| Pipe Cleaner Candy Canes Fron Diane All you need is white pipe cleaners and red and white beads. Cut the pipe cleaner in half. Bend one end slightly so the beads don't fall off. Have the kids put on 3 white, then 3 red and so on . (They are working on sorting, patterns, and eye/hand coordination and think it's all just fun!) When almost to the top bend the pipe cleaner again slightly to hold the beads on, then bend to shape into a candy cane. The neighbors get something they can keep year after year and our tree always looks so cute full of those candy canes |
| Florida Snowman From Diane Take a 4 oz size baby food jar and clean it well. Then take some of some plastic craft items for a snowman (a hat, carrot nose, 4 small black beads (eyes, and buttons), stick arms, etc, and put all of them into the jar. Add water and glitter for color, put a ring of waterproof glue around the inside of the cap and on the outer side of the jar. Then put the 2 together and let them dry. Tip the jar over and call it the Florida Snowman. |
| Pin Reindeer/Light Bulb Crafts From Diane If you can find the old fashioned clothes pins you can paint them brown. Then get the little squiggly eyes and pipe cleaner and make them into reindeer. There is also one where you take the BIG Christmas light bulbs (the kind used on outdoor light strings) and put on squiggly eyes, and use pipe cleaner and make them into reindeer. My daughter's class took normal sized lightbulbs and painted the outside to look like snowmen, santas, penguins, etc. The large part goes on the bottom for the body of the character, and then you hang them on a tree |
| Puzzle Ornaments From Diane Purchase a cheap puzzle, the kind with the mini pieces. Have the kids paint the pieces red and green using craft paint. Let them dry, then glue them (overlapping) in the shape of a wreath. You can also glue a picture in the center. Another idea is to buy popsicle sticks (the kinds with the grooves on the edges). Have the kids paint them white. When the paint is dry, apply Elmer's glue and have the kids sprinkle with glitter. After they're dry, glue 3 sticks together in the centers, making a snowflake! |
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| Even MORE wonderful Christmas Crafts... |
| Santa's Boot Print from Diane One special thing I do for the kids - I have a stencil I made of a big boot out of card board and after presents are out and kids are in bed I took baking soda and glitter and made Santa's' boot print. Simple, but the kids are always amazed. I also added just a bit around the cookies and milk. A little magic dust left over from Santa |
| Pine Cone Decorations From Diane I have a great idea for the Christmas holidays. I take Pine cones spray paint them gold while still wet I dip them into glitter and take popsicle sticks and insert them and wait till dry and hang them on the tree. You can also use them on the wreath on the door and can take two cones and put ribbon at the top of each and use as a hanging ornament |
| Chanukah Handpring Manorah Safety guidelines recommend this art project is suitable for all ages of children, including those 3 years and younger. Whenever an art project is done with children ages 3 or younger, close adult supervision is required to ensure safety. Chanukah, the Feast of Lights, is celebrated with the lighting of one candle in a menorah each night for 8 nights. A tall candle, called the shamos, is used to light the smaller candles. 1. Spread newspaper over your work area. Pour Crayola� Washable Finger Paint into foam produce trays. 2. Dip both hands, with fingers slightly spread, into the paint. 3. In the middle of construction paper, line up your paint-covered hands side by side, with your thumbs touching. Gently and firmly press hands onto the paper. 4. Dip your index (pointer) finger in paint. Place your finger above your thumbprints to make the middle, highest candle, called a shamos. 5. Wash or wipe your hands thoroughly. Put a finger into yellow, white, and/or red paint. Press on top of each candle to create flames. "How clever. Our children sent menorahs to their grandparents." Rachel L., mom of two kids ages 4 and 7. "We 'lit' one candle each day. History took on new meaning, and we found out more about fire colors, too." Steve R., neighborhood center art volunteer. Chanukah, the Jewish Festival of Lights, celebrates a great military victory over the Greeks and the miracle of how the Holy Temple's menorah stayed lit for 8 days with very little oil. Menorahs originally were small, individual lamps placed outside homes to show the miracle of the holiday. Candles became more widespread when the tradition was moved indoors. |
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