Finding fun ways to spend time with the kids during the holidays without breaking the bank can sometimes be a challenge. If your children get bored they will quickly let you know, which may lead to conflict. Here are a few cool stationery projects you can complete with your children to help you connect and feel festive this holiday season.
Paper Mache Christmas Tree Baubles
Create your own unique Christmas tree decorations using paper machete. This is a fun project that the kids are sure to love, as it involves getting a bit messy. To start, find some balloons and blow them up part way so they are about the size of golf balls. Next, cover the balloons with thin strips of newspaper that have been dipped in a mixture of water and glue. Cover the balloons in about four layers of paper and leave them to dry. Once the paper is dry, pop the balloons and have fun painting your Christmas baubles in bright Christmassy colours and adding glitter if you wish.
Holiday Menus
Use old pieces of paper and card to create dinner menus. This is a great way to get the kids involved in planning the holiday meals. Once you have decided what you will cook for your special meals, write the dishes that you will serve in the middle of your pieces of paper and let the kids decorate them. Your children can then present members of the family with these menus when they come to your house to enjoy a special holiday meal.
Paper Stars
These stars can be made to look really festive and can be used to decorate your home during the holidays in any way you wish. Cut out star shapes, making sure that they are all the same size and shape. To make the stars really effective, glue some of the together to create a three dimensional effect. If you do not have coloured paper or stationery, your children can use crayons or paint to make the stars more colorful before you stick them together. Now you are ready to attach pieces of string to the tops of your stars and have fun decorating your home with them. They're sure to have fun doing this festive paper DIY project.
Family Tree
Researching your family tree is a great bonding activity that the whole family can enjoy. This is the perfect opportunity to get out the old family photograph albums and share some fun memories. There are lots of different ways to make a family tree and the method you go for will depend on your own creativity. If your children have a love for art they can get busy drawing a realistic tree complete with branches for the members of the family. You can then either draw small portraits of each of the family members, attach photographs to their branches of the tree or simply write their names. Choose a prominent area of your home to hang the completed project so that it can be admired by all of the members of your family when they come to visit.
photo credit: venspired and dog.happy.art
These are some great ideas. I may have to borrow a few of these.