I have 2 kids of my own, and I babysit full-time for my friend's daughter. Both the girls are almost 3, and I want to find some fun Christmasy activities for them to do indoors. Since we're at home all the time, it gets a little boring, and I want to do something to get my daughter into the holiday spirit. Any ideas? I thought about doing a gingerbread house, but I don't know if that's a little beyond their years. I want to make things that she could keep for years as Christmas memories!
I really like these sites for the younger kiddos:
http://www.freekidcrafts.com/kid_christmas_craft_ideas.html
http://www.toddlertoddler.com/archivedactivities.htm (the Holiday/Christmas ones are labeled -- about midway in the list)
One of my favorite sites is http://familyfun.go.com/ have crafts, recipes, etc. that are for kids. The great thing about the site is a tool that lets you search for crafts based on age-group and time of year or type of activity.
Instead of a gingerbread house, you could make some large Christmasy shaped butter or sugar cookies and let them decorate with icing and sprinkles. Or you could do the gingerbread house, but use non-edible items (i.e. cardboard, yarn, paints, buttons, sequins, felt etc).
Michaels & Hobby Lobby have some really cute ornament/decoration sets made of a foam, etc for kids to make. They seem pretty simple, just may need a little grown up help!
The sugar cookie idea is great! Also, make simple things that you can put their names and ages on as well as the year. My family pulls out all that stuff every year and says, "Look! It's the peanut people mom made when she was 4." or whatever. Simple ornaments - maybe with their handprints or go to Hobby Lobby and buy plain, unpainted wooden ornament (spray paint them white) and let them glue, paint, and glitter. Write the info on the back and tie a thin red or green ribbon thru the hole so they can hang them.
Cut the pictures out of old Christmas cards (glue each cut out picture on a same-sized piece of construction paper) and let them glue them back to back (with a piece of looped ribbon in the middle to make them hang on the tree) - you can write their info around the edges. Those could even be sent in Christmas cards to Grandma. Let the kids think about which picture Grandma (or Aunt, Uncle, Cousin, etc...) would like, ask them why, etc... and be sure to let Grandma know the reasons - they'll become treasures!
Also, styrofoam snowmen would be easy - glue on a scarf, etc... made from felt.
Remember, they're little - keep things easy to pick up and easy to do.
You'll have big fun!
