Dear Friends and Family,
In an attempt to simplify and bring more meaning to Christmas this year, our kids have drawn names for gift giving. The gifts must be homemade, inexpensive, and useful. (Meaning, we're hoping to get beyond Dollar Store junk, paper dolls and unidentified whatsits...)
I will be personally helping each of my kids create their gifts.
I have a few suggestions for my kids, which I can't share here, of course, (My big kids can see these posts on Facebook, after all.) BUT I'd love to gather some more ideas I can share with them. Have any of my readers seen any cute craft, sewing, or woodworking projects that kids would like? Or do you know of any websites that have some great ideas? Please share! I'd love to hear all about them!!! :-)
Posts
I bet a young one would enjoy receiving some play dough:
ReplyDeletehttp://be-it-ever-so-humble.blogspot.com/2010/10/halloween-play-dough.html
(Click on the link at the bottom for Christmas-themed ideas.)
I love the idea! We're doing a mostly homemade Christmas too.
ReplyDeleteI've seen a few tutorials that I've filed away for future usage:
http://www.dana-made-it.com/2010/12/simple-handmade-gifts-b-c-family.html
http://www.dana-made-it.com/2010/12/simple-handmade-gifts-pillowcase-to.html
http://www.makeit-loveit.com/2010/12/felt-toy-truck-little-boy-gift-idea.html
Martha Stewart has a lot of gifts children can make for their father and siblings.
ReplyDeleteHere are some dad gifts:
http://www.marthastewart.com/photogallery/handmade-gifts-for-him
http://www.marthastewart.com/photogallery/personalized-gifts#slide_1
Browse the site there is so much more...
We have been doing homemade Christmases for a long time. Even toddlers can make gifts with the help of mom.
ReplyDelete* Three year olds can hat loom I have seen several do it.
* One year little ones can made rice or popcorn bags to chill for injuries or heat in the microwave to warm a cold bed.
* When my 15 yo son was almost three he sewed straight sided bags, filled with batting and potpourri. These were to make shoes smell better.
* another child took lovely buttons and had me take the posts of the back and they learned to glue earring findings on the back.
* kids have learned to make concentration games by affixing pictures on orange can lids.
* a bucket and some bean bags for a game.
* homemade playdough
* simple cooking lessons for little ones
* I helped a 5 year old grandson learn to sew a bean bag for his brother.
* Use a $1 photo album from the craft store. Place family pictures in one side and large words telling a store on the other page and they can do reading from books about the family.
* Take one of their drawings, enlarge it and trace it on fabric, sew it together and stuff it.
http://www.marthastewart.com/photogallery/kids-room-ideas#slide_3
More gifts kids can make or can be made for kids:
http://www.marthastewart.com/photogallery/our-25-most-popular-gifts#slide_3
http://www.marthastewart.com/photogallery/our-25-most-popular-gifts#slide_4
http://www.marthastewart.com/photogallery/our-25-most-popular-gifts#slide_10
...
I found a bunch of recipes for homemade easy-bake oven recipes I'm making for Abby. I don't know if you have an easy-bake oven, but I'd be happy to email you a copy of all the best ones I've gleened from many sites. Also, if you don't have one, maybe you could still make baking mixes and put them in a container with recipes, ingredients, etc. for your avid bakers.
ReplyDeleteA book holder to hold For the Strength of Youth. Could also be used for Faith in God. You could even adapt this to hold a drawing/nature study notepad with some coloring/drawing pencils.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.csredding.com/hostedimages/PP_Book_Holder_Tutorial.pdf
Wall outlet covers - personalized for a specific person/room or for the family
http://beinglds.blogspot.com/2010/01/we-will-be-held-accountable-for-how-we.html
A scripture study kit for littles - we're doing a crayon roll with coloring pages from the Friend, nursery manual and primary manuals. Also a clipboard to hold it all together. Only the 4-yr-old gets one because he's the youngest and most fidgety when we try to read the scriptures.
A scripture study kid for olders could have scripture markers (in a crayon type roll), pen, bookmark, paper for notes, etc.
A recipe book for the older kids. Cooking classes.
For "the family", someone could make cloth napkins as gifts. And/or napkin rings to go with the napkins.
A marshmallow shooter made from PVC. Or the materials to make one and a special time set aside to build it together.
Woo! You ladies are AWESOME! Thank you!!! :-)
ReplyDeleteLove,
Rachel