serves a different hill purpose.White glue is thin and works well in small amounts in the bonding of paper and words on horizontal surfaces.>Craft glue tends to be thicker and works well when gluing heavier items, such as beads or foam, to vertical surfaces. Glue sticks are easier to use than white glue with paper crafts. White glue used in large amounts will create waves in the paper.

Tape. Clear adhesive tape can be used in place of glue and for hanging artwork.

Glitter Glue. This is clear glue with glitter added and it comes in a rainbow of colors. It is a good alternative to glitter in many crafts. The one drawback of glitter glue is the long drying time so save it for the end of the craft project to avoid smearing.

Acrylic Paints and Paint Brushes. Acrylic paints are water-based paint that can be used on most surfaces. Clean up is easy and drying time is short. Inexpensive paint brushes are idea for kid's crafts in case little ones forget to clean the brush.

Ribbon. The choice of colors, widths and textures are endless. Visit your local craft store and you'll understand what I mean. A couple of spools of satin ribbon in primary colors are sufficient.

white paper plates. The Internet is bursting at the seams with projects paper plate. Select paper plates without the layer of wax, when a CRAFT project. paper plates are also practical when working on other projects. bit of glue or paint on a dish or a dishhold small craft supplies such as beads or sequins.

Craft Sticks (AKA Popsicle Sticks). No, you don't have to eat dozens of Popsicles to get enough sticks for your projects! Craft sticks are found in the craft aisle and come in different sizes and colors. They are great for building structures.

Now, take this list and head out to your local store. Most of these supplies are available at dollar stores making them truly inexpensive. Purchase a few plastic storage containers to store your craft supplies and you will be ready to offer your child a hands-on activity.

Four Great Cricut Projects That Can Put Money in Your Bank Account

There are several Cricut projects that you can use to make money. Don't believe me? Just take a look around eBay and Etsy, and even local craft fairs in your area, and you will see what I mean. After all, seeing is believing!

Really, you are only limited by your imagination when it comes to money-making projects using die cuts. But to get your creative thinking cap working, here are four ways to put your die cutter machine to good use:

1. Diaper Cakes

If you don't know what a diaper cake is, basically it is a popular baby shower centerpiece or gift, where the diapers are rolled up and secured, then arranged in such a way that they form a tiered cake. They are a very popular gift, but many people simply do not have the crafty skills nor time to create them, so others have made it their "business" creating diaper cakes. One of the most inexpensive ways to embellish the cakes is using Cricut cutouts. It is far cheaper to use die cuts to embellish diaper cakes, than to purchase stuffed animals, rattles, pacifiers, and other goodies that others typically use to decorate their creations.

2. Personalized Kids' Art

Personalized kids' art is a big business for crafters. Whether you use a mat and frame to showcase the die cuts, or decoupage the cutouts to a plaque, this is one of the easiest Cricut projects to not only create, but also to sell. Boost your earnings by making the art functional. For example, turn a personalized plaque into a coat hanger by adding pegs. Easy and fun!

3. Custom Cards and Invitations

If card making is your paper crafting specialty, why not make it your business! Considering how expensive store bought cards are, selling handmade cards can be quite lucrative. You would be surprised at the number of people willing to buy custom handmade invitations, birthday cards, and more.

4. Scrapbook Layouts

Just like custom made cards, there is a strong market for scrapbook page layouts. If scrapbooking is your thing, turn it into a working gig. Using a machine to make die cuts for your layouts will significantly reduce both your expenses and time to produce these layouts, resulting in a better profit margin.

That's just four of the many Cricut projects you can start doing today to earn money. I'm sure you can think of more on your own. Don't be surprised to find that you are soon profiting from your favorite hobby!

Craft Making For Kids

Crafts are any project that involves a step by step procedure to achieve an end result. There are many kinds of crafts one can do, like beading, paper folding, sewing, knitting, crocheting, painting or card making. The list is endless. And craft activities can be done with kids. It enhances their creativity and it is a good opportunity also to bond with them.

