ISO: craft for 18m can do for Christmas

[Marti]

I need any ideas for a craft or gift that my 18m dd can do for her grandparents for Christmas. Last year, we did dough ornaments with her handprints (her first Christmas). Any ideas?

Martha

[Shawn]

Hello,

Have you looked in the Christmas Forum if Holiday & Occasions? There are Craft and Gift threads that you may want to take a look at.

[Lifestar]

Using the basket type of coffee filters, ( not the cone shape), some spring type clothes pins, pipe cleaners, and water color paints or water-based markers, you can male the most adorable "Butterflies" that can be clipped anywhere ( a Chistmas tree) or the edge of a curtain, etc...

Allow your child to paint the coffee filters with water colors. They absorb the paint an bleed the colors through the filters in lovely wicking patterns.

Dry the filters flat on newspapers. When dry, gather them in the middle like a bow-tie...and clip with the clothes pin. Now you have your "butterfly"

Adorn with a pipe cleaner, bent into a "V" and curled at the tips into little antennae spirals... clip ths into the clothespin as well.

You can write the date and name of your little artist on the clothes pin in indellible marker... and even hot-glue the ends of the clothespin closed to make the work of art permenent.

I have done this craft with children as young as 14 months and they love to watch the filters absorb the colors as they are applied.

I would suggest limiting her color choices to what you think is appropriate. Otherwise it can get carried away, and look like a muddy mess.

Enjoy!

Val

[Lisa Fields]

A gift we made a few years back that all the grandparents adored is puzle picture frames. Pick up a puzzle at the thrift or dollar store, or use one of yours that is missing pieces. Cut out a rectangular piece of foam for the back and another one with a picture-sized hole cut out for the front. Have your child pick pieces of the puzzle and let her hold it. You put glue on it and let her place it on the front piece of foam. Keep applying puzzle pieces in random places, though you may need to help her make sure she puts them all around. Pile them a few layers high too. Once you are all done and the glue has dried spray the whole thing with spray paint and sprinkle with some glitter, if you want. Then glue the two pieces of foam together with the picture showing in the middle. These are very cute!

[vcudnik]

An idea for grandma would to be to make a "hand bag." Buy a canvas tote from a craft store (about $5). Then help your toddler make prints with liquid acrylic paint (FolkArt, Ceramcoat, Apple Barrel, etc.) Your child can choose the colors. Then on the flip side (or above the prints), you paint/write "Grandma's Handbag."

You could do a sweatshirt full of handprints for grandpa. Same idea. To make the liquid acrylic permanent, just heat set it with an iron once its air-dryed.

It's not necessary to add any "fabric medium" to the paints for this type of craft.

[mommademon]

I just did this craft with my 3 children. The youngest one is 23 mos. First cut a wreath shape out of posterboard, cardboard or anything sturdy. Then cut up pieces of wrapping paper, it can be old or new. For little hands make the pieces relatively large. Then Spread glue all over one side of the posterboard (I found that glue stick worked best). If you use glue stick you may want to spread the glue a little at a time because it seems to dry quickly. Now your little one can have all the fun he/she wants by sticking the pieces of paper on the posterboard. When the kids are done you can hang them in the window or on the door for a much more personal touch than those store-bought wreaths. Don't forget to date the wreath if you plan on keeping it for safekeeping.

[navywife]

I made Sweatshirts for the grandparents one year. I had my kids and my nephews place their hand in their favorite color of fabric paint. I then helped them place a handprint on the front of a sweatshirt. After the handprints dried, I then wrote their name in the palm of their handprint. Over the left breast, I wrote

My Grandkids touch
more than my


Then follow the directions on setting the paints.

I made these 5 years ago. My parents still enjoy theirs and have received many compliments on them. They have told me that they need new ones because they have more grandkids now.

[rainequilts]

My kids made Christmas placemats this year. I had a stack of old Christmas cards that they cut up. They lightly glued them onto a large sheet of construction paper. Then I covered them with clear contact paper on both sides. They loved them. For a child as young as yours, you could cut out the pictures and let her place them on the paper as she wishes.

[LuvMyFF]

Hi. Here are a few ideas...I hope that they are helpful.

Handprint Wreath: you can trace their hands onto red and green construction paper. Make enough to form a wreath shape. You can also do this by making handprints with red & green paint.

Reindeer make a foot print and then at the toes make handprints. The handprints would be the antlers. Add eyes and a red nose.

Buy some holiday stamps and let the child put the satmp on the front of a folded piece of construction paper and they made the holiday cards.

LuvMyFF

[nagymom]

Way too late for this year but for next year: Using the hand print theme, have them place their hands in finger paint (or other washable paint) then press on a piece of card stock or other sturdy paper. Write their names and the year and even add a small picture, then once dry laminate with clear contact paper. These make the cutest place mats, cost almost nothing and will be cherished every time the recipient sits down to eat.

Jayne