Ahh - why did I leave Xmas craft so late?

[hectors house]

I know I should have started Christmas craft in November but just couldn't bring myself to - today I had so much planned but the mindee who only comes one day a week is ill and so is another one who only comes twice a week, I text the mum to say see you Friday what time are you collecting her for the pre-school nativity and the mum replied that she has booked whole day off so mindee not coming at all this week either.

It's going to turn into a production line here next Monday - child A put your hand and foot in this colour paint, child B stick this together and sprinkle so glitter on it, child A write your name in this card for mummy, child B quickly cut out some cookies - and we have toddler Xmas party most of the morning!

[Stapleton83]

That was me last year and why I started early this year, you have my sympathy

Sam x

[loocyloo]

same here! I just couldn't get motivated to do Christmas craft before December plus, I have siblings who come 3 days a week and would have exhausted my activities by now!

however - 2 of my one day a weekers were off last week and another was not interested at all :rolleyes:, so this week, despite having loads of Christmas activities we are going to, I have to keep the production line going of craft and trying to remember who has done what! I've spent the last half hour getting a box for each child, and putting into it, all the different craft bits I NEED them to do, and then have another box for extra bits if we have time !!! logistical nightmare! :laughing:

[hectors house]

same here! I just couldn't get motivated to do Christmas craft before December plus, I have siblings who come 3 days a week and would have exhausted my activities by now!

however - 2 of my one day a weekers were off last week and another was not interested at all :rolleyes:, so this week, despite having loads of Christmas activities we are going to, I have to keep the production line going of craft and trying to remember who has done what! I've spent the last half hour getting a box for each child, and putting into it, all the different craft bits I NEED them to do, and then have another box for extra bits if we have time !!! logistical nightmare! :laughing:

One parent of sick child has suggested I just send home the craft bits for them to do DIY craft at home - if only it was that simple, the rough idea is in my head and until we start it I don't always know how it will end up!

[doris127]

I know how you feel! I started in November as I never get through all I plan! All mine are part time and it's trying to remember who has done what! I'm a nightmare for seeing things on Pinterest, thinking "Wow" and then ordering some required element from ebay - then when said component arrives I have no idea what it was for.:blush: My utility room has disappeared under piles of craft supplies - far more activities than I could possibly complete. They then get stowed in my Christmas craft boxes for next year. And every year I see something else to try and it all gets added to the boxes. I need to force myself into an amnesty and only use what I have instead of buying anything else! Maybe next year........

[sing-low]

Is it just me who is _only_ doing a footprint card and nothing else?

[loocyloo]

I know how you feel! I started in November as I never get through all I plan! All mine are part time and it's trying to remember who has done what! I'm a nightmare for seeing things on Pinterest, thinking "Wow" and then ordering some required element from ebay - then when said component arrives I have no idea what it was for.:blush: My utility room has disappeared under piles of craft supplies - far more activities than I could possibly complete. They then get stowed in my Christmas craft boxes for next year. And every year I see something else to try and it all gets added to the boxes. I need to force myself into an amnesty and only use what I have instead of buying anything else! Maybe next year........

I finish work on Friday 20th December. on the sat I am going to clear up/tidy away the playroom as it will be used as a storage room :laughing: and then I am going to empty the 3 :blush: plastic boxes of Christmas stuff ( plus 2 big boxes of treasure box/discovery tray/hats/parcels/christmas books & puzzles ) and work out what I have got! then I am going to bag it all up into 'kits' and write a list of what/how many I've got and so, in theory next year, I will know what I am doing! on the other hand, DD has already said that next year, she wants a stall at the Christmas market selling childrens craft kits ( of the stuff you get from baker ross etc ) so maybe we'll bag it up for that!

[AliceK]

Is it just me who is _only_ doing a footprint card and nothing else?

No, not just you.
All mine are part-timers and they are only doing a handprint / photo calendar thing and if we get time we will make some biscuits. That's it.

xxxxx

[Rickers83]

I know how you feel! I started in November as I never get through all I plan! All mine are part time and it's trying to remember who has done what! ....

haha, I have 6 different children at different times during the week, my dd ends up doing the same thing about 3 times while I'm making sure they've all done the same thing.
They all cross over at some point so I know one of them would drop me in it if they had done something one of the others hadn't! 😉

[yummyripples]

Awwww.i don't start xmas craft until December. If they are not in they can't do them.
I spend week one on craft, week two on activities and week three baking.
We have done cards, the mistletoe picture and handprint baubles.
This week we have 3 xmas parties but the afternoons will be spent with snowdough and gingerbread play dough, wrapping anything that may take our fancy aka making a mess with paper and sellotape and a wreath walk. Next week we are making gingerbread men, chocolate truffles and peppermint creams.
There isn't enough time to fit everything in but I won't start too soon!

