Handprint Christmas Tree

I'll admit, I have no "during the project" pictures for this one, because we did this while T was at work and I'm not Superwoman. Painting my toddler's hand and doing the handprints was job enough for me without trying to take a picture of it, too :)

WHAT YOU NEED:
     - green paint
     - paper bag or large construction paper
     - yellow paper or paint
     - baby hand (baby is optional)

There is a hard way and an easy way to do this. Let's say I learned the hard way. Set the paint and paper up and paint your toddler's dominant hand liberally. You want to make sure you have enough room to do three handprints across the bottom. Reapply paint as needed. Top the bottom row with 2 handprints in the middle row. Follow with one handprint on the top. Let dry and add a star (paint, paper, whatever you choose) and a tree trunk, if desired.

Paper Candy Canes

I have to be honest, I am so glad this 25 day challenge is almost over. It is really hard to find time to prepare, make, and clean up a craft and edit the pictures and write the blog every single day! But I shall persevere. Today we are making Paper candy canes.

WHAT YOU NEED:
     - 1 sheet construction paper
     - red paint
     - tape
     - gold glitter glue (optional)

You will need to cut out as many candy cane shapes as you want and tape them to a paper bag or scrap paper. Use the tape to block off stripes on the candy canes, so they will stay white. The un-taped parts will be red.

Set your toddler up with the page of candy canes and some red paint. Let them paint a thin layer of red, making sure to cover all the exposed paper. Let him or her experiment with different styles and techniques of painting. Half way through, Roo discovered the "dab" technique :)

Let dry for a few minutes and remove the tape very carefully, so you don't rip the paper. If your toddler wants to add a little gold streak to the candy canes, be my guest!

Red Christmas Tree

This craft uses a left over template from some Christmas gifts I made and leftover poms from several other crafts we have done. Roo loved that the tree wasn't green like it usually is. She finds it funny when things are silly colors.

WHAT YOU NEED:
     - 1 cardboard "tree" shape
     - red paint
     - tacky glue
     - a few poms

This craft is really plain and simple. Let your toddler paint the tree to their heart's content. Let dry for a few minutes.

Let your toddler decorate with poms and glue. Roo says "boop" with each pom she adds :)

Old Christmas Card Ornaments

Did you get so many Christmas cards this year but don't want to just toss them in the trash when the season is over? That's my problem too... Here is a great way to reuse them and turn them into seriously cute ornaments.

WHAT YOU NEED:
     - old cards
     - large circle (bowl, lid, etc.) to trace around
     - glue
     - glitter
     - hole punch
     - string

You can choose the size of your ornaments by tracing any circle you can find, large or small. Cut out (or if you have an older kid, have them cut out) the circle, and punch a hole at the top. Draw many thin circles of glue around the outer edge. Let your child go to "Glitter Town" as we call it. Apply extra glitter to allow for some falling off along the way.

Let dry and thread the string through. You are done! I love these :)

Spaghetti Ornaments

This one is pretty unusual but my girl loved it!

WHAT YOU NEED:
     - 1 cup cooked spaghetti
     - red and green paint
     - glue
     - waxed paper
     - glitter (optional)

Mix about 1 tsp paint and 1 tsp glue with half of the spaghetti, and do the same with the other color and other half of the spaghetti. Draw two circles on the waxed papers and have your toddler transfer the noodles to the 2 circles and arrange them however they want! If you want to add glitter, do so when the paint is still wet.

Let dry overnight or longer. Add a string through a strong part of the ornament and hang on the tree. Now, these aren't the most "attractive" ornaments we've made, but Roo sure had a ton of fun messing around in the noodles!

Finger Print Candy Canes

These are so cute and fairly easy. They make great gifts, too!

WHAT YOU NEED:
     - Scrap paper
     - red and white paint
     - baby finger (possibly the baby, as well)

Paint your child's index finger with red paint and have them press their fingerprint in the shape of a cane, leaving space between for the white prints. Wipe off the red paint and redo with white! I would plan on making extras in case your little one accidentally messes a few up, like mine did :)

 How cute are these?

Winter Sky

Another simple, quick, hands off craft.

WHAT YOU NEED:
     - white paint
     - snowflake stamp
     - 1 sheet blue paper
     - silver glitter (optional)

No prep needed, just set your toddler up with some paint in a shallow dish and let your little one stamp, stamp, stamp. If they end up with globs of paint, that's good! Let them shake some glitter on there and it becomes even more magical!

Touch and Feel Winter Scene

I saw this on a blog a couple weeks ago and thought it was adorable. It actually went really well too, which I didn't think would be the case! This craft has many different textures to stimulate your toddler's curiosity.

WHAT YOU NEED:
     - 1 sheet cardstock or cardboard
     - 1 blue construction paper sheet
     - yellow and green paint
     - 1/4 cup rice
     - 5-6 cotton balls
     - glue

Before you begin, you need to color the rice with a few drops of green paint. Spread the rice out and let dry for about a half hour. Affix the construction paper to the cardstock or cardboard.

Now it is time for the fun! Apply the glue for the land and horizon. Tear the cotton balls into smaller, fluffier pieces and allow your toddler to cover the "ground" with them.

