Toddler Approved Christmas Crafts

 

It's been so fun being able to really start doing some art projects with Christian! I like to think that he has been enjoying it as well! 

After sharing my favorite Toddler Approved Fall Crafts and getting so much interest, I thought I would go ahead and share some of our Favorite Toddler Approved Christmas Crafts too! 

{Winter craft post to come soon!}

1. Beaded Candy Cane 

I shared about this craft in the Day in My Life Post

Basically you put a little stub or twist the pipe cleaner at the end to keep the beads on. Then let you little one go to town threading the beads onto the pipe cleaner. This was a little tricky for Christian at 18 months, but with a little help he could do it. I did have to make sure he didn't eat the beads (and I had to help him with the pattern). Again, twist the end and bend into a candy cane shape. 

2. Pom Pom Painted Christmas Tree

Using clothespins, "pinch" pom poms and let your little one use this as their "paint brush" dipping and dotting on their pre-cut (probably by you!) Christmas tree. Let them dip and dot until their hearts content! Christian needed some modeling to be able to do this, but his friend Jackson (almost 3) caught on much quicker, but still liked to paint like it was a brush. Whatever works! That's what is great about this project! You could even let your little one shake on some glitter or glue actual pom poms to the tree. Christian isn't too into gluing yet, so we stuck with just the paint. 

3. Painted Paper Plate Christmas Bulb

This craft stemmed from the Pom Pom Christmas Tree. I used the paper plates for the kids to put their pain on to dip into. After awhile Christian started painting the plate too. So I let him go at it and added some extra paint for him to smear around. Then I just added a little square of construction paper and taped on a twisty tie for the hook and it was a Christmas bulb! 

4. Hand Print and Foot Print Nativity Scene

This was honestly more of a "mom project" as I had to paint his feet and hands and do the prints and add the Bible verse and draw in the faces etc. But it's crazy to see how much his hands and feet have grown since the last project we did! And I think Christian enjoyed the tickles of getting painted! 

To see more of the fun crafts we will be trying be sure to follow me on Pinterest...specifically my Christmas and Winter Boards. 

What are some of your favorite crafts to do with your little one this Christmas season? 

Toddler Approved Fall Crafts

I love to craft. And because mama loves crafts, Christian will love crafts. 

Luckily, so far he has been a fan! 

Crafting with Christian has gotten to be more fun, though. 

Crafting used to be mama taking attempting to take Christian's footprints and hand prints. Seriously. How is a mama supposed to get a good hand print by the way!?! If you figure it out, be sure to let me know! 

Now, as Christian is getting older (almost 18 months!!!) he is getting the hang of using a marker and actually doing some controlled scribbling, and also able to maneuver a paint brush across paper pretty well.

So that means we can do some legit projects now! 

Here are my top favorites from this fall {Side note...can you really call November "Fall" if there is already snow on the ground??? I'm feeling conflicted...}

This one is SUPER simple! 

1. Let your little one scribble ALL over a coffee filter. The more scribbly, the better! This is the perfect craft for toddlers. Seriously. The way the "color" is the BEST for making a colorful turkey! 

2. Once they are satisfied with their coloring, let me give their filter about 2 spritzes from a spray bottle. **You will want to be prepared with someplace for this to hang to dry. If you set it on a paper towel all the color will absorb onto the paper towel. Also, too many squirts and the color will all run off**

3. Cut out a turkey body from construction paper. Mama, this will be your job. Or Dad's! Or some adult :) Add the eyes, nose, and gobble too of course! 

4. Once the coffee filter has had time to dry, glue it onto another piece of construction paper. Depending on your child's age, they might be able to do this themselves. Christian isn't quite into gluing yet, so I did this part for him. Then glue on the body and you have yourself a little turkey! 

{Original idea found here.}

Another perfect project for a toddler! 

I actually started this project with a rectangular piece of construction paper. I gave the whole thing to Christian with a few drops of orange paint and let him go to town with his paint brush. When he was done painting {you can see he over painted one spot and put a hole through the paper!} I let it dry and then I cut out a "pumpkin" shape in the area of the paper that had the most paint. You of course could give the cut out shape from the start, but I waited so that I could get the most painted part on the pumpkin. Add a construction paper stem and you are good to go! 

This last project didn't quite go as planned, but I still love how it turned out! 

I found this fun idea on pinterest for wine cork painting and was excited when we finally had some wine with a cork so we could give the project a try! However, Christian wasn't super into the "stamping" with the wine cork. He much preferred to just use a paintbrush, but that worked well too! 

1. Cut out a "trunk" shape or trace child's hand and arm onto brown construction paper and cut out and glue onto another piece of construction paper. 

2. Dip wine cork into various colors of paint (we used yellow, red, and orange). 

3. "Stamp" wine cork onto paper for the "leaves" of the tree. **Even though Christian wasn't into the stamping part, I stamped a few colors for him and then let him use his paint brush to smear the colors around. I think it turned out great this way as well! 

What have been your favorite fall crafts? Have some fun winter and Christmas crafts planned? Please share!! 

Happy Crafting! 

P.S. For more fun craft ideas, be sure you are following me on Pinterest and check out my "Fall" board! 

Thanksgiving Crafts for Your Little Ones! Guest Post at Top Notch Mom...

Hello Friends! WOW! It's been a week since I've blogged! I've missed you...yet I haven't! Sorry!

Being a mommy is a full time job. I don't know why I let myself believe otherwise. Playing with and caring for Christian takes up all of my time and even when he naps I have a house to take care of and meals to make.

With that said, I'm working to find better balance as a mommy. It's hard right!??!

But being a mommy is also oh so FUN!

I've had the privilege of being on the side bar over at Top Notch Mom this month! And today I'm sharing a fun Thanksgiving craft to make with your little one!

If you don't already follow Top Notch Mom, you NEED to check her out! Seriously. She has me wanting to bake and cook all.day.long! She has some of the BEST recipes! Now...about that balance and finding time to try them....

Anyway... 

One of the super fun parts of having a little one is getting to experience holidays and seasons together! From Apple Orchards to Pumpkin Patches, pumpkin carving and Trick or Treating, its all just so much more fun and exciting! 

Christian has gotten to celebrate the 4th of July and Halloween and now will soon be celebrating Thanksgiving! 

Even though he is still pretty little and not able to do much, I still love making seasonal crafts with him. With Thanksgiving right around the corner, we of course had to do something! 

Have you seen all of the fun Thanksgiving things on Pinterest? 

Here are some of my favorites! 

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Using all of the above for inspiration, Christian and I set to work! 

Check out my post over at Top Notch Mom to see what we created! 

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!