The holidays are the time of year for family. Parents of young children take this time to teach about the joy of giving and the spirit of the season. Part of this spirit is tradition, and one of the biggest traditions during the holidays is decorating. In order to make decorating a family activity, helping the kids create their own decorations is the perfect way to start a brand new family tradition.
Proper Attire
There are several arts and crafts ideas that parents can use with the kids, but before starting any activities, make sure the kids are wearing the proper attire for arts and crafts. If paint or markers are being used, have the kids wear clothing that can be stained. Keep in mind that glue and glitter can get everywhere, so put down newspaper to catch the clippings. Also, do not give young children the option of stuffing ribbons or balls of glitter down their pants and invest in a good toddler belt to keep pants secure during holiday crafts.
Paper Chains
With scissors, paper and a little bit of glue, help the kids make paper chains to hang on the holiday tree and around the house. Parents can also create a holiday countdown chain with their kids. Have the kids make a 25 link chain at the beginning of December and every day, let them tear one off. As the chain gets shorter, the holidays gets closer.
Popcorn Garland
If a child is good at listening and accepting direction, then a popcorn garland can be a lot of fun. Some children may have to wait until they are older since it does involve a needle. As parents stand close by, they can help the kids work the needle and string through pieces of popcorn to create a garland for the holiday tree.
Glitter
Glitter can go a long way during the holidays. One of the favorites for children is going outside to pick out some pine cones and creating sparkling table decorations with glue and glitter. Parents can help the kids make designs on their pine cones and then add silver, gold, red and green glitter. Another option is to use paper and glitter to make ornaments or wall decorations.
Paper Snowflakes
Kids will love hanging paper snowflakes all over the house. Parents can teach them how to fold the paper and where to cut tiny triangles, squares or circles in order to create a special design. Again, keep in mind that this craft takes a lot of assistance from parents and may not be the best for every child.
Salt and Flour Clay Dough
Make a batch or salt and flour clay dough for the kids to make holiday ornaments. There are a lot of different directions to go with the dough, kids can use cookie cutters, make handprints or carve designs. After they are baked, help the kids decorate using paints, glitter and ribbon. These can also be great gifts for family members.
Making holiday crafts with the kids can be a fun holiday tradition for the whole family. Kids are not going to be interested in crafts forever, so take advantage of the younger years and start making some holiday memories.