Day 17: Snickerdoodle Cookies!

This is my my house smelled so wonderful yesterday! A perfect, and yummy holiday treat for your family or your friends!

What You'll Need:
I followed the Betty Crocker cookbook recipe for this project, you can find it here You probably have everything in your house already except the Cream of Tartar.

Step One:
Follow the baking recipe. My kids love to bake! They love pouring in the ingredients and mixing, but over the last few days they've really enjoyed counting! So we turned this into a counting project too!

Step Two:

If you're wondering why I chose snickerdoodles, it's because these are "hands on" cookies! Seriously, you have to roll them in sugar! What could me more exciting for a kid?! 

Step Three: 

After you're done baking, get some bags (from any craft store in the baking section) and put some in bags for your friends, teachers or neighbors! 

Step Four:

Don't forget to eat one (or two) with your child, they did make them after all! 

Day 16: Salt Dough Stamping Ornaments

I love salt dough. There is so much you can do with it (and if the kids eat it they won't dare take a second bite) so each year I come up with different salt dough ornaments to make.

This year, I decided to stamp them!

What You'll Need:
1 Cup flour
1/2 Cup Salt
1/2 Cup Water
Rolling pin
Cup
Baking sheet (non stick)
Oven (250 degrees, for 1 1/2 -2 hours)

Stamps

Ink pads

Hole Puncher

Ribbon

Step One:

In a large mixing bowl, mix the flour, salt and water. Mix it well, and then take it out and kneed it. Once it feels like thick dough, roll the dough. You may want to sprinkle a little four on the table or counter before you do it. You can have your kids help in this process by having them pour the ingredients or have them help mix! Mine liked to roll their own dough! 

Step Two:

Once the dough is rolled, use a cup or bowl (something with the desired size) to punch holes in the dough. 

Step Three:

Once you have your circles, or whatever shape you decide, use your hole puncher to put a hole in the dough WHILE IT IS SOFT! Do not wait to make a hole, after it's cooked, you won't be able to punch one.

Step Four:

While the dough is soft, get your ink and stamps ready! It's time to stamp! 

Step Five:

Place the dough ornaments on a non-stick cookie sheet. They won't rise or move, so as long as they aren't touching, you'll be fine. 

Bake them at 250 degrees for one and a half to two hours. Check them occasionally to be sure they aren't burning or getting too dried out. 

Step Six: 

Once they've cooled, you can take your ribbon and put it through the hole. Tie a knot and you're all set! Don't forget to have your child write their name on the back! 

Day 15: Winter Watercolors

While Theo slept, Hanky and I had a little project time to ourselves. Here is a simple, but beautiful project for your little ones.

What You'll Need:
White crayon
White paper
Watercolor paints
Paint brush

Step One:
On your blank piece of paper, take your white crayon and draw a picture. Anything really, but I drew a boy on a sled, snowflakes, pine trees, a snowman etc.

Step Two:
Have your child take the watercolors and paint the paper! Tell them that there is a hidden picture and they have to paint to find it.

As they start to paint, the crayon will start to come through. The paint can't stick to the waxy crayon markings. 

Make sure they color the whole page, even adding a boarder (in crayon) may be a good idea. Something to add a little more fun to the project. 

Henrik was so excited to see what was under the paint, he painted everywhere with so much joy. He laughed the whole time and gasped when he saw something else appear. 

When the paper is totally painted, it will be VERY wet. Set it on a cooling rack to dry for a little while. 

Once it's dry, you'll have these beautiful winter wonderland paintings to display!

Day 14: Candy Canes

In need of a SUPER simple project? Need something that is festive, but also helps with your child's fine motor skills? How about this easy Candy Cane project?!

What You'll Need:
Pipe Cleaners
Beads

Step One: 
Bend your pipe cleaner so it looks like a candy cane. Make a knot, or just wrap the pipe cleaner around itself a few times so the beads don't fall off.

Step Two:

Give your kids the beads and have them string them on the pipe cleaner. 

When they are done, you'll have these cute little candy canes to drape from your tree! 

Day 13: Snow Globe Ornaments

I was going to save this one for later, but I realized that in order to make this craft, you'll have to leave your house and get supplies. So, if you want to make these, you'll have a lot of time before Christmas to get it done!

