By: Andrea Rivera de Vega, Bilingual Outreach Specialist, Penfield Children’s Center

Crafting with your kids is a great way to make memories that last. The holidays present a unique time for engaging in activities that celebrate the season and allow you to spend quality time together. These projects use recycled materials and help capture tiny fingerprints, while documenting your child’s creativity at an early age.

Popsicle stick ornaments

These ornaments are a beautiful tree decoration or can be hung in the window. They’re fun to make and teach your little one about shapes. They also allow your young child to work on his pincer grasp as he picks up and places each stick and décor item.

Materials:

• Popsicle sticks
• String or ribbon
• Hot glue gun and glue sticks (Make sure to supervise older children and apply the glue yourself when working with young children as glue is HOT)
• Kids’ white or clear craft glue
• Items to decorate your snowflake: markers, feathers, plastic sparkles, stickers and more!

Directions:

Ask your child to pick 3-4 popsicle sticks from the bag and arrange them in a crisscross pattern by placing each stick on top of the other. Glue each stick onto the next in the center. Loop the ribbon into a teardrop shape and glue the two ends to the top of one of the popsicle sticks.

When the glue has dried, get creative! Ask your child to decorate his snowflake with craft items such as feathers, sparkles, stickers and any small recycled item from around the house. You can also venture outside and collect items found in nature such as pieces of bark from a tree, sea shells and small colorful leaves.

Fingerprint holiday painting

Make the winter season bright with fingerprint twinkle lights! This craft allows your child to explore different textures (wet paint and smooth canvas), while also practicing patterns by choosing which order to place the lights.

Materials:

• White painting canvas
• Black marker
• A variety of paint colors- blue, red, green, yellow

Directions:

Help your child draw a black, looping line from one side of the canvas to the other. At 1 to 1.5 inch intervals, draw a small black square attached to the line as these will connect each light. Dip your child’s pointer finger in the paint and stamp one fingerprint per black box to create each light bulb. Continue down the line and allow your child to choose which color he’d like next. Ask your little one to write his name and age (if he’s able) at the bottom of his painting. This painting is a perfect keepsake to remember those tiny prints as he grows!

What fun holiday crafts do you enjoy making with your children?