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photo credit: Liz (perspicacious.org)

Kids love decorating the Christmas tree during the Yuletide season. One of the most popular decors used is a Christmas ball that comes in many different colors.

Now, with your big help and encouragement, kids can also decorate cards with these colorful balls. In turn they can give these cards to other people to spread the Christmas spirit.

Supplies:

• Green paper board
• Colored construction papers
• Shiny paper
• Black yarn
• Glue
• Glitter or glitter glue
• Tape
• Scissors
• Markers

Steps:

1. Get the green paper board and cut a rectangle shape for the card base. (You may use plain paper board and paste green colored paper on it if green paper board is not available).
2. Fold it into half.
3. Fold the front portion into four crosswise folds and cut away three parts (3/4) of the paper fold, with one fold remaining at the top portion of the card.
4. Make balls by making and cutting circle shapes in different sizes using the different colored papers.
5. Make the kids design their own Christmas balls by using colored markers and glitters, or lining then with glitter glue.
6. Cut the yarn into short pieces. Glue one end into the back part of the remaining paper fold of the front portion of the card and attach the Christmas balls to the other end. Yarn lengths need not be equal.
7. Write “Merry Christmas!” on the remaining top portion of the front fold of the card.
8. Write your message on the inner back fold of the card. You can add some designs into that portion too.

Bond with the kids in making the hanging Christmas balls card and teach them the value of sharing by letting the children create and give cards to friends and loved ones.

photo credit: ktylerconk

Christmas is the most colorful and most anticipated celebration of the year all over the world. It is a special holiday characterized by twinkling lights, tinsel display all over town, glittering decors in the homes and stores. Children, especially love Christmas, and are always excited to celebrate Christmas every year.

You can make it doubly exciting for your kids by engaging them in creative activities in preparation for the season. One of these is making Christmas décor, like a Christmas glitter globe. Definitely, kids will love making their own home decor that they can display during the Christmas holidays.

What you will need:

• A glass jar with tight-fitting lid depends on the size of the globe you want to make)
• A Christmas figurine or figurines, depends on how many can fit in (e.g., Santa Claus with reindeers, Manger scene, or an angel)
• Waterproof glue
• Glitter (color depends on your preference)
• Water

How to make it:

1. Clean the jar and its lid. Take off labels and any residue of its former contents.
2. On the inside portion of the lid, glue your Christmas figurine with waterproof glue or glue gun. Stick the figurine well to prevent it from falling off.
3. Set aside until dry.
4. Fill the glass jar with cold water, about ¾ full only.
5. Sprinkle one tablespoon of glitter into the jar.
6. Check the jar lid to see if your figurine is completely dry. If it is, screw on lid and check water level. Add water, or spill out some of it if necessary.
7. Tighten the lid securely. Shake your glitter globe and watch your Christmas figurine sparkle inside.
8. You can use your Christmas glitter globe as a table décor, or as paper weight.

Here is another in the series of mothers day crafts.  This is really simple to make and your kids can put a picture of themselves in here which we mom’s always love!

Supplies:

• Foam Sheet (Can be found in a craft store or a Walmart)
• Scissors
• Glue
• Magnets
• A picture

Steps:

1. Find a circle or oval in 2 sizes to trace
2. Trace one small circle on one part of the foam sheet
3. Trace the larger oval or circle around it
4. Trace in another place the larger oval or circle
5. Cut out the larger oval/circles
6. Cut out the smaller one inside the larger cut out oval/circle
7. Cut a picture to fit the inside whole
8. Glue the picture in place and glue the front oval/circle piece over it (the one with the whole)
9. Glue magnets on the back to hang on the refrigerator

Enjoy!

This is a another fun idea from Toddler Crafts series on Mothers Day Crafts.  It’s really simple but, makes a special mothers day card.

Supplies:

• Construction Paper
• Scissors
• Glitter/stickers for decorating

Steps:

1. Fold one piece of construction paper in half, in middle put to cuts about an inch apart
2. Cut out a hear or flower from another piece of construction paper
3. Pull out cut out to make a square in inside of card
4. Take another piece of constructions paper and glue to outside of the card with the cuts in it
5. Glue Flower or heart to square cut out (you’ll now have a pop up card!)
6. Decorate card

Enjoy!

This post continues our series on Mothers Day Crafts!  This one is really fun because it is really fun for preschool and kindergarten kids to grow their own plant then grow it for mom as a gift!  This fits very nicely into a lesson on how plants grow, since you will be using the Avocado pit to grow a new plant!

Supplies:

• Avocado
• 4 Toothpicks
• Glass
• Water

Steps:

1. Cut the Avocado and use a spoon to get the pit out
2. Place four sticks around the avocado pit, about 1/3 down from the top
3. Set the avocado pit in a glass of water so the bottom 2/3′s is in the water
4. Set it in a sunny area (but not all sun)  and watch as the roots begin to form!  It will take about 3-4 weeks for the roots and stem to form.  When the roots are  a couple of inches long and the stem is about an inch it can be planted.

Once your Avocado has rooted you can plant it in a pot and it is a great gift for mom for mothers day!