What You Need:
Clear plastic fill able ornaments (sold on Amazon or at Michael's, probably at other craft stores too)
Hot Glue Gun
Fake snow
Ribbon
Things to put inside the bulbs

This isn't a really hard project, but it's one that takes a while. I could only do this craft with one kid at a time because it was time consuming as they sifted through the options of what they could put in side. But, if you lay out all of your materials and set up stations, then you will have a much easier time with it.

Step One:
Set up your materials and make sure everything is opened and ready.

Once you know where everything is, let your child look at ALL of the options before they begin. Have them pick a focus item for their globe. For the globe I made, I chose a deer. I glued it into place on one half of the bulb.

Henrik chose a train to start. We decided that we were going to add other things, like snowflakes to the bulb so it looked like it was snowing on the train, so with his bulb we started gluing snowflakes on to the back of our bulb before we made his train the focal point. 

Theodor decided to have a bird in a nest with eggs, so before we could really start his project, we had to assemble the nest. The eggs and the cardinal came individually from the nest so we had to glue all of the pieces in place before we could place it in his globe.

Step Two:
Once you've added your other features to the globe, and they are securely attached and the glue is dry. Add your fake snow confetti or fluff (whatever you've chosen) to fill the globe (and cover up the glue marks)

Step Three:

Once you've closed your globe, you will want to glue the two pieces together by placing a thin layer of glue along the seam. I used ribbon to cover up the glue. 

Step Five:

Add a ribbon to the top, a hook so it can hang on the tree, and sit back and enjoy these lovely winter snow globes! 

Day 12: Jingle Bell Wreath Ornament

I actually got these kits from Oriental Trading last Christmas, but they were to small for Henrik, then two, to handle. So we did it this year! If you are ever looking for cute, affordable crafts, they often have great deals on simple kits for kids to do. And they come with instructions! Even if you don't go to Oriental Trading to order these, you could easily do them at home! 

Here's What You'll Need:

Jingle Bells (even getting larger sized ones would work for a 2 year old) or Beads or buttons

Pipe Cleaner

Ribbon

Step One:

Lay out all of your materials. Give your toddler the pipe cleaner and have them string the bells or beads on the cleaner. 

 

Step Two: 

Once all the bells, beads or buttons are on, make a circle with the pipe cleaner and wrap it around itself a few times so it is sealed. 

Step Three:

Tie a ribbon around the wreath, to act as the hook for the ornament. 

Step Four:

This package came with little red ribbons to glue on there, but you could easily add your own ribbon or other embellishment to the wreath for that extra pizazz. 

Once it's complete, hang it on your tree! Those gold colors pop right out at you against the evergreen! 

Day 11: Egg Carton Snowmen Ornaments!

If you read the toilet paper roll snowmen craft, then you know that I'm stockpiling any and all recyclables for a rainy day. So these egg carton guys were easy to come up with when I noticed my craft bin was overflowing.

Here's What You'll Need:
Egg cartons
Paint & Paint brush
Twine
Scissors
Punching tool/screwdriver
Googly eyes
Pipe cleaners
Glue gun
Pom poms
Marker


Step One:
Take your egg cartons, and cut them into groups of three, like a snowman. Then, you'll want to clean up the sides so that it actually looks like a snowman's body.

Step Two:
Take the tool that you can punch holes with, and punch three holes, two in the middle carton and one on the top (where you'll place twine to make it an ornament).

Step Three:
Because my egg cartons weren't totally white, I gave the boys white paint and had them freshen up the snowmen.

Once the are done, let the cartons dry. Because these were made with recycled cardboard, the paint dried pretty quickly.

Step Four:
Once they are dry, you will probably want to poke the holes again, just in case the paint covered them up. Then, you can place the pipe cleaner arms in the snowman.

Step Five:

Before you hand these guys off to be decorated, you'll want to add the twine to the top of the snowman. Make a knot with your twine, and shove it through the hole you made at the top. 

Step Six: 

Now, let your kids get creative! Have them add googly eyes, pipe cleaner noses, smiles and buttons made from pom poms! I had left over felt from our other snowman craft so those were an option for the buttons too. 

I of course used the glue gun, but I let the kids pick out everything and where their features would go.

And when they were dry, they made perfect accents to our tree! And yes, this one does have three eyes, remember, IT'S NOT YOUR PROJECT! Let your kids have some creativity! You'll be able to laugh about the three eyed snowman for years to come.