Christmas Gift Crafts for Infants, Toddlers and Preschoolers

It did not occur to my husband that my infant son should give me a Christmas present. After growing this child for nine months, spending two days in labor and giving birth to a massively large headed baby I was expecting a little something. Dads of the world, it is your job to ensure that the kids have a Christmas gift for their mom.

Here are three easy Christmas craft ideas that you and your infant, toddler and preschooler can make for the amazing woman named mom.

#1 Easy Christmas Gift Craft Idea for Infants - Baby Butt Art

Things you will need:

1. Tarp

2. Large piece of poster board

3. Non-Toxic Acrylic Paint

4. Time alone with the baby

5. Soap

Step #1 - Lay the tarp down. Mom will not be happy if her homemade Christmas gift craft comes with stains on the floor.

Step #2 - Put the poster board on top of the tarp. Chunky babies might want to consider using foam board.

Step #3 - Get the baby naked.

Step #4 - Squirt some of the acrylic paint onto your canvas. You can be festive with red and green or more artistic with a blend of colors. Remember, if you mix too many colors together you will just get brown and that is never a good choice for Butt Art.

Step #5 - Plop your baby's bottom down onto the poster board and slide them around. Use your creativity. Add more colors and try different techniques like tapping the baby onto the canvas. This Christmas craft should be fun for your child. You can dip them, spin them, roll them but do not contort them just for the sake of art.

Step #6 - Wash the baby and the tub. You may even have to wash yourself. Acrylic paint will come off with soap and water.

Step #7 - Let the Christmas craft masterpiece dry. You can give the Christmas gift craft as-is or take it to an art store to be framed. Either way I am sure that mom will be amazed that you put so much thought and effort into making this special Christmas gift with your infant.

#2 Easy Christmas Gift Craft Idea for Toddlers - Mixed Media Shadow Box Art

Things you will need:

1. Tarp

2. Shadow box or a painted shoe box

3. Variety of paper

4. Non-Toxic glue

5. Safe items found around the home with varying colors, textures, and purposes

6. Time alone with the toddler

7. Soap

Step #1 - Lay the tarp down. Mom will not like it if her homemade Christmas gift comes with stains on the floor. I cannot stress this enough!

Step #2 - Gather a variety of items from your house. This treasure hunt for you and your toddler is to find items of different colors, textures, and purposes. Be creative and do not worry about having to use everything. Put all of the found items in a pile on the tarp. Warning, do not use any of mom's jewelry.

Step #3 - Cut the variety of paper into different shapes. Have your toddler name the shapes as you cut them. Put the paper cuttings in a pile. Let your toddler rip paper into pieces and add those to the pile of paper.

Step #4 - Plop your toddler in the middle of the tarp and give them the glue. Do not give them a glue stick. Glue sticks can be hard for toddlers to handle. Good old Elmer's glue dries clear and can add depth to the artwork.

Step #5 - Put the shadow box in front of your toddler and let them go crazy. Do not correct or help them unless they ask for help. If they do ask for help with their Christmas craft give them the minimum possible. Mom will be able to tell if her toddler made the gift or if dad managed the project. It will mean so much more if this Christmas craft was made especially for mom by her toddler.

Step #6 - Clean the toddler. Use the soap.

Step #7 - Let the shadow box dry. If you used a painted shoe box you will need to put a hanging fixture on it.

#3 Easy Christmas Gift Craft Idea for Preschoolers - Christmas Craft Book

Things you will need:

1. Tarp

2. Several pieces of printer paper

3. Stapler and staples

4. Coloring items such as crayons and colored pencils

5. Time alone with the preschooler

6. Soap

Step #1 - Lay the tarp down on a table.

Step #2 - This step is based on your laziness level. You can talk to your preschooler and come up with a story for the Christmas craft book. They can illustrate and maybe even write a little bit of it. You can write the rest of the story. If you choose to perform this step let your preschooler come up with the story no matter how illogical it is to you.

Step #3 - Plop your preschooler in front of the table and let them decorate every piece of paper.

Step #4 - When they are finished decorating their Christmas craft book pages have them stack the paper in a pile. Only help them if they ask you.

Step #5 - Let your preschooler staple the side of the book. It does not have to be perfect. Mom will love her Christmas craft book even if it is completely stapled shut.

Step #6 - Wash the preschooler, once again soap should be used.

Sources:

Loki Morgan