By Jane Marsh
With the chill setting in and trips to the park out of the question, you’re tucked up indoors while your little one still buzzes with energy. Now’s an ideal moment to turn your living room into a cosy craft spot. Here are simple, easy-to-set-up, screen-free activities you and your children can enjoy by the hearth.
Pinecone Decor
If you’ve noticed a few cones falling from the pine and spruce trees in early December, save them, as they make perfect holiday decor. There are many things you can do with them. They’re great as wreaths when strung together, or you can create little Christmas trees from them. They also work wonderfully as accessories on your tree.
Be sure to use clean, dry pinecones, non-toxic glue and washable paint. You should also bake them on parchment paper at 149° Celsius for an hour to kill any bugs before starting the crafts. Doing so also helps the cones open up and dries out the sap.
If your child loves animals, you can turn pinecones into little hedgehogs or owls with the help of googly eyes, felt ears or beaks, and twigs for legs and wings. For a more seasonally appropriate decoration, add a red pompom for a nose and pipe cleaner antlers to build a reindeer. The googly eyes really bring them to life!
Scented Candles
Considering up to 80% of the heat from a hearth escapes straight up the chimney, why not put some of that warmth to good use by making calming candles at home? Scented ones are actually simpler to make than you might think.
All you’ll need is an old saucepan, a heatproof jug, wax melts or leftover candle pieces, small glass jars or tins, your favourite essential oils, and some broken crayons for colour. Different types of candle wax melt at various temperatures – usually between 38° C and 63° C – so it’s normal if some take a bit longer to melt than others. Be sure to use tongs to remove any old wicks, as the melted wax will be hot.
Melting candles with your little ones can be a fascinating way to explore concepts like fire, states of matter and heat. Plus, they make thoughtful gifts for grandparents. If you don’t have access to an open flame, simply melt the wax using a double boiler on the kitchen stove while the children help by wrapping and decorating the finished candles with ribbons once they’ve cooled.
Pressed Leaf Bookmarks
Since there are probably very few to no leaves left on the trees, this craft needs a little preparation. It’s a perfect way to preserve the beautiful autumn foliage or even summer flowers. Before the cold winds completely blow them away, gather the leaves to press between thick books or old newspapers and let time do the drying. Come winter, you’ll have natural materials that can be perfect bookmarks for the holiday season reading you and your little ones will enjoy.
You can use bookmark blanks or cut your own cardstock where the kids glue the leaves using washable adhesives. For a true bookmark look, punch a hole at the top centre and add a tassel or yarn. Let dry and enjoy your creations all year long.
Mason Jar Snow Globes
What’s more beautiful than seeing snow slowly fall inside a globe, especially when it features your family’s faces? This personalised gift also makes for a heartfelt present for grandparents with kids’ photos placed inside.
Little ones can add glitter to the jar and glue figurines upside down on the lid. You can also print a family picture, cover it with clear tape and tape it in. Parents should handle filling the container with water and sealing them to keep kids safe from spills and glass. This craft provides endless enjoyment as everyone watches the snow gently fall again and again.
