The Preschooler’s Busy Book (22 page)

Used greeting cards

Construction paper or light cardboard

Glue or paste

Clear contact paper

Cut up old greetings cards, glue artwork onto a piece of construction paper or light cardboard, and cover it with clear contact paper for a great Christmas place mat.
As a variation, make a Christmas Wish-List Place Mat: Have your child cut out his gift wishes from an old Christmas catalog or magazine and glue them onto a piece of construction paper.
Cover the design with clear contact paper and use it as a place mat.

This is a good activity for Christmas or any time of the year.
Not only is it environmentally sound, but homemade gift wrap is far more economical and personal than commercially bought wrap, and your child will love to make it, too.

Brown paper bags, butcher paper, or large sheets of paper

Rubber stamps

Ink pads

Cut open brown paper bags, or use butcher paper or large sheets of other paper.
Using rubber stamps and ink pads in a variety of colors, your child can decorate the paper according to his personal taste.
The colors and rubber stamps can be varied according to the season or occasion.

25 small candy canes, individual pieces of candy, or candy kisses (for each child)

1 bowl, candy dish, or empty coffee can (for each child)

Place twenty-five small candy canes, kisses, or other special candy treats into a bowl, candy dish, or empty coffee can.
Beginning December 1, let your child have one treat from his bowl every day.
When he begins to ask “How many days ’til Christmas?” (and he will!) he can see for himself by counting the number of candies left in the bowl.

Styrofoam balls in various sizes

Glue

Glitter

Small shallow dish

Thread

Pour glitter into a shallow dish.
Spread glue evenly over a Styrofoam ball, then roll it in glitter.
Allow the ball to dry, then attach a thread for hanging on the Christmas tree.

Photograph of your child

Construction paper or cardboard

Scissors

Tape

Glue

Hole punch

Yarn

Draw a star on construction paper, or cut one out of cardboard and let your child trace it onto the paper.
Cut it out.
You will need two stars for each ornament.
Cut an opening in the middle of one paper star and place your child’s photo behind it.
Trim the photo to fit, and tape it to the back of the star.
Dab glue onto the back of the star, and press the second paper star onto it.
Punch a hole at the top and thread yarn through; tie it to form a hanger for your ornament.
Write your child’s name and age on the back; he will be proud to hang it on the tree, year after year.

Cone or square-shaped coffee filters (or paper towels cut in circles or squares)

Scissors

Small bowls of dye (diluted food coloring or strong tempera paint)

Fold coffee filters or paper-towel circles or squares in half, quarters, thirds, and so on.
Dip them into a bowl of dye, blot, open up, and let dry.
When dry, fold again and make snowflakes by cutting small shapes along the folded edges.
Use the snowflakes as a holiday decoration; tape them to your window or your child’s bedroom door.

Small toy or gift

Gift-wrap

Tape

Help your child understand the true meaning of Christmas giving.
Take him with you to buy a toy or gift for a local charity.
Help him wrap it, then deliver it together.
On your way home, stop for a muffin or hot chocolate.

Cloves

Orange

Push the pointy ends of the cloves into an orange.
Make sure the cloves are firmly attached.
The thick ends of the cloves will keep them from being pushed in all the way.
Try to keep the cloves’ depth as uniform as possible.
Cover the entire orange with cloves and enjoy the Christmas scent.

Brown construction paper

Scissors

Glue

Cut a brown-construction-paper band to fit your child’s head.
Trace his handprints on the paper, cut them out, and glue them to the headband as reindeer antlers.

Rolled cookie dough

Christmas cookie cutters

Colored icing

Sprinkles or other decorative candy

This is one Christmas activity that my sisters and I looked forward to all year.
Make a batch of Cookie Cutouts (
page 70
), sugar cookies, or other rolled dough cookies.
Use Christmas cookie cutters to cut out angels, Christmas trees, bells, and so on.
After the cookies have been baked and cooled, set your child up at the table with bowls of icing in various colors and all kinds of little goodies for decorating: sprinkles, raisins, chocolate chips, gumdrops, and so on.
He will probably eat more than he decorates, but this will become a well-cherished memory.

Construction paper in green and other colors

Scissors

Hole punch

Glue

Sequins or glitter

Cut out a Christmas tree from green construction paper.
Use a paper hole punch to punch out dots from various colors of construction paper.
Glue the dots to your tree for decorations; add sequins or glitter and a star at the top.

Small baby food jar with lid

Glue gun

Small toys or ornaments that fit into the jar

Water

Gold or silver glitter

¼-inch ribbon

Using a hot glue gun, glue ornaments or small toys to the inside of a baby food jar lid; allow to dry.
Have your child fill the jar with water, and add gold or silver glitter.
Place the lid on the jar tightly, and glue ribbon to the edge of the lid to seal it.
Show your child how to shake up a snowstorm inside the jar.

Construction or other paper

Markers or crayons

Stickers (optional)

Cookie cutters (optional)

Old Christmas cards (optional)

Scissors (optional)

Glue (optional)

Make thank-you cards in advance to help ensure they are sent out promptly when gifts are received.
Fold a sheet of paper in half or quarters, and have your child decorate it with crayons or markers, or try some of these ideas:

• Decorate the card with Christmas stickers.

• Trace Christmas cookie cutter shapes.

• Trace around your child’s hand.

• Cut up and glue on old Christmas cards.

• Rub a crayon sideways over a card with a raised design (see Christmas Rubbings,
page 324
).

Construction paper in red and green

Glue or paste

Cut strips of red and green construction paper, three to four inches long and one-half to one inch wide.
Have your child form a circle with one strip, gluing the ends together.
Take the next strip and loop it through the first circle, again gluing the ends together.
Tell him to continue looping and gluing until the chain is the length he wants.
Use the chain to decorate the Christmas tree, doorway, wall, and so on.

Christmas card with a raised picture

White paper

Crayons

Lay a piece of white paper over a Christmas card with a raised design on it.
Your child can rub a crayon sideways over the paper and watch the design appear.

3-quart saucepan

¼ cup margarine or butter

4 cups miniature marshmallows or 40 regular marshmallows

5 cups Rice Krispies

10 to 12 regular marshmallows

Toothpicks

Green food coloring (for tree)

Red cinnamon candies (for tree)

Shredded coconut (for snowman)

Candy for decoration (for snowman)

Melt margarine or butter in a saucepan, then add four cups of marshmallows and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until syrupy.
Remove from heat.
If making Christmas trees, add green food coloring until the mixture is fairly dark green.
Add Rice Krispies and stir until well coated.

To make Christmas trees, shape into conical forms with buttered hands.
When the cones are cooled, stick a toothpick through a marshmallow and stick into the bottom to serve as the trees’ base.
Decorate with red candies.

To make snowmen, shape into small, medium, and large balls and roll in coconut “snow.” Join the balls with toothpicks and decorate with candies.

Green paper plate

Red and green tissue paper

Ribbon bow

Scissors

Glue

Cut a hole in the center of a green paper plate.
Cut or tear red and green tissue paper into small pieces.
Have your child twist the paper or crumple it into small balls and glue them onto the plate.
Add a ribbon bow in a contrasting color.

Old Christmas cards

Heavy paper or cardboard