Tuesday, December 6, 2011

GIFTS TO BE TREASURED


Here are a few more gifts that children can make. 

Paper Beads
These paper beads would be great to put in a center to keep kids busy.  They could make the beads for a week and then string them for someone special.
You will need:  wrapping paper, comics from the newspaper, glue, pencil, string

Directions: Cut the paper into ¾” x 7” triangles.  Starting at the wide end, roll around a pencil.  Glue the end and slip off.  When dry, you can string the beads on yarn, ribbon, or fancy cord.

Picture Frame
A picture is a gift that won’t end up in the trash.  Children could draw themselves or you could take a photo of the child. 
Hint!  One teacher brought in dress-up clothes for the children to pose in and then printed the picture in sepia.
You will need:  cardboard, puzzle pieces, glue, photograph

Directions:  Cut cardboard into 4” x 8” picture frames.  Let children glue puzzle pieces around the edges.  Tape a photo to the back.

Decorate with buttons and say “Cute as a button!”

Popsicle Stick Frame
You will need:  craft sticks, craft glue, photograph, cardboard (cereal box)

Directions:  Lay two sticks together horizontally.  Place two sticks together vertically on top and glue in place.  Cut a photograph to fit in the frame.  Glue a piece of cardboard to the back.

Golden Shoe
This project takes a little work, but it will be an heirloom for sure!

You will need:  old shoes, gallon of school glue, old paint brush, gold spray paint

Directions:  Ask each child to bring in one old shoe.  (Tennis shoes, party shoes, ballet slippers – they all work.)   Pour the school glue in a disposable container, and then let them paint the glue all over their shoe.  (Inside, outside, all over!)  Dry for several days on wax paper.  Have children paint glue all over their shoe a second time.  Dry.  Spray paint gold or silver.

Adaptations:  Stick a sprig of holly in the shoe or add this poem: 
Here is my little shoe. 
I made it just for you. 
When I’m grown and tall,
                             you can remember me small