Crafts with kids

Fourth Day – Christmas Crafting 2021

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I remember the first time we went and made clay pieces as a family. Our youngest was about 5 which was the minimum age and for a good reason. It was hard building clay creations and helping the kids with every step. I look back and remember it being a stressful outing. But totally worth it as I watch the kids proudly take their clay trees out and display them each year.

Each year we have made family clay crafts it gets a little easier. Maybe it’s because we are all a little older, or maybe it’s because we are all getting a bit better. This year required very little parental involvement which I think is good for all of us.

At Christmas our home is decorated with all of our handmade decorations and ornaments. We are Making A Life and making memories one stressful clay making session at a time.

Fourth Day of Christmas

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I have spent hours looking through keychains and other “named” products over the years searching for my kids names. I have never been able to find both of their names and there is no chance I will find my husbands name printed on anything. Doesn’t everyone want things with their name on it?

I made these Santa ornaments from Dollarama kits and added our names. My youngest leaned to sew and made his own. He’s so proud of the finished product and I’m pretty proud of him.

Twelve days of Christmas – Day Eleven

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Today I dug our a few supplies to make wine cork trees. I sat on the living room floor and it was like I was magnetic. One kid came in and asked to make a tree, then the next one asked if he could make one.

I love that the boys want to craft with me. I’m so impressed with their making ability. I bet you can’t tell which trees they made.

Materials:

  • Wine corks
  • Washi tape
  • Glue gun
  • Scissors

Instructions

Tape the ends of the cork with washi tape and trim off excess. Arrange and hot glue together. Cut a cork in half and glue to bottom for the trunk.

Twelve days of Christmas – Day Ten

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I was crafting with the kids today. We made gingerbread houses. We usually make one together but I decided this year to get them each one.

I was super excited when we opened the kits and the houses were already assembled and just needed to be decorated. Score!

I’m impressed with my older sons creativity and steady hand. My younger son used his leadership skills to tell me how to decorate his house 🤣.

Twelve days of Christmas – Day Six

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For the last few years we have done one family ceramic Christmas craft. Each year gets a little less chaotic as the kids get a little more independent working with clay.

This year we made gingerbread ornaments which were a piece of cake after making mugs and Christmas trees.

They are a little heavy to hang on a live Christmas tree. I might have to wire them on 😉.

Twelve days of Christmas – Day Five

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I saw this idea when I was shopping last Christmas. I took a picture with every intention of making them last year. Here we are a year later and I can finally delete the photo reminder.

These are made from a tree branch from our yard. My husband cut these up into disks years ago after drying the branch for months. My son and I drew snowflakes on the wood discs and I drilled many, many holes. We sewed the snowflakes with red twine (from the dollar store) using a large needle. Then screwed hooks and added twine to hang them on the tree.

Christmas Crafts -Day 9

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The kids and I usually make a gingerbread house from a kit around Christmas. The goal isn’t about the baking, it’s about the decorating and spending time together creating something.

This year my son mentioned seeing a train gingerbread kit that he would like to make. So I went to the store he thought he saw it in and there was none to be found. I then asked my husband to pick a gingerbread house kit up at the grocery store but he decided not to get one because in his words “we usually end up throwing most of it away anyway”. I do agree but as I mentioned it’s not about the gingerbread, it’s about the time spent together.

Now it’s 2 days before Christmas and after going to 4 stores in search of a gingerbread house or train, or anything gingerbread like we ended up with a cookie decorating kit.

The cookies are hard as rocks because I ate one, just to test it out. Let’s hope none of us have a dental emergency in the next week as a result.

  • On the first day of Christmas my true loves made for me, an Ornament Wreath.
  • On the second day of Christmas my true loves made with me, Hot Chocolate Mugs.
  • On the third day of Christmas my true love made for me, Plum Wine.
  • On the fourth day of Christmas my mom made for me, A Nativity Scene.
  • On the fifth day of Christmas a random stranger made for me, Cotton Candy Chemo Cap.
  • On the sixth day of Christmas my true loves made for me, Spontaneous Snowmen
  • On the seventh day of Christmas my true love made for me, Tiny Knit Scarf Ornaments
  • On the eighth day of Christmas my little loves made for me, Reindeer Balls.
  • On the ninth day of Christmas my little loves made with me….

Dentist Approved Cookies.

If you want to make these too, good luck! Hopefully you find a kit in fewer than four stores.

Christmas Crafts – Day 8

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Wow, today was a day. I’m on an emotional roller coaster and I’m exhausted. Whose with me? I’m ready for that long winter nap I’ve heard so much about.

The kids had a Christmas craft night at their school tonight. All of the teachers design and supply the materials for a craft and the kids make crafts in their classroom. The kids love it. I usually try my best not to be a helicopter crafting mom, but I didn’t have the self control today.

On the eighth day of Christmas my little loves made….

Reindeer balls, snowmen, stars, candy cane and snowflake ornaments (all in an hour).

Christmas Crafts – Day 6

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I was making a craft today when my five year old asked if he could have a clear ornament ball which I was planning on using for my project.

He was very excited, and told me he was going to make the ball into a snowman with eyes, a smile and buttons. And he was going to sign his name. He got out the permanent markers and got to work.

When he was finished I suggested that we fill it with snow which like all the other materials, I had on hand. He was sceptical. I got out a jar of snow and got to work filling it up. He proceeded to show my other son and husband his masterpiece, which prompted the making of a second snowman.

On the sixth day of Christmas my true loves made…..

Spontaneous Snowmen.

Want to make your own snowmen? You will need clear plastic ornament balls, permanent markers, ribbon and powdered snow.

Start by drawing a snowman face on the ornament with permanent markers. Remove the hanger, fill with powdered snow and reconnect the hanger. Tie ribbon to hang.

So easy a five year old could design and execute it on his own.

Christmas Crafts – Day 2

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At Halloween we took the kids to a local craft shop to make Halloween bowls. While we were there the kids saw posters for holiday mugs, and they decided that this “crafting thing” was going to be something that we did as a family. The question wasn’t can we make Christmas mugs, it was when are we going to make Christmas mugs. I can’t turn down a request to craft so I booked us into a family workshop on a Sunday afternoon much to the disappointment of my football loving husband.

My youngest got right into it, and attempted to make most of the mug on his own. He did however forget to sign his mug, which became an issue when it was time find it for glazing.  My oldest decided that he liked the frosty mug on the poster for another workshop better, so he made a snowman mug from the image on the poster. Huge bonus points to him for crafting out of the box without a demo.

On the first day of Christmas my true love made for me…an ornament wreath.

On the second day of Christmas my true loves made with me…mugs!

What to make mugs yourself? Check out local crafting shops, studios or art workshops. All the fun without the mess at home.