Ideas for xmas games/crafts

[Khalam's Mama]

I am one of the volunteers at the local playgroup and we are about to start organising the xmas party. I now it is a while away but we are all so busy it is the only way to get it done properly is to start now.

Last year it was the council running the group and they had an entertainer and the parents all brought food and a pressie for the kids and santa (someone's dad) gave them out.

We could do something similar this year but would love some game/treat/food ideas to make it a big hit. We have some funds but they are for day to day things too so we can't be spending the whole budget.

We could make some things in the weeks leading up to xmas too with the kids like decorations etc. 

Most of the kids are around 18mo to 3yo though it is an under 5's group so some older and younger kids attend too. We are also quite multicultural so we need to include those from all religions.

Thanks for your ideas.

[creations]

Decorations.
Those silver finger print, hand/foot print casts are really popular now...and pricey.  How about a craft alternative using either oven-cook or no-cook clay (bought) or flour clay (home made so cheaper), each LO does a hand print which is either left to set or oven cooked depending on your clay and later painted with silver or bronze acrylic.  Their name and age can be inscribed on the back using a cocktail stick and a hole punched through using a drinking straw (both things prior to drying/cooking).  After cooking a piece of ribbon or string through the hole so it can be hung from a xmas tree.  For kiddies who have xmas trees at home it would be like a special bauble for their tree but as it's a hand print it is non religious so all families can enjoy it as a keepsake of their LO.

[*Ali*]

That's a great idea creations. Would make a good gift for dad's too I'm thinking.

[Khalam's Mama]

Love it. How do you make the flour clay?

[creations]

I was thinking of making little fingerprint ones for grand mothers gifts, slim thread could attach them to their mobile phone as a phone charm...possibly...if they didn't break!
I do want a real silver one made of DS for our xmas tree though on a star shaped charm, I think it makes a nice long term decoration keepsake.

clay, prob various different methods, here's one:
http://clayrecipe.net/jewelry-clay-recipe/
you need the surface to be dry enough for the hands to be pressed in to get a nice 3D print but I reckon a bit of trial and error will come up with the right mix, maybe a dusting of flour over the top from a sieve to prevent the hand sticking in the clay and ruining the print shape as it's removed.

Another decoration that's nice for LOs to make is hand print trees.  If you have space you can use wall paper rolls (backing paper works well) taped together, into a big rectangle on the floor, then an adult can mark out a rough out line of a xmas tree.  All the LO's do lots of hand (and foot?) prints all over it in variety of green tone paints.  When dried it can go up on the wall and be further decorated with other paper baubles, drawings, tinsel etc.

[Khalam's Mama]

We did that last year and it looked great. I'm glad you reminded me though because i had forgotten. Will try out the clay at home before hand to perfect it.

[Khalam's Mama]

I just saw lots of toilet roll tubes and thought we could make crackers. Any ideas for how or what to put inside are helpful too.

[deb]

One thing that most of the December holidays have in common is candles. Can you paint or collage or decoupage the toilet tissue rolls to make "candle sticks" and then fill them with something like old newspaper or fabric scraps to hold a small battery-operated votive?

Paper plate snowmen (snow people, I suppose, would be more inclusive! are totally secular and you can give the kids as much leeway to make their own faces as you like, either just hand them crayons or paints or have some pre-cut facial features and buttons. You can even get stick-on googly eyes at craft shops.

Similarly, you can make your own flour and salt dough - you even have the option to use gluten-free flour for gluten-sensitive kids - and roll the balls to make little snow-person sculptures. Or use the dough with cookie cutters to make Christmas/Yule decorations, Stars of David, or just Winter things like snowflakes or sleds.

[Mortish]

I don't know how old the kiddies at playgroup are...but the other day I was googling for decorations that myself and dd1 who is nearly 5 and dd2 who is 3 can make for Christmas.....anyway, I love those paper tissue pom poms and although it may be a little difficult for my 3 real old...I know my older lass will be able to do it.....

http://www.marthastewart.com/portal/site/mslo/menuitem.ada49ea3cabd70e593598e10d373a0a0/?vgnextoid=4e491fe712e50210VgnVCM1000003d370a0aRCRD&vgnextchannel=d0e81b65d5ddc110VgnVCM1000003d370a0aRCRD&vgnextfmt=print&currentslide=1&page=1

The other site I found was crafting using tissue paper to make Pom-Pom Flowers...whereby you can make like a flower arrangment.....or decorate a box with a flower on top....or the other thing was as napkin holders...and they are so beautiful......have a look at this website....

http://www.lillyella.blogspot.com/2009/04/how-to-tissue-pom-flowers.html

Even if the kids don't make them they would make a lovely decoration hung in the room for the party:)

[Khalam's Mama]

Those are great ideas ladies. Will check the links on the pc tonight.