Paint the glue on in the shape of a tree using a q-tip. 2-3 trees should be enough. Allow your toddler to pat the rice onto the glue, the more the merrier! Shake off the excess.

And lastly, have your toddler paint a little circle of paper with yellow paint (or even, gold glitter glue if you want to be a little sparky) and, when dry, glue it to the sky section of the board.

There you have it!

Bubble Wrap Christmas Tree

This is a super cute, really easy craft. Also, you can adapt it for so many different Christmas themes (Santa, Wreath, etc.) and colors.

WHAT YOU NEED:
     - Bubble Wrap
     - Paint and brush
     - construction paper or paper bag

Before you begin, cut out the shape of the Tree. Set your child up with the Bubble Wrap and paint and instruct them to cover the wrap with paint. Let them play around with this for a while, the more paint the better.

Place the Tree on top of the Bubble Wrap and press firmly. Your child can help rub the back of the Tree to transfer the paint. Gently remove the tree and let dry.

If you want, you can decorate the tree or add a cute star on the top like we did (ok, I did that part haha).

Handprint Wreath

This is a great little activity to track the size of your child's hand each year, but be ye warned- This is more work for the parent than for your child ;) But well worth it, I think.

WHAT YOU NEED:
     - green paper (2 or 3 sheets)
     - tacky glue
     - small paper plate
     - red puff balls
     - red string (for bow)
   
Cut the middle out of the paper plate to form the base for the wreath. Trace your child's hand on the green paper. You will need about 10-12 hands cut out. Let your child paint glue on the paper plate and stick the hands to the plate to form the wreath. Let dry.

Now let your child decorate the wreath with glue and red poms, then add a bow at the bottom.

Again, let dry. You're done!

Glitter Princess Wands

Ok so this one has nothing to do with Christmas, but Roo is in a big princess phase, and while shopping for Christmas craft supplies, we came across some awesome wands and I just couldn't say no. I'm a weakling- I know.

WHAT YOU NEED:
     - Pre-made foam wands from the $1 store
     - glitter glue
     - finger or acrylic paint
     - assortment of decorating choices (stickers, puffs, etc)

Now, if the store near you doesn't have these wands you can EASILY make them by cutting out a shape from foam and adding ribbons and a plastic dowel. This is a really hands off craft, even for my not-quite-2-year-old. I set her up with a little bit of paint, the wand, and some stickers and let her do her thing.

After she was done, I took the liberty of adding a glitter border to make the wands a little more "magical." Here is how they turned out:

Stamped Gift Tags

Roo is all about stamps. I blame Gymboree for giving her stamps after every class. Also, some of the links from the Christmas Paper Chain we made got torn off. I thought they would be perfect to make gift tags with a little sprucing up.

WHAT YOU NEED:
     - Scraps of paper, re-use if possible!
     - stamps and ink pad

We let Roo practice her stamping abilities on some other papers for a while, so she could get used to the little stamps we got for this project. There aren't too many pictures from this night because she was being a stinker! As you can see, more ink ended up on her face and hands than on the paper!

After she was done, I folded the papers in half, cut to size, and labeled the inside with "To" and "From."

Recycled Glitter Ornaments

After wrapping all the Christmas presents and cooking the dinner, we had a lot of ribbon spools and plastic lids left over. So we put them to good use!

WHAT YOU NEED:
     - left over lids or ribbon spools
     - spray paint primer
     - glitter glue
     - 4 4-6 inch ribbons

Before you being, punch/cut/drill a hole in any materials that don't already have one. Spray the spools and lids with paint primer and let dry completely. Let your toddler make their own creations with mixing colors and techniques using the glitter glue. Roo couldn't quite figure out how to draw with the glue so we switched to painting, which she did really well.

After the ornaments are covered, let dry. Add the string and hang.

After the ornaments are covered, let dry. Add the string and hang.

Glitter Christmas Cards for Sandy Hook Elementary

DAY FOURTEEN:

After the devastation in Newtown, CT yesterday, we decided to send the staff and students at Sandy Hook Elementary a little Christmas Cheer. We wanted to do more then just "send prayers and love." We wanted to actually touch their hearts, to TRY to restore their faith in humanity. It isn't much and I'm sure we will be just one of millions, but it is the least we could do.

WHAT YOU NEED:
     - paper for templates (1 sheet, quartered)
     - paper for cards (4 sheets, folded in half)
     - glue
     - brush
     - glitter
     - 4 large cookie cutters

Before you begin, you will need to cut out templates by tracing the cookie cutters and cutting out the INSIDE paper without damaging the outline. Place the template on top of the card. Have your child paint the glue inside the template. Remove the template and let your kiddo go to GLITTER TOWN. Make sure he puts a good amount of glitter, so you can clearly see the shape. If you are making a candy cane, use tape to block off the white areas while you use the red glitter and vice-versa. Tap the cards over the sink to remove any loose glitter. Let dry.

If your child is old enough, allow him or her to decorate the cards further with stickers and markers. Make sure to put a personal touch on the inside of the card including a first name and age or your child (if you feel comfortable with that). This gives a much more personal connection for the recipient.

