Getting crafty with the kids

Fun crafts to do with your children this holiday season

Deck your walls with Christmas crafts!  Crafts are a fantastic way to bring families together, and make a little holiday cheer. Many kids cannot think beyond opening the presents the morning of the 25th.  However, there are so many other joyous memories to make during this time of year.

Start making some new holiday memories outside of decorating the tree, stringing some lights or watching “A Christmas Story” for the 97th time. When the big day passes, carefully store your creations away to enjoy and reminisce for years to come.

Here are some great ideas to get you and your family started.

Q-tip Snowflake Ornaments

Q-tips

Silver glitter

Glue

Scissors

Blue paper

Sparkly silver pipe cleaners

Start by cutting Q-tips into short and longer pieces. Put strips of glue on the paper in the shape of a snowflake and have the kids do the longer ones first. One tip I have is to have them actually touching in the middle. After those are laid down, put shorter strips of glue between them.

While the Q-tips are drying, take a glue bottle and line each Q-tip with glue again, sprinkling glitter on top. Once it is completely dry, cut the paper out around the snowflake. Bend a pipe cleaner and tape it in the back to hang it on the tree. Pictures don’t do justice; these ornaments twinkle so pretty in the light!

Homemade Cinnamon Ornaments

1 cup applesauce

1 1/4 cup ground cinnamon

1 tablespoon ground cloves (optional)

Heat the oven to 200 F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the applesauce, cinnamon and cloves (if using). It may take a few minutes for the mixture to come together. You want the dough to be able to form a ball without being too sticky. Add additional applesauce or cinnamon if needed. You can mix the dough by hand, it may just take longer.

Sprinkle a clean surface with cinnamon (like you would with flour while rolling out pie dough). Place the dough on the surface and sprinkle with more cinnamon. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough to 1/4 inch thick, sprinkling with more cinnamon to keep from sticking.

Cut out into desired shapes and place on the prepared sheet pan so that they aren’t touching. Use a skewer to poke a hole into each ornament (to attach string). Bake in the preheated oven for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until rock hard.

Loop a decorative string through the ornament and hang on your tree.

Notes: Ornaments may also be dried at room temperature over several days.

Ornaments are not extremely fragile, but they can break. Handle with care. Do not eat.

Bow Tie Noodle Wreath Craft

Mini bow tie pasta

Green paint

Paintbrush

Green glitter

White card stock

Red ribbon

Glue

Start by painting all of the little bow tie noodles with green paint, and shake with green glitter.

Once the noodles are completely dry, glue them into a circular wreath shape on a piece of white card stock. Using a red ribbon, tie a bow and glue it on the bottom of the wreath.

Let dry. Now you have your first Christmas card to send out to friends or family!