Are you struggling to fill your cold wet indoors-only weekends, while the kids climb the walls? Get them doing something fun and useful, like making some of these exciting Christmas decorations for the home. Galt Toys has some great ideas that are nice and easy, and you might even enjoy joining in!
Christmas bunting
You will need:
Coloured craft paper
Colouring pens
Sequins
String
Cotton Wool
Have a look online for outlines of Christmassy shapes (trees, baubles, gingerbread men, Santa etc.) and print them, or draw your own onto pieces of A5 (half A4) coloured craft paper. Make each of your outlines around the same sort of height. Using craft paper, sequins, cotton wool, or whatever else you like, decorate your Christmas shapes. Use sequins to make eyes, buttons, or for twinkly lights on a Christmas tree. Cotton wool can be used to make a snowman, furry trims on Santa’s clothing or it can be painted to create a textured background.
When all your shapes are decorated, you need to string them to make them into bunting. Take each shape and draw a dot around three centimetres from the top of it and the same distance from each of the vertical sides. Then, take your string, measuring about 20cm per shape, plus an extra 20cm at the end. Now, stick each of your shapes to the string around 20cm apart. Secure them with either tape or paper stuck down over the string. Alternatively, make two holes in each shape and thread the string through them. Hang your bunting across windows, on fireplaces, or on walls.
Chocolate Tree Decorations
You will need:
Either:
- An ice cube tray
- A baking tray lined with greaseproof paper and several cookie cutters
- Christmas-shaped chocolate moulds
Chocolate
Tin Foil
Glue dots or mini sticky foam squares
Sequins
Coloured paper
Old Christmas Cards
Tape
String
With the help of an adult, melt the chocolate and pour it into your moulds. Alternatively, place the cookie cutter onto the greaseproof paper and hold it firmly while someone else pours the chocolate into the shape. Place these in the fridge for a few hours to set. While you are waiting, cut out some of your favourite pictures (preferably smaller ones) from your old Christmas cards. When the chocolates are set, cover each one in tin foil and attach a little string to them with tape. Next, using your glue dots or foam squares, decorate each little chocolate’s foil with the sequins, little bits of coloured paper or the cut outs from your old Christmas cards. When finished you can hang them straight up on the Christmas tree!
Funky Hanging Paper Ornaments
You will need:
Craft paper (varying colours)
Glue
A ruler
A pencil
Two split pins per ornament.
Take a piece of your A4 craft paper and carefully measure the shortest side, and make marks every three centimetres. Do the same along the opposite short side and join the lines (leaving 7 strips). Cut these out. Next, take one strip and measure 5cm along it, then cut off the extra. Take two more strips and measure 9cm, then cut away the extra. Do the same to make two 13cm strips and two 17cm strips. Now is the tricky part. Take your 5cm strip, and pop a dab of glue at each end. Stick a 9cm strip to this, attaching only the ends. Do the same to the other side of the 5cm strip. Next, repeat with the 13cm strips, sticking them to the 9cm strips in the same way. Repeat with the 17cm strips. Lastly, ask an adult to make a hole in each end and pop a split pin through to secure your ornament. Hang with string or ribbon. Experiment with different lengths, different numbers of strips and different colours!