If you want to reach out and comfort the hurting, and I strongly urge you to do so, please send your cards to:

Sandy Hook Elementary School

12 Dickenson Drive

Sandy Hook, CT 06482

Thumbprint Christmas Lights

DAY THIRTEEN:

Super excited about this craft. This is something you can redo every year and see how your child grows!

What you need:
     - acrylic or finger paint (at least 4 colors)
     - sharpie
     - 1 baby thumb (if the rest of the kid is attached, that works too)
     - paper

Before you start, draw a squiggly line from one end of the paper to the other. This will be the strand for the lights. Put only a few drops of each color of paint in a shallow container. We used baby food lids and introduced only one color at a time to avoid mass chaos making a mess. Depending on how old your child is, they can do the next part on their own or you can help them. Dip your toddler's thumb or index finger in the paint and position the print just above the strand line. Do a few of each color.

Let the paint dry completely. For us, this turned into a perfect opportunity to make a family painting, using the rest of the paint. Roo hijacked all artistic attempts and we turned out with this masterpiece! 

After the paint has dried, ground the floating light bulbs to the strand. I added Roo's name, age, and the date so we can keep this as a memory :)

Foam and Glitter Ornaments

DAY TWELVE:

I know we have been making a lot of ornaments lately, but they are so fun and make great gifts! Not to mention the fact that before these crafts, I only had about 10 ornaments for our tiny little tree ;)

WHAT YOU NEED:
     - 1 Sheet of Foam paper (or as much as you want to make)
     - glue and brush
     - glitter in variety of colors

Before you begin, Google a few ornament templates and choose your favorite. Transfer the template to your foam paper and cut them out. Put a hole punch on the top of each ornament. Loosely tape each shape to a paper bag.

Let your toddler paint on the glue. You want a good amount so the glitter can stick, and you can't take too long or the glue will dry.

Then let your little one shake the glitter like a polaroid picture crazy. Hopefully your floor won't be covered when you are done like mine was! You can do each one a different color, all multi-colored, or even create patterns if you have an older child. Roo's ended up all multi-colored, not surprisingly.

After you and your child are satisfied with them, take them outside and spray them with a clear adhesive. This will prevent the glitter from flaking off any time you touch or move them. Let them dry overnight. Loop a 5-6 inch ribbon through the hole punch and hang on the tree!

Stained Glass Ornaments

DAY ELEVEN:

Yes I am a day behind.. We had a very busy day Tuesday, so today we will do 2 crafts to catch up. Today's activity is something I spotted at the Dollar Store while I was hunting for Stocking Stuffers. Nothing beats a craft with no prep for only $1!

WHAT YOU NEED:
     - 1 Stained glass ornament kit (from $1 store)
     - tape

Just a note, it took me about 20 minutes, 2 knives and a bandaid :( to open the stinkin' paint palette. Loosely tape each ornament to a paper bag to avoid slippage. What worked for us was opening only one color at a time. That way Roo could paint a little of each color on all the ornaments without mixing the colors and ending up with 8 brown ones. After each color, rinse the brush and color section with water to avoid "cross-contamination." Let dry overnight and string them.

Roo REALLY liked this craft. It really surprised me how she was actually painting one part on purpose (see above, top section of the ornament, stars on the sleigh, and the snowman's hat, etc.) instead of just painting everywhere. At one point she even said "Hands! Hands! Hat!" as she painted the snowman's 2 hands and hat. Proud mom moment!

Here is the final product. As you can see, you get what you pay for. This project is great for entertainment value, but don't expect to get a good result. We had so much fun with this, I didn't really care that the colors were so weak and cracked. Disclaimer: I did the Christmas tree (below) and it didn't turn out much better than Roo's! :)

Recycled Reindeer

DAY TEN:

Today is another project using leftovers. I just wrapped all the Christmas presents with paper grocery bags (cute, free, and good for the earth!), and I had all the handles left over. I knew I could use them to make a cute craft, so I created this reindeer.

WHAT YOU NEED:
     - Paper plate
     - 1 red pom (or reuse a lid and paint it red)
     - 2 grocery bag handles
     - brown craft/acrylic paint
     - 2 quarter sized white circles
     - 2 hole punch sized black circles

This is another quick and easy project. Set your toddler up with a small amount of brown paint and a brush. Loosely tape the plate to a paper bag to avoid getting paint on your table. Let your little one paint the plate to their heart's content.

Time to take a break while the paint dries a little. Then, apply the glue in the right place for the nose and eyes to go. Let your little one put the nose and eyes in place. Your reindeer might end up with googley eyes if you don't turn them to face the same direction. Again, let dry.

 Meanwhile, you have to do some antler-makin'. Unfold the bag handles and cut one in half. Use tape or glue to position the 2 halves on the 1 whole, as seen below. Staple the antlers to the back of the plate and paint over the staple marks to hide them. There you have it!

AFTERTHOUGHT: You could totally make this into a mask by attaching a stretchy cord to the sides and cutting out eye holes. How fun! We will do this after the holidays are over.