ideas for young children at christmas

[Sarpix]

Hi,

I saw that many of you are looking for christmas activity ideas with babiea. I worked with babies for 10 years before going into childminding so thought I would share some ideas.

Handprint reef
Do lots of green handprints, cut them out and stick around a cut out circle with a hole through the middle. Use the babies finger to print red berry finger prints and sprinkle red glitter on. Use a white footprint stuck upside down at the bottom of the inside of the reef as a candle and either do more finger prints or stick on your own flame.

Santa cards
Colour the fingers on the babies hand white and the palm of the hand light pink/beige print and then turn up side down to show santa's face and beard. Use finger prints for the eyes, nose etc

Handprint christmas tree
Either use just one upside down green handprint or cut out a few to make a big tree. I once made a big advent calandar by making a tree out of handprints, getting the children to finger paint the baubles and using the baubles as the windows.

You could laminate the handprinted christmas tree and make into a magnet or christmas tree decoration.

Snow picture
Use white finger paints on black paper, sprinkle with glitter.

Robins
Use a brown sideward handprint to creat a robin. Use finger print for eye and beak.

Crackers
Use a footprint as the middle of the cracker and a handprint either side for the ends. Decorate with finger painting and glitter.

Hope these help. I'm sure there are more but can't think at the mo. Will let you know if I do.

Sarah xxx

[sarah707]

Those are lovely Sarah, thank you for sharing!

[Spangles]

They are all really lovely ideas, thank you.

I may do the snow painting on black paper tomorrow - sounds especially easy!

x

[miffy]

Some lovely ideas there - thank you

Miffy xx

[marion123]

for my little mindees who is 10 months old i got some card and typed this on to it

Sometimes you get discouraged
Because I am so small
And always leave my fingerprints
On furniture and walls.

But every day I'm growing -
I'll be grown some day
And all those tiny handprints
Will surely fade away.

So here's a little handprint
Just so you can recall
Exactly how my fingers looked
When I was very small.

then i painted his hands and then laminated it, its a xmas present for him to give to mum x

[tomthumb]

Thank you very much for sharing your ideas!
I have actually started doing the xmas tree with hands of all my mindees and it looks lovely. I am going to put the children's pictures cut and stuck on round gold card to make baubbles.

Elodie X

[donnahay0]

Thank you for those ideas - we actually made a start on xmas stuff today but these will come in really handy.

[breezy]

lovely ideas thank you for sharing

[angeldelight]

Thank you for the ideas

Angel xx

[sparkibobs]

Great ideas, will probably use most of these, thanks x

[butterfly]

ive done messy play with instant snow this week with my babies which ws very popular! don't let them eat it though!

[ChocolateChip]

Great ideas, thanks very much!

[Mollymop]

Thanks Sarah and Marion for the wonderful ideas!!!

[tomthumb]

I've done the xmas cracker with gold and silver paint and glitter and it is very effective. It looks lovely. Thanks again for the idea

Elodie X

[lauredt]

Lots of great activities there, but what can I do with the 12 months old who cannot stand having his hands dirty? hand painting is definitely out of the question... Any suggestions welcome!

[Sarpix]

I'm so pleased the ideas were helpful. Mmmm a child of 12 months who doesn't like getting their hands dirty...Thats a tricky one!!! Maybe take a nice photo of them with a christmas hat on and tinsel wrapped round them...thats what I did in the middle of my reef!!! xxx

[lauredt]

Yes, I was thinking along the lines of cutting his picture and playing about with it, maybe sticking it on a cardboard angel for the top of the tree; I have also seen those MYO baubles where you can slide a picture or a drawing, I think it was in the Yellow Moon catalogue. I'll keep looking. Otherwise, it will be picture on a Xmas card, not very original but I fear I can't do original this year, my days just don't seem to have as many hours as they used to... I must be getting old.

[Sarpix]

Ah bless ya,

I'm sure whatever you do the parents will love. Theres no point doing messy art if the child won't like it. Parents love photo's of their babies anyway...Good luck hun xxx