[kellyskidz!]

Lol at the production line!! Been there my friend!
I'm the opposite to be honest, we started our Xmas crafts in November and now they're done, I'm feeling Christmassy and there's nothing to do!
Done cards, wreaths, tree decs, calendars and will do biscuits the week before Xmas. Next year I will pace myself xx

[Mouse]

I cheat!

When children are painting or colouring at any time throughout the year and do lots of sheets of random colourings I write their name on the back of the paper & keep it.
If I need a quick creation for them to take home I use one of those sheets.

Eg. I have a lo who only comes one day a week for a couple of hours & I was told last week that he wouldn't be here again before Christmas. I found a sheet of green painting that he'd done at some time, so I cut a tree out of it, mounted in on a piece of card & got him to put some glitter & sparkly shapes on it.

Ta da...a quick & easy picture for him to take home, made in record time :D

[samb]

I must say if mine aren't in they don't do it. I have all part timers who range from 3hrs once a week up to 4 full days. Most of mine are under 2 or schoolies who are barely here so I have 1 thing planned that I'd like them all to do by Xmas hols for their parents but the rest is just an if they're in they can do it- I tried to make sure everyone had a chance to do it all last year and I must say it got a bit mad with the whole production line scenario!

[hectors house]

I cheat!

When children are painting or colouring at any time throughout the year and do lots of sheets of random colourings I write their name on the back of the paper & keep it.
If I need a quick creation for them to take home I use one of those sheets.

Eg. I have a lo who only comes one day a week for a couple of hours & I was told last week that he wouldn't be here again before Christmas. I found a sheet of green painting that he'd done at some time, so I cut a tree out of it, mounted in on a piece of card & got him to put some glitter & sparkly shapes on it.

Ta da...a quick & easy picture for him to take home, made in record time :D

When I said to one of the mums who was here today that I needed the poorly mindee to be here to just do a couple of handprints, she said "i've got a small hand, I'll do it", I said I can't do that, the mindee is 4 he will tell his parents he had nothing to do with the handprint snowman and he has never seen it before in his life! Whereas this idea may have worked for a non communication mindee :D

[clareelizabeth1]

Is it just me who is _only_ doing a footprint card and nothing else?

No I always find we spend so much time playing games the planed crafts dont always happen or it turns into a free for all innthe craft corner

[Bluebell]

ha ha so funny - each year I leave it too late but I only do a hand print card and a photo stuck on a christmassy shape and 'glittered' by child as a christmas tree dec.

This year I've upped my game to include a snowman colouring in sheet!!

I've started this week so am more organised this year. I took photos today but realised I ought to take photos of the children in the rest of the week so will print all together ready for next week. Hope no-ones ill next week but many only come for a few hours and also attend pre-schools so will have stuff from there.

This year I'm not doing handprints I am doing christmas trees stuck on a card - green paper cut out in a triangle. older children can cut themselves, they choose either 3 small triangles or 1 large triangle, then they stick on circles (baubles) which I have done in some nice colours and some shiny colours and a shiny gold star for the top. I've used a lollipop stick as the treetrunk.
This is far easier and less messy than the handprint ones and are really lovely because I have just let the kids get on with it rather than having to say 'out this here or put that there' which is what I don't like about christmas crafts - that it has to look like something which isn't necessarily what the child would produce iyswim and christmas is the only time i do it which i think is why i put it off for as long as possible!

[loocyloo]

ha ha so funny - each year I leave it too late but I only do a hand print card and a photo stuck on a christmassy shape and 'glittered' by child as a christmas tree dec.

This year I've upped my game to include a snowman colouring in sheet!!

I've started this week so am more organised this year. I took photos today but realised I ought to take photos of the children in the rest of the week so will print all together ready for next week. Hope no-ones ill next week but many only come for a few hours and also attend pre-schools so will have stuff from there.

This year I'm not doing handprints I am doing christmas trees stuck on a card - green paper cut out in a triangle. older children can cut themselves, they choose either 3 small triangles or 1 large triangle, then they stick on circles (baubles) which I have done in some nice colours and some shiny colours and a shiny gold star for the top. I've used a lollipop stick as the treetrunk.
This is far easier and less messy than the handprint ones and are really lovely because I have just let the kids get on with it rather than having to say 'out this here or put that there' which is what I don't like about christmas crafts - that it has to look like something which isn't necessarily what the child would produce iyswim and christmas is the only time i do it which i think is why i put it off for as long as possible!

