KIDS HOPE AUS.

THEMED MENTOR HOUR

MAKING CHRISTMAS GIFTS

20 IDEAS! There's no better gift from a kid than a homemade one. Here are some super-

easy, crafty gift ideas that are perfect for teachers, family, and friends!

1. Decorated Handkerchief

There's nothing more meaningful than a gift bearing the unmistakable

touch of a creative kid. These easy, crafty gifts will make any adult

smile at Christmas.

A hand-drawn decoration makes a practical gift precious. With fabric

crayons, kids draw on an ironed handkerchief. Mentors can then press

with an iron to set the image (follow instructions on crayon package).

2. Cookie and Tea Set

Pack a pretty mug with tea bags and homemade sweets.

To make simple sugar cookies special, imprint an initial on each one

with an alphabet cutter before baking. Show them off in cellophane

tied with baker's twine and nestled in matching tissue.

3. Button Ornaments

With the help of a pipe cleaner, a variety of colorful buttons can

easily become adorable snowmen, elves, or reindeer ornaments for

family members.

Materials:

Pipe cleaners

Buttons

Felt

Craft glue

Thread

Steps:

1. Bend a pipe cleaner in half and twist once at the top for a loop.

2. Slide buttons over pipe cleaner ends, slipping one end into each hole (if the button has

four holes, use two diagonal ones). Use larger buttons for bellies and hat brims.

3. When finished, twist ends of pipe cleaner to secure, and trim.

4. For reindeer legs and antlers and for Santa's arms, bend 5cm pieces of pipe cleaner in

half, slip on between buttons, and twist.

5. Glue on felt for Santa's beard and the snowman's nose.

6. To hang the reindeer, loop a thread around its middle and tie.

4. Iron-On Floral Tote Bag

Materials:

Transfer paper (Epson Iron-On Cool Peel Transfer Paper for

basic transfer or Dark T-Shirt Transfers for white-on-dark

transfers)

Scissors or craft knife

Ironed pillowcase

Natural-fiber (such as cotton) tote bags

Iron

Sharpie markers (permanent marker) in assorted colors

Butcher paper

Scrap paper

Steps:

1. Download clip art, and print it onto transfer paper. (Images will appear in reverse.)

Using scissors or a craft knife, cut loosely around the designs, leaving a 1cm border.

2. Lay an ironed pillowcase on a table or other hard, heat-resistant surface (not an ironing

board, which has too much padding).

3. Place an ironed bag on pillowcase. Arrange cutout designs face-down on bag, avoiding

seams or pockets.

4. With an iron set on high and no steam, slowly iron on designs, applying firm, even

pressure (follow the transfer-paper manufacturer's instructions). Let cool. Remove

paper backings.

5. Before allowing kids to decorate their tote with permanent markers, cover the table

with butcher paper. Slip sheets of scrap paper inside the tote to prevent the ink from

bleeding.

5. Children's Hand Cookies

Materials:

Any basic biscuit recipe

Steps:

1. Roll out the dough and draw around the child’s hand.

2. Cut out the shape and place on a baking tray.

3. Bake in the oven according to the recipe instructions.

4. Wrap in cellophane and place in a Christmas box or tin.

6. Custom Calendar

A custom, kid-created calendar is a gift any adult can treasure all

year long.

Materials:

Laminate paper

A calendar (you can buy a cheap one from the $2 shop)

Steps:

1. To create, apply peel-and-stick laminate to a picture drawn by your child (follow package directions).

2. Remove a calendar from its original backing, and attach with double-sided tape.

3. Hang on wall!

7. Kid-Embellished Journals

Handcrafted end papers featuring kid drawings transform basic journals into keepsakes.

Materials:

A journal of any size will work.

Your child’s artwork

Steps:

1. Measure the book's original end paper, then cut picture so that it's slightly wider to

accommodate the fold.

2. Use a paintbrush to apply white glue evenly over the end paper.

3. Lay artwork over glued area and press, starting at center and working out.

4. Wipe off any excess glue; an adult can trim the edges with a utility knife if needed.

5. Close the journal, and stack heavy books on top. Let dry overnight.

8. Artful Magnets

Here's a new twist on the familiar refrigerator-cum-art gallery:

Let kids turn their drawings into magnets that can be used all

year long.

They can draw helpful refrigerator reminders or a Christmas

tree and ornaments.

Print onto magnet sheets, and cut out.

To give magnets as presents, affix them to a greeting card

with double-sided tape.

9. Paperweight/Decoration for Dad

Materials:

1/4 cup of salt,

1/4 cup of water,

1/2 cup of flour, a bowl,

a cookie sheet and

pebble gravel

Steps:

1. Preheat your oven to 250 degrees.

2. Have your child take the salt, water and flour and mix together thoroughly in the bowl to

create the dough.

3. Roll the creation into a ball and flatten out on the cookie sheet.

4. Then, the child can take the pebbles and spell out a special message for Dad.

5. Bake in the oven for two hours or until dry and stiff, then let it cool afterwards overnight.

It's the perfect paperweight!

