Gifts Kids can make
Coaster
Use Aleen's Napkin applique to cut out holiday napkins and afix them to the top of a piece of ceramic tile. Preferably a white tile. Once finished, seal with spray laquer. Afix felt to the bottom to avoid scratching furniture... done.
Assorted Ideas Sweatshirts for the parents
Paint little children on them and then the kids either walked on the shirts with their feet or spread their
dirty hand prints on the shirts. They came out adorable, they did their feet and hand prints in paint on the shirts. Then I either wrote their names or had cute little diddi's like.....on a footprint sweatshirt write...."Susie walks all over daddy"
Paperweights with the colored salts and snow globes, all made out of baby food jars.
Picture frames
Using puzzle pieces around the frame with cute little trinkets glued on top of the puzzle pieces, then I order from Gold Medal Flour the ABC cookbooks, so each family will get one of these to use with their little ones. And again, we will be making ornaments.
Impression of the child's feet and hand
Use homemade clay (the kind you cook on the stove). Then melt scented candles and pour into the impressions. When the wax dries scratch their name and the year into the flat surface. They'll love it. Try green with eucalyptus.
Decorated Christmas Plates
What you'll need:
One clear glass plate
Mod Podge (available in craft stores -- like a glue, if you're not familiar with it)
Markers, paper
optional -- inexpensive plate "stand"
Directions:
*Trace the outline of the glass plate on a piece of plain paper.
*Have children "go to town" - draw and color as colorfully as they can and try to fill as much of the "circle" as possible.
*After they are done, cut out the circle.
*Have the kids apply Mod Podge to the BACK of the plate as thoroughly as possible.
*Help the kids smooth out their picture on the BACK of the plate and press out any wrinkles etc.
*When dry, it will look fantastic.. and you can include the "plate stand" so that parents can proudly show off their child's creation.
*** Just a note --you can add a bit more... I had some great "in action" type pics of the children.. I took them to a copy store and had them color copied, then cut out around the outline of the child ( so looked like the child was running etc. -- also added a text line --- "Sean, 1997" for example.. I glued these on first, before the child put on their own artwork.
Don't forget to seal the back of the pic with Mod Podge also...
CHRISTMAS HANDPRINT WREATH:
Materials needed:
Pencil
White & red construction paper
Green & red paint
Paintbrush
Photo of child
Scissors
Glue
Clear contact paper (or you can get it laminated)
First lightly draw a 6" diameter circle onto the white const paper.(I use a compass to get a "perfect" circle. You can also trace a plastic tupperware lid or something similar.) Paint child's hand green. Have child make several handprints in the shape of a circle, following the circle pattern on the paper. You will need to re-paint his hand a few times to ensure each handprint is good and solid. Wash child's hand. Have child dip his 3 middle fingertips into red paint and press on to wreath a few times to represent holly berries. Cut out the shape of the wreath and also cut out the center. Place photo in the center and glue to back of wreath so the face shows through the front. Cut a bow shape out of red const paper. Write child's name and date on bow. Glue to bottom of wreath. Cover with clear contact paper or laminate.
Candle
Take a baby food jar. Tear different colored pieces of tissue. paper. Cover the jar using a paintbrush with glue diluted slightly with water and attach the pieces of tissue paper. Throw a few sprinkles of gold or silver sparkles.
Add ribbon around the top and place small votive candle in jar. Before making test candle size with baby food jar, as not all jars are the same so the candle sometimes will not fit.
Christmas wreaths
You take a large embroidery hoop (on sale 3/$1.00)
Stetch muslin, or any cloth that is cream to white colored across.
Using green fabric paint, have the children put handprints into a circle around the hoop on the fabric with their fingers pointing outwards always.
Allow to dry.
Using red fabric paint, let the kids dip a fingertip into the paint, and dot on the "berries" around the green wreath.
For a finishing touch, (although it isn't necessary I think it looks special) hot glue lace all around the edge of the hoop. I used the back of the hoop to apply the lace giving it a 3-dimensional effect.
Reindeer Gift Bags
Open a brown lunch bag and attach a red pompom nose near its base. Glue in place eyes made of black and white construction paper scrapes. Trace both hands on Brown construction paper and cut out the resulting antler shapes.
Approximately 2" from the top, attach one antler to the pleat at each side of the bag. Fill the bag as desired; then fold down and staple the top in place or for a festive finish, fold down the bag top and punch 2 holes near the
center of the folded portion. Thread the ends of a curling ribbon length through the holes and through a jingle bell; then tie and curl ribbon ends.

Fragrant Soap Balls
Have children make homemade soap balls to give as a holiday gift or just as a middle of the year surprise to someone special in their lives.
Use water to moisten Ivory Snow Flakes to the consistency of a very stiff dough. Divide the dough into several bowls. Add a different perfume and food coloring to each bowl for variety.
Have children shape large spoonfulls of the soap into balls. Have them make about three balls each. Place the balls on trays (labeled with their modeler's name!) to harden for several days.
Have each child wrap their three saop balls in colored cellophane paper and tie the package with a pretty ribbon.

Hands and feet reindeer
Trace the child's foot an brown construction paper (brown grocery bags also work great) Trace both hands on a different shade of brown paper. Cut out (older children can probably use a safety scissors and do much of this part-
especially the foot, but younger children will need you to cut out most peices) The foot tracing becomes the reindeer's face, the hand tracings are attached at the top for antlers. color or paste on facial features of your reindeer. Do this one every year with our children, tuck the reindeer away in their baby books and have a great seasonal record of their growth, make extras for Grandparents and Godparents.
To make reindeer, we trace the child's foot (with shoes on) and have them cut it out and glue it to a piece of paper. We then trace their hands, with fingers splayed, and cut them out, too. We then glue the hands to the top of the foot (head), add eyes and a red nose. We have on occasion had the children all glue their heads to one long piece of white paper and made a whole herd for a bulletin board. You can draw bodies on them, too.


Gifts from Providers to dcp's

Video Tapes of their kiddos
In the beginning of the year you could video tape *A Year in the Life of Daycare* About once a week or so video the dck's doing something... projects, storytime, free play, outdoors... Hopefully you can have approx 30-60 mins of *Daycare Delights* to give to each family for Christmas... End the tape with naptime.....shhhhh!
Free Daycare
Every year I "give" my day care parents an Evening or Saturday afternoon of child care (my choice of times). I suggested they use the time for Christmas shopping, wrapping or relaxing at no charge to the parents!! All used it and really seemed to enjoy it! This is what I do for the parents and for the kids as we have our annual Christmas Party at the same time!
Scrapbooks
Now scrapbooks are the "in" thing. I have never done one but think the kits are self explanatory.
Simple gift idea
Get a whisk at a dollar store. Take a reg. size wire whisk, and poke candy kisses into it until its full. Then cover the outside with iridescent cellophane. Tie with a ribbon, and add a small gift tag that says,
" We WHISK you a merryKISSMAS!!!"


Gifts for the Provider
Christmas Exchange and Information:
(suggested wording)
As of now, I would like to plan our annual Christmas party and gift exchange for Wednesday December 22th at 1:00pm. Parents are welcome to attend this party and celebrate the holidays with us. Over the past years, many of my daycare families have given me some very wonderful gifts. This year, I would like to suggest that instead of purchasing something for me, please pick out something you think your child would appreciate having at daycare such as a new toy, arts and crafts supplies, books, puzzles, etc. By doing this, you are not only giving me a gift, you are giving the daycare and your child a gift as well.


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