I have been doing loads of lovely craft activities with Freddy and Kezia, which has been so much fun. We have also taken part in the #NickJrCraftmas Twitter party with UKMums.TV and Nick Jr, where we tried out lots of child friendly craft activities and chatted all about Christmas crafts and festive food. We invited a few of Freddy's friends to join in the fun and after the crafts and games enjoyed a yummy pizza tea. Everyone went home with a fabulous goodie bag too!
Here are details of some of the craft activities and games we have enjoyed.
Decorated Chocolate Bars
One of the crafts we have tried out is to make some edible Christmas gifts that look fantastic, but are super easy to make. Using paper, felt, ribbon, cotton wool and other bits and bobs, the children wrapped and decorated bars of chocolate, transforming them into reindeer, Santa and snowmen. They make great party presents for children or lovely stocking fillers.
Christmas Tree Cards
This design is really simple but effective. Simply colour in three lolly sticks and stick them into a triangle shape. Draw on a trunk and decorate with pompoms, sequins and stickers. grandparents love receiving handmade cards from the grandkids!
Paper Chains
These are so easy to make and look so pretty hang up in the house. Take a strip of paper and stick the ends together to make a loop. Thread the next strip through and stick the ends together. Repeat!
Paper Lanterns
Take an A4 sheet of paper and fold in half horizontally. Cut fold the folded edge towards the open edge leaving a 1cm margin. Unfold the sheet. Put glue around edges and stick on a sheet of red tissue paper. Join the two short ends of the paper to make a tube. Attach a strip of card to make a candle. Decorate with glitter and stickers.
Baubles
You can pick up empty plastic baubles from many craft retailers and children can personalise them to make their own special tree decorations. Freddy coloured in and cut out his favourite Nick Jr character Wallykazam, but you could fill them with tinsel, sequins or beads, with sweets or even a small gift.
Pin the Nose on Rudolph
This is a fun festive game that you can make for the kids to play over Christmas. using paper, cut out a reindeer head and stick on eyes and antlers. Roll up red tissue paper into balls to make noses. Blindfold the kids and challenge them to stick Rudolph's nose on. Use a sticky tape loop on the back to make them stick.
Ben Elf's Hat
Cut out a semi-circle of card and roll it into a cone. Decorate with a felt holly leaf and a red pompom. Attach a length of elastic to secure the hat.
Homemade Crackers
There are many DIY cracker sets available on the market. You simply asssemble the cracker adding a snap, hat, gift and joke. You can then decorate with stickers or pictures. Alternatively you can use toliet roll tubes and wrapping paper, tied at either end with a ribbon to make very cheap, snap-free crackers that the kids will love.
Easy Christmas Cakes
Making cakes for a Christmas party tea is a really fun activity for kids. They needn't be difficult either! Make chocolate, cornflake cakes and top with white chocolate to make mini Christmas Pudding cakes. Decorate shop bought or home baked cupcakes with white buttercream and top with a marshmallow, Use an icing pen to draw on a face.
Toilet Paper Snowmen
Not exactly a craft idea, but a great game for little ones to play. One child volunteers to be the snowman and the rest dress him up! Using a cheap roll of loo roll, wrap your snowman up from head to toe, then use scarves and hats to complete the look. The paper and loo roll tube can be used for other art projects so nothing is wasted!
For more great craft ideas and printable festive fun pop along to the Nick Jr Christmas craft resource at nickjr.co.uk/christmas