10. Pinwheel Necklace

Materials:

Wooden washer (available at your local craft store),

Lanyard of any color,

Wood paint

A paint brush

Steps:

1. Have your child paint a pretty design on the wooden washer -- which will now be a

fashionable new pendant.

2. Then let dry and loop the lanyard through the hole and tie at the ends.

3. Easy! Wrap in a decorative box and give to mum/a big sister!

11. Wooden Beaded Necklace

Materials:

String or wool

Scissors

wooden beads

painter's masking tape

paint and a small paintbrush

Steps:

1. Using painter's masking tape, tape around one half of the

bead -- this will ensure you have nice, even paint lines.

2. Do this for all of the beads.

3. Then let your kid paint the beads however they'd like.

4. Once dry, help them string the beads onto the yarn and cut to the desired length.

12. Handprint Tree Apron

Materials:

White apron

fabric paint

paintbrush

hands

Steps:

1. Start with the mentors hands!

2. Paint hands green and place handprints (fingertips pointing toward bottom hem) across base of the apron.

3. As the tree tapers, use smaller and fewer

handprints.

4. Cover thumbs with other paint colors to

create thumbprint ornaments and decorations.

See next page for extra decorating ideas!

13. Picture Frame Ornament

Materials:

Construction paper

glue stick

scissors

photo

ribbon

tape

decoration (e.g. markers, glitter, craft foam pieces)

picture frame ornament template (below)

Steps:

1. Print and cut out picture frame template.

2. Fold construction paper in half.

3. Place template on construction paper, lining up one side of picture frame to the folded

edge of construction paper.

4. Trace frame and trim away the edges.

5. Cut out the center (be sure to only cut hole in the top flap of construction paper) --

this will be where the photo appears.

6. Decorate frame with markers and glitter. Insert photo and seal open edges of frame

with glue.

14. Pounded Flower Bookmarks

Materials:

Watercolor paper

Flowers

Rock or wooden hammer

wax paper

scissors

hole puncher

ribbon

Steps:

1. Place flower on top of watercolor paper and cover with wax paper.

2. Using a rock or hammer, pound flower until it leaves a pattern to your liking.

3. Repeat with other flowers.

4. Cut flowered paper into shape of a bookmark and punch a hole on one end. Loop

ribbon through the hole and tie.

5. The bookmark could be laminated to make it more durable.

15. Embroidered Felt Purse

Materials:

Felt

needle and thread

wool

Steps:

1. Cut a square of felt in half.

2. Fold one of the halves, leaving a 5cm tab that will serve as the top flap, then stitch both

sides closed.

3. Pencil in a simple design on purse, then embroider along pencil lines.

4. Sew button onto flap.

5. For strap, plait wool and sew onto purse.

16. Key Chains

Materials:

Alphabet beads

Split Rings found at the craft shop

Leather Jewellery String (plastic works too just as long as the bead holes will thread onto them)

Decorative beads (hearts, colors, etc.) are optional.

Step One

Cut a piece of string about 12 inches long. Fold the string in half and wrap the doubled string

around the split ring. Then bring it back around and put it through the string loop.

Step Two

Pull the string tight so it wraps tight around the split ring.

Step Three

Let your children string the beads on with words like, “best dad” or “Daddy’s Keys.”

Step Four

Firmly tie off the string/cord at the end of the beads.

17. Icypole Stick Frames

Materials:

regular or jumbo size icypole sticks

decorated sticky tape

glue

magnets

Steps:

1. roll out a strip of decorated sticky tape – sticky side up

2. lay your icypole stick on top and wrap the tape around

the edges

3. wrap as many sticks as you want depending on how big

you want your frame

4. take 2 plain sticks and put a line of glue down them

5. lay your decorated sticks across them in the opposite

direction

6. glue a magnet on the top center of the back of your frame

7. once dry, decorate!

8. you can glue, tape or use a push pin to attach your pictures

9. use tacky glue to attach some wood chip decorations

Here’s an even simpler version:

Steps:

1. decorate 4 sticks and glue them in a square fitting the picture you

have

2. glue or tape your picture to the back

3. glue a magnet to the back

18. Kid Made Gift Wrap

Materials:

Red and green paint

Roll of easel paper

Tray

Decorative paint rollers

Steps:

1. Spread some red and green paint on an art tray and provide decorative rollers.

2. Roll the rollers in the paint to make sure they are completely covered.

3. Start making designs on the easel paper!

19. Mini Book

Materials:

Cardstock to cut the cards from.

A hole punch

A binder/jump ring (available at your local craft or

office supplies store) -- or you could use ribbon!

A pen

Pictures

Cut index cards (or cut out your own!)

Steps:

1. Brainstorm a list of 10 things your child wants to include in the book.

2. Write the numbers on the cards, or use number stickers.

3. Find pictures from magazines which go with the statements.

4. Make a front card as pictured above.

5. Then the child can write their statements on each card.

6. The cards can be decorated with cut out pictures or drawings.

20. Decorated Golf Balls

Materials:

Permanent coloured markers

Golf balls

Your child can draw on the balls to their heart’s content!