We would like to take a minute to give a hearty thank you to all the parents who came before us and who understand. They have been through the mill of the holidays, they have faced the challenges and met the demands and succeeded, or failed miserably, but win or lose they've been through it and their advice is GOLDEN.
Believe me, heeding your elders has never been so important as when the holidays are bearing down and there will soon be a houseful of young children looking for something FUN to do.The elders know all about it, and when they shake their heads sagely and hand you that glass of wine, take it, and give thanks.
I gratefully took the wine and listened to their advice and now I have some fantastic ideas to share with you that will keep even the youngest entertained, off the computer or television, and best of all...creates beautiful artwork you can treasure forever!
These ideas are easy-peasy and require no previous artistic experience. In fact they are so easy and yield such great results, you might be surprised how many adults want to try it too!
1. Fingerpainted Autumn Trees. These beautiful paintings are made with fingers. All you need is paper and a plate of acrylic paint with your favorite colors. It's self-explanatory really, just dip those little fingers in the paint (oooooh!!!) and dot away, creating any kind or size of leaves you prefer. We love the two different examples here, and you can get as creative as you choose!
(the tree on the right was done with Q-tips!)
2. The Thankful Tree. It is a time for gratitude after all, and the kids really benefit from being asked to focus on what they are grateful for. Writing it down and presenting it in a form of art really cements that awareness in their brains, leaving them with a warm memory of feeling grateful and sharing it with others. there are many kinds of Thankful Trees you can make, but we loved these examples best.
The large one on the wall is simply made with a newspaper trunk, lightly taped to the wall and easy to remove later. You can also use this idea to create a Thankful Wreath (top) which adds a great pop of color to your wall!
3. Painted Leaves. We love this idea because it uses a simple, natural leaf that the kids can have fun collecting outside, and then totally transforms it into a little friend! Or anything else they can imagine. We love the owls and the bugs, but leaves look gorgeous painted with designs and patterns too. Once again, the imagination can go as far as it wants to and results in a gorgeous, practically-free array of beautiful, one-of-a-kind decorations.
So while you're getting ready for the big meal and doing those thousand one things you've got to do to pull it off, have one person delegated to the crafts table and see what a difference it makes! With the kids totally occupied and overseen by one adult, there will be far less chaos in the kitchen. Now you can relax a little, nod your own head wisely and pour someone else that glass of wine, giving your own hearty thanks for kid-friendly activities!
Happy Thanksgiving!!!! xoxoxoxo DR