Craft making is one personal way of showing the creativity of a person. This shows the love and affection of the creator. The gifts that are made from craft making are usually designed specially for the receiver. Even though crafts are homemade, it does not need to be simple or out from the scratch. You can actually make crafts that are specially designed.

You can ask any assistance from persons who have knowledge of craft to help you make one craft that is beautiful and creative. If you are going to do crafts, you would certainly need to buy a few supplies to be able to make your craft possible. The crafts that you will do will have to depend to the age of your craft receiver. Craft activities are time consuming but the time usually pass by quickly when you are well into what you are doing.

The bonding moment easily ensues as the parents and kids help each other out towards perfecting a certain project. All of the group members partake in giving suggestions to make the craft project turn out beautiful. And while doing their own assignments in the project, it is a great opportunity also to talk or bring up some concerns.

Indulging in crafts with your kids is a good way to imbibe social interaction in them at an early age. This is better compared to immersing your kids to playing computer games all day long alone in their rooms.

Making crafts enhances mental thinking. Children become quick-witted as they think of ideas always for new craft projects. Besides this, they also slowly learn how to decide for themselves, even if it is just making small decisions at first, like what color or materials to use.

Crafts also are an avenue for children to express their individualities. And the sense of self-satisfaction at the end of the project is priceless. It promotes self-confidence and self-esteem.

There are many craft stores in the malls. Buying the basics is not difficult or expensive. For starters, you can get glue sticks, stickers, paints, papers, foams, beads, glitters, markers, crayons and scissors.

As a child is well under way any kind of craft, he will get ideas on how to make it more beautiful, and you can help him procure the extra materials during the process. The ideas will just pour in as he becomes more familiarized with what he is doing. The ideas will also come to him as he tries to break the monotony of the project. His mind will be forced to think of new ways to liven up the project.

There are many simple craft ideas you can do with your kids for starters. Examples are straw painting, aluminum foil sculptures, squeeze balls, toothpick sculpture, piper cleaner art, fingertip pictures, envelope art, clay molding and windsock. There are many reference materials you will find in libraries, bookstores or craft stores for easy step by step procedures.

As the children develop their interest in crafts, you can move on to more complex projects. It will not be long before you find your children inventing their own designs already.

Kids Craft Activities - A Homeschool Perspective

One of the joys of homeschooling kids is being able to incorporate kids craft activities into their curriculum. Kids craftwork activities for ages 4 to 9 years, specifically sewing, is a fantastic way to aid the development of your child's fine motor skills. (Both Maria Montessori and Rudolph Steiner agree on this fact!) The amount of co-ordination needed to aim a needle at a particular spot appears to be huge. Despite this a 4 year old will soon manage without assistance. You'll be amazed at the skill really young children show when sewing.

It is best to start children off on a simple kids craft activity project that involves more threading and less stitching, until they get used to the needle. One of first Homeschool kids craft time projects we recommend is to make a "Homeschool Rainbow Snake". A Rainbow Snake is a needle threaded with about 30cm of thread. A knot is made at the end of the thread. A small piece of felt (2cm x 2cm) is threaded down to the knot. Then the child threads beads, bits of felt, buttons and bells until the thread is full. A small space is left at the top of the thread to tie off the snake and to tie a string at the top in order to hang the new "Homeschool Rainbow Snake".

Once a simple kids craft activity project is completed, small felt objects and animals can be made. The simpler the craft activity pattern the better.

Kids craft activities have many benefits, such as developing fine motor skills as well as definitely having a calming effect on most children. It's been my experience that children who usually struggle to concentrate can spend huge amounts of time crafting and sewing. It is not unusual for a child to spend up to 2 hours creating their masterpiece.

No matter what curriculum is being used. Whether it's a home school curriculum or a public school curriculum every child will benefit from having time spent on kids craft activities. Their imagination is engaged and as this happens their world is expanded. By using their imagination they are able to learn with ease. Isn't this what childhood is all about? Learning happens through play and fun kids craft activities.