My kindergartener keeps asking to make a Christmas gift for her dad. I have no idea what we can make. I am sure her 2 year old sister will want to do something too. Any ideas that aren't too difficult because unfortunately I am not the craftiest person in the world...
Last Christmas and this Christmas my girls have enjoyed creating invitations for a special day with dad. Last year, it was for a "campout" in the living room complete with a tent and roasting marshmallows in the fire place. This year, they created a jar and put several slips of paper inside with ideas of things to do together so Daddy can take out a slip of paper and they can do the activities together on their special day.
Go to Color Me Mine in Frisco. You pick out a ceramic piece, like a coffee cup for example, and the kids paint it. They kiln it for you, and you pick it up about a week later. Its fun for them, and you have a homeade gift that's useable. They have lots and lots to choose from. I took my kids (youngest is 2) last week, and they painted a jewelry box, a vase, and a coffee cup as gifts for their grandparents.
Get a shoe box and wrap it with the paper backwards so that you end up with a white background, wrap the top separate the same way. Have the girls decorate it however they want. Then ask them why they love there daddy and what makes them think of daddy ect...you can also fill it with coupons and pictures the girls make for him.
Buy a simple T-shirt in your husband's size and fabric paint in colors that will work with the T-shirt. On the front, put the children's handprints in paint on the shirt (be sure to put wax paper between the front and the back of the shirt so the paint doesn't bleed through). You could paint their names or anything you wish to go with the hand prints. You could even make a design with the handprints such as a Christmas wreath by using the prints in a circle and different colors for each child. Once that dries, let the girls finger paint on the back of the shirt. It will be a treasured work of art. Be sure to sign and date it!
Buy some pens, like Bic pens, get some floral tape from the craft store, and silk flowers with wire stems, in fall colors, or maybe Dad's favorite football team colors, and a-fixing the stem to align alongside the pen or pencil, flower leveling at the exact top of the pen, so the pen itself becomes the stem of the flower, use the floral tape to wrap them round and round till the flower stays in place. This makes them easier to find, harder to lose, less likely to be stolen in an office, and then could be tucked in a small grouping into a little vase,jar or can (spraypaint in same colors) to sit on his desk at home and/or work. Inexpensive, simple for a little child to be guided to do, and lovely to look at. I guarantee he will use them! A secretary at my school made these for everyone, and they were greatly appreciated, and many less of them walked off!
I don't know what others have suggested, but my 21 month old is drawing a book of "Daddy coupons". It has things like 2 kisses, huggs, 5 minutes quiet time......etc.
He is coloring on construction paper with stickers and I will staple and put on the tree!
www.BabyNeedsMilk.etsy.com
Give me a shout of you have questions or want a picture of our Daddy crafts
We've done 2 different shirt ideas. Each childs handprints(in a different color) placed randomly on the back of the shirt then on the front in small print over the pocket I wrote "Our Dad deserves a pat on the back. then list the childrens'names" or Dad. Its a hands on job.
He's worn them literally for years.
What about cutting out some placemats from thick art paper? My girls used to love doing "straw paintings" at that age. You water down the paints a little, drop a few blobs on, then watch them blow through straws to channel their inner Jackson Pollock! The effects are fun and surprising. Even your 2 year old will be able to join in. You can laminate a few favorites and it's gift that Dad will enjoy using for many years to come!
Better yet you could do feet prints!
Hey E. you could go to one of those "clay places" or you could go to Micheal's and get a kit to make a hand print...that is what my little girl did for her Daddy a couple of years ago...he loved it! Good Luck and Merry Christmas!
Places like Michale's/MJ Designs and Wal Marts craft area have a bunch of option of objects made from unpainted wood - picture frames, bird houses, jewelry boxes, holiday ornaments - just pick a fun one and grab some paints. My boys have made several Christmas presents this way at different ages, and it always makes a fun, one of a kind-ish - EASY gift (and pretty inexpensive too!)
I got an 8 X 10 canvas from a craft store, and my four year old is going to make a painting for her dad. We got a little stand in the frames section of the store so he can display it. The canvases come in all different sizes, as do the stands. You can have her sign and date the bottom corner just like any artist does.
Have fun!
Neck buddy.
take an old sock and fill it with rice and tie the end and it can be put into the microwave and heated and put on his neck to relieve tension!
You'll have to experiment with how long to heat it. Also, the recommended time for applying heat is 15 minutes. Longer than that and it actually causes swelling and can hurt you!
You could find pictures of her and her dad and have her make a coffee table book of their 2009 experiences. She could even write some simple stories of things she remembers doing with dad during the year. You may want to help her with this and have her tell you the story, you write it down and have her copy it so it's in her handwriting.
Try familyfun.com or http://www.dltk-kids.com/ for various ideas.
Coffee drinker? Go to pottery place and put their handprints on a mug. It's okay if they overlap...just do differnt colors for each child. Or a change bowl maybe?
