Some of the most precious gifts are those made with loving hands and when those hands belong to a special child in your life, then the gift becomes all the more special. Here are some gifts you can help your child make that will be cherished for years to come.
Preschooler
Magic Crystal Ornaments
Gift giving is an easy, joyful endeavor for preschoolers. A picture they’ve painted, a few stickers on a piece of construction paper, a couple of clover flowers pulled up in the yard — the simplest creation is a gift for someone they love. The “Magic Crystal Ornaments” tap into the preschooler’s joy and wonder as they place their chenille (pipe cleaner) creations into a borax solution and come back later to find them magically covered in sparkling crystals.
Materials:
- 1 cup borax
- 4 cups water
- Chenille stems (pipe cleaners)
- String
- Wooden skewers or pencils
- Wide cups, jars or glasses
Instructions
Have child twist and bend chenille stems into interesting shapes, small enough to fit into the containers you will be using. Preschoolers are not likely to produce stars or Christmas trees or any recognizable shape. Fun squiggles make great ornaments!
Hang one chenille ornament in each cup by tying it to a pencil (or skewer) with string and resting the pencil on top of the cup. The ornament should hang freely in the cup.
Bring 4 cups of water to boil. Remove from heat.
Stir in 1 cup of borax.
Allow to cool until water temperature is warm, but safe for pouring.
Pour borax solution into each cup to cover the suspended ornament.
Let stand for about 5-6 hours. Longer times result in heavier crystal coating, shorter times in a lighter coating.
Have child gently remove ornaments from solution and enjoy the excitement of discovering the transformation! Hold up to light to see the sparkling crystals. (If ornaments stick to sides or bottom of cup, gently pry loose with a spoon or kitchen knife.)
Allow to dry on paper towels.
Add a tie and the ornaments are ready to hang on the tree.
If handled with care, these ornaments will last for several years. Spray on clear acrylic sealer for added strength.
Variation
Glue on a magnet for use as a fridge decoration.
Elementary schooler
Art Calendar
Elementary children take pride in what they produce. They are more selfcritical than preschool children and are interested in others’ assessments of their work. Working on the computer to make a calendar allows them to produce a useful gift that incorporates their own artwork. Several calendar programs are available online (www.freeprintablecalendar. net), making it easy for your child to print out a complete calendar for next year.
Materials
- Computer and printer
- Printer paper
- Construction paper - 12 sheets
- Glue stick or double sided tape
- Stapler or paper punch and piece of ribbon or string
Instructions
Using computer, find and print out a 2007 calendar. Each month should be a bit smaller than 1/2 sheet of printer paper.
Cut months apart.
Create a piece of art (about 1/2 page in size) appropriate to each month. Snowman for January, hearts for February, etc. Using the computer to generate the art makes it easy to save, alter or reprint, and some graphics programs have blank calendar templates available. If computer painting is not to your youngster’s liking, it’s also possible to physically cut down previously created paintings or other artwork to fit on each calendar page.
Place one month and one piece of artwork on each piece of construction paper. Trim as necessary. Glue or tape in place.
Assemble calendar by punching and tying with ribbon or string or by stapling the 12 pages together.
Preteens
Woven Bag
Preteens have more gift-giving savvy and are sensitive to trends, style and appropriateness of gifts. They are developing an integrated sense of self that includes their feelings about themselves as friends, siblings and other important relationships. Making a gift is meaningful because of both their effort and their care for the recipient. This bag, woven on a can loom, is an attractive gift that is fun to produce.
Materials
- 1 skein rug yarn
- 1-2 skeins chenille yarn
- 1 large, tall can (46 oz. juice or 1 lb. coffee)
- Tape
- Large blunt yarn needle
- Braid trim or chain for handle
- Old jewelry or buttons
Instructions
Tape end of rug yarn 1” from bottom of can.
Wrap yarn around can. Keep yarn snug enough to avoid overlapping, but don’t pull tight.
Continue wrapping yarn to cover entire can to within 1-2” from top.
Tie off top row of rug yarn to second row, using separate small piece of yarn. Tape ends to can to hold in place.
Lay can on side. Thread 3-4 ft. of chenille yarn into yarn needle.
Starting at bottom, weave over and under rug yarn rows to top of can. Pull leaving 2” tail at bottom of woven row.
Straighten rows of rug yarn and straighten first row of weaving.
Leaving a small loop at top of row, weave opposite over-under pattern from top of can to bottom. (Go under rug yarn you went over on 1st row of weaving, and go over rug yarn you went under.)
Work 2nd row of weaving close to 1st row, leaving a small loop, and straighten.
Continue pattern to cover entire can. Keep weaving loose enough to let chenille form “bumps.” Pulling it too tight will make it flat. Always leave a small loop when turning into next row, and avoid pulling tight. Keep top row and bottom row of rug yarn at the same 1 or 2” from top and bottom of can so weaving stays even.
When coming to the end of a length of chenille yarn, tie on a new strand at the bottom of a row of weaving. Colors may be alternated for a striped effect.
When final row is completed, tie off end of yarn at bottom of row.
Slip woven work off can.
Hot glue or stitch bottom of bag closed, tucking knots and ends to inside of bag.
Embellish front of bag with old buttons or jewelry.
Add handle. Stitch by hand to top corners of bag.
Variations
Bag may be lined with fabric using hot glue or stitching.
Use 1 strand of rug yarn and 1 strand of eyelash yarn (twisted together while weaving), in place of the chenille yarn.
Use a smaller can to make a cell-phone holder or eyeglass case.
Dr. Arlene Sprague has a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology from the University of Tennessee. She recently retired as a full professor of psychology at Lincoln Memorial University in Harrogate, Tenn.
