byJanis P.353k Views3 Comments
With Christmas just a snowball’s throw away, it’s time to start thinking of gifts, crafts and things-to-do that’ll keep your kids entertained right through the build up to the big day and beyond. To get you inspired, we’ve put together a Top 10 list of the best Christmas ideas around the internet right now. Why not try them all? Let us know which one’s your favourite!
Toilet roll choir craft
How adorable is this easy craft? Made out of cardboard tubes, a bit of paint, paper and glue, you and your kids can create them in an instant. Simply paint your tube, add a circle of paper for the face, draw on the eyes and mouth and carefully attach a rectangle of newspaper as a song sheet. This is also the perfect craft for those innocent smoothie knitted hats you may have lying around the house. Just to prove how easy it is, I made one myself!
Toilet roll choirs on Sew Sensational…
Chocolate teacake reindeer
Need a yummy treat for a child’s Christmas party or the school Christmas fair? These teacake reindeer will definitely deliver the wow factor! Break a pretzel in half, carefully stick them into the marshmallow teacake and then add raisins for eyes and a glace cherry for a red Rudolph nose. Having trouble getting the eyes to stick? Melt a little chocolate in a bowl and use a co*cktail stick to apply it to the raisin first. Easy, yet brilliant.
Teacake reindeer on One Crafty Mumma…
Santa’s beard Advent calendar
This is possibly the best home-made advent calendar I’ve ever seen. It’s so easy to make and is great fun for kids of all ages; I’m even considering printing one for my own flat and I’m almost 24. Download the free printable calendar at the link below, stick it to the wall and then cover each number with a cotton wool ball as you count down to Christmas. The end result? Santa has one very full-looking beard.
Advent Calendar on Inviting Printables…
Egg carton decorations
I’d push you to find any grown-up who hasn’t spent countless hours of their youth cutting up egg boxes and making them into robots, rocket ships or princess castles. So why not try this fun egg carton Christmas decoration idea with your kids? You can buy the PDF instructions from the website here to make the more detailed ornaments, but there’s no harm in letting your children be creative with just a box of paints and their imaginations either.
Egg carton Christmas ornaments on MicheleMadeMe.com…
Snowman cookies
These little snowman biscuits are great for even the smallest of hands. Simply bake a batch of cookies (the more varied the shapes the better!) and cover in white, glace icing. Use Smarties for buttons and a white Malteser for the head. Use a black icing pen to ice on the face and arms. They look fab!
Snowman cookies from Jeanne Benedict…
Dolly Pegs
With a choice between princesses and pirates, these make-your-own dolly peg kits from Lakeland are sure to be loved by kids this Christmas. Presented in a coloured bucket, each kit contains an instruction booklet, pegs, felt and embellishments to help you transform simple, wooden pegs into colourful characters. A great activity for those days between Christmas and New Year when your kids need a quiet activity to get on with whilst you plan the grown-up celebrations.
Dolly Peg craft kit from Lakeland…
Arthur Christmas movie
Santa is in charge of running an enormous secret operation using elves, tricks and stunts to ensure every child receives their Christmas presents in time for the big day – but what happens when a child is leftwithout any presents? Enter Arthur Christmas, Santa’s youngest son, to try and fix this unforgivable dilemma. A fantastic Christmas movie made by the guys who brought us Wallace and Gromit. Not to be missed!
Download Arthur Christmas from iTunes
The Jolly Christmas Postman book
Janet and Allan Ahlberg are classic children’s authors. Their Jolly Postman series has always been one of my favourites and this Christmas book is no exception. Full to the brim with envelopes to open, letters to read and puzzles to do, your kids will treasure this book for the rest of their lives – I know I certainly will. A delightful, hands-on experience, this book will not disappoint a child of any age.
Sleeps to Christmas App
Tell me – who has a child that doesn’t enjoy meticulously counting down the days until Christmas? Even at the age of 18, my younger sister still loves to text me on a daily basis to let me know how many sleeps are left (accompanied by uncountable exclamation marks and smiley faces). This free iPhone app lets your kids count down in days, hours, minutes and seconds alongside cheery Christmas graphics and music. It’s great!
Download Sleeps to Christmas app or read reviews on iTunes
Marker-Pen Plates
Need a last minute gift or want to present relatives with something really unique this year? Try this easy craft idea – take a plain white plate, a pack of Sharpie marker pens and one child. Let them draw their design onto the plate, then bake in the oven for 30 minutes at 175 degrees. The heat will set the design and you’ll end up with a wonderful hand-made gift!
Marker pen plates on Chapter Forty…
What have we missed? Add your top Christmas ideas, crafts, family movies and all that below!
Links to your own blog posts or galleries are welcome.
