Christmas brings more possibilities for making things than perhaps any other time of year. Try the following ideas with the children in your care and channel their excitement into creative production as they count down to the big day.
Father Christmas table decoration
This model of Father Christmas is simple to make and deserves pride of place as the centrepiece of the dinner table.
You will need:
Cardboard tube; red crepe paper; red, black and brown card; pink tissue; newspaper; cotton wool; egg box; brown paint; oval of stiff card; glue; scissors; hole puncher
What to do
The body: glue a rectangle of red crepe paper around the cardboard tube.
Punch out some black card circles with the hole puncher and cut a thin strip of brown card. Make a belt and buttons with the strip of card glued around the middle of the tube.
The head: scrunch up newspaper to make a ball. Wrap a few layers of pink tissue around it and secure loose ends with sticky tape. Glue the head on the body, with two black circles for eyes and a cotton wool beard.
The hat: cut a circle of red card, about 8cm in diameter. Cut through to the centre of the circle and fold into a cone which is the right size for the head. Glue the join, add a cotton wool pompom to the hat and stick a ring of cotton wool around the base.
Attach Father Christmas to the oval card with a ring of cotton wool around the base. Paint an eggbox section brown to make a sack filled with sweets or chocolates.
Jelly bean Christmas trees
Colourful, cellophane-wrapped jelly beans make charming decorations for these little Christmas trees.
You will need:
Green paint; small pieces of sponge; green card; glitter pens; sequins; tinsel; jelly beans; clear cellophane; PVA glue
What to do
Cut out Christmas tree shapes from green card. Dab on green paint with sponge to give them a rough texture. Draw on garlands with glitter pens, and stick on sequin baubles and tinsel stars. Cut cellophane into small rectangles and roll around the jelly beans so the colours glow through like jewels. Twist the ends to make a traditional wrapped sweet and glue to the Christmas tree. Stick your tree on to folded card for greetings, or glue two trees back to back and hang on a ribbon for a decoration.
Starry wrapping paper and tags
Spraying gold paint on white tissue is simple to do, and the results are stunning.
You will need:
Card cut into different sized star shapes; Blu-Tack; white tissue paper; white card; nail brush; gold paint; blunt knife; newspaper; large cardboard box
What to do
Make stencils by sticking the cut-out card stars on the tissue paper with Blu-Tack, with all the star points firmly attached to the paper. Put the box on its side and place the stencil covered tissue paper inside, with a few layers of newspaper underneath (work inside the box to protect surroundings from paint). Dip the nail brush in a saucer of gold paint and run the knife towards you across the bristles so the paint splatters across the paper. Repeat until you have sprayed a good layer of paint on the tissue. When dry, peel off the stars. Make matching gift tags the same way on small squares of card.
Jewelled photo frame
Turn a favourite photograph into a beautiful, handmade Christmas gift.
You will need:
Stiff corrugated cardboard; pencil; craft knife (from any good stationer or craft shop); metal ruler; chopping board; photograph; Plasticene; white PVA glue; beads, small polished crystals, sequins, glitter pens What to do
Draw two identical rectangles on the card, each measuring at least 3cm longer and 3cm wider than the photograph. Using the craft knife, metal ruler and board, cut out the rectangles (grownups only). Measure and cut one of the rectangles to make a frame that fits the photograph. Roll out several strips of Plasticene and glue to the frame, ensuring that the frame is completely covered and the Plasticene is thick enough to 'hold' the beads. Press beads, sequins and crystals into the Plasticene in a pattern.
Use a glitter pen to fill in any spaces and make a border around the inner and outer edges of the frame. Leave until the glitter is hard, then glue the photograph to the first rectangle and stick the jewelled frame on top.
Create a stand by cutting out a right-angled triangle, making a fold of about 2cm along the longer, upright side and sticking the folded edge to the back of the picture.
Personalise the gift by choosing a photograph that the recipient will appreciate - a picture of the whole family for grandparents, or a pet for a sibling, perhaps.
Safety note
Do not allow the child to help with cutting out the frame, and keep the craft knife well out of the child's reach at all times.
