Easy Christmas Crafts for School Age Kids
Christmas is the ideal time for kids to get creative. Not only does making Christmas crafts give them a chance to explore their creativity and work with their hands, it yields dazzling decorations that can be enjoyed by the whole family for years to come. A whole set of Christmas tree ornaments is an ambitious project most kids will relish. Glittering hand-painted glass balls, colorful seed-beaded balls, and snowmen and teddy bears made with handmade salt or white-bread dough are just a few of the wonderful craft projects perfectly suited to school-age children.
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The Craft Table
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Clear glass or plastic Christmas ornaments can be painted, deoupaged or rubber stamped for an array of glittering delights. Glass ball ornaments or transparent plastic ones are the only canvas required for Christmas works of art. With a few craft supplies on hand, your child can create a masterpiece. Consider hosting an ornament party for a group of kids. Lay a plastic drop cloth over the craft table, then cover it in brown kraft paper. Load the work surface with enough artist brushes in assorted sizes for everyone, sponges, glue, scissors, colored felt-tip pens, lots of paper towels and moistened hand wipes.
Christmas Ornament Decorating Ideas
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Roll a colored Christmas ball ornament in glue, then roll in glitter for a simple, beautiful decoration for your tree. Make individual stations on the craft table, each featuring a different medium to use to decorate the ornaments. Materials such as acrylic paint, in traditional Christmas colors of red, green and other vibrant hues; Mod Podge or similar decoupage medium along with a pile of magazines and some gift wrap or tissue to inspire future decoupagers; Christmas-themed rubber stamps and vegetable-based inks and pre-made paper mache offer a full-spectrum artistic experience to kids. Round out the table with glitter paint, ribbons, string and even colored duct tape.
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Seed Ball Ornament
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Draw desgins on Christmas ornaments and fill in with glitter for a simple, magical tree decoration. Seed bead ball ornaments are addictive. Kids can't make just one. This simple project requires ornaments made of glass, plastic or any sturdy material, white craft glue, a wide paint brush and a bowl of multi-colored seed beads. Squeeze glue onto the ball and evenly spread it with the paint brush. Roll the ornament in the seed beads, filling in any bare spots by sprinkling seed beads on by hand. Hang the ornament to dry. When dry, spray with an acrylic sealer or brush on a clear non-toxic sealer like Modge Podge.
Salt Dough Ornaments
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Salt dough is an inspired medium that uses simple ingredients found in every kitchen, salt and flour. Making a salt dough teddy bear or snowman is an amusing two-tiered craft; ideal for school-age kids. Mix 1tbsp. of salt, 2 tbsp. of flour and 1 tbsp. of water in a bowl. Knead it until smooth and pliable.
Break the salt dough into pieces and roll into balls to form a head and body for the snowman; roll a smaller piece for a carrot-shaped nose. Make round ears, a pug nose and a round, short tail for a teddy bear. Poke a hole at the top of the ornament with a toothpick and let dry overnight, or bake in a 250-degree oven for two hours. Once the ornament is dry, paint it with acrylic and glitter paints, thread onto a silky ribbon and hang on the Christmas tree or tuck into a stairway garland.
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