:D 90% of my Christmas craft is still totally done by the children and I don't tell them what to put where ... so I've had very odd looking Father Christmas's in the past, and all shape and size Christmas trees! we were making cards last week and I have a book of stickers; one of the pages had 'merry christmas' as separate letters ( but altogether ) ... I gave my 2 4 yr olds the letters to put Merry Christmas on their card ... one stuck the letters on as he took them off in order and stick them in a long line across the top and down the side. the other LO took off letters at random and stuck them in a line down the side and then made patterns with the rest :D looks great, and i'm sure mum will work out what it says!

[SYLVIA]

I have a pre made example of each thing I have found to make. I pick a couple of easy/quick ones for the younger ones and anyone else can pick and choose the ones they want to do. I have all the bits ready for them to get out and what they make goes home on their last day. Some have lots, others hardly anything. I do have a card made that they all complete and that's the only thing I make sure they do. Pre-schoolers do a lot anyway so I feel for the parents if they get heaps from us all.

[nikki thomson]

Is it just me who is _only_ doing a footprint card and nothing else?
I have done a handprint reindeer card and a canvas out of handprints to look like a Xmas tree and then lo has decorated it, that's it, I'm not arty or crafty, spent 1 morning doing them and that's it.
I like it when mine use to do Xmas stuff but honestly they use to bring a massive box back from playgroup and most stayed in the box until newyear and then went in the bin, I'd rather do a quality piece like the canvas that I know will take pride if place in Los kitchen. X

[mama2three]

But what exactly are the children getting out of the whole thing?
The purpose of the crafts etc is for the children to practice all the relevant skills whilst having fun and giving me an opportunity to discuss the whole link to christmas etc. Production lines simply don't do anything for the child - and I wouldn't be afraid to tell parents this if they questioned why their little prodigy wasn't bringing home reams of masterpieces.
Of course we do cards and crafts , but inline with the childrens desire and abilities , it doesn't take over.

[Maza]

I'm just not fussed, if they are here they are here and do the activities, if not then they're not! I have a stash of handprint cards which my daughter has made over the years in the various playgroups she has attended. I prefer the ones she has done purely by herself as they tell me so much more about her development and what is going on in her crazy, sweet head at the time.

[SJ35]

No, not just you. All mine are part-timers and they are only doing a handprint / photo calendar thing and if we get time we will make some biscuits. That's it. xxxxx
Same here. All but one of mine are under 18 months , one hates messy play so not going to stress about doing loads of Christmas crafts just for the sake of it x

[Maza]

Same here. All but one of mine are under 18 months , one hates messy play so not going to stress about doing loads of Christmas crafts just for the sake of it x


I know how you feel. My DD hates getting messy and yet she did a footprint and handprint Rudolf card at nursery last year. Hope it didn't make her too miserable. I also have images of the poor nursery nurse cutting out zillions of handprints and footprints during the time she could have been spending teaching and nurturing the children.

[Ripeberry]

But what exactly are the children getting out of the whole thing?
The purpose of the crafts etc is for the children to practice all the relevant skills whilst having fun and giving me an opportunity to discuss the whole link to christmas etc. Production lines simply don't do anything for the child - and I wouldn't be afraid to tell parents this if they questioned why their little prodigy wasn't bringing home reams of masterpieces.
Of course we do cards and crafts , but inline with the childrens desire and abilities , it doesn't take over.
Very true! I think sometimes we can go over the top with crafts. My mindees are 14 months, 23 months, 3 yrs old and 5 yrs old and out of all of them only the 3 yr old loves doing craft. So I'm not going to 'force' the others to make something if they don't want to.

[littleguy1]

We've been crafting away since the 1st lol! It's my first year with a house full of children as the past 2 years I have had no kids about for 1 reason or another so we are rather excited!!

[lorettacritchet]

Oh my Christmas crafts in November? I have only planned two weeks worth of Christmas crafts this year! Am I doing something wrong? lol

[Chatterbox Childcare]

We have been covering christmas since October! Our tree decoration started out with pop sticks as a triangle when we were covering shapes and then in November when we were doing green we painted them and then when the little ones wanted to, we decorated them.

It is all about their learning as others have said and not "because it is Christmas". My calendars are for the parents as a keepsake but the children have loved getting messy by painting their hands and then water play when cleaning them.

Today we made salt dough which turned into handprints and mine thought the glitter was fab and the bits left over were played with as play dough all day :)