Ideas for presents that kids can make?

[Leersia]

We're taking this week off of homeschooling and I would love to come up with something EASY that my 6-year-old boys can work on for Christmas presents for relatives. Something like scented bath salts that we can make en masse in an afternoon, only I would like some other ideas too, if you have them. Thanks!

[LaughingHyena]

We've planted pots of indoor bulbs for various relatives. I had planned to let the children decorate the pots with ceramic paints/pens but in the end I couldn't quite face the mess.

[bluebird68]

Hey! A friend gave us this idea, and it was great fun. Collect smooth rocks that would make good paperweights, and warm them in an oven at 250 degrees for about 30 min, take out (with potholders), and color with crayons that are held to the surface (old brokens work great-- espec. the metallics)-- abstract, realistic, whatever! Wait for them to cool, and then buff with a cotton cloth and they shine. THey are beautiful! HTH!

[AllyRae]

Brandon's made tons of things for gifts--candles, soaps, etc. My favorite was getting clear glass ornament bulbs from the craft store, filling them with colored paper or painting on them with stained glass paint. They come in boxes of 12, and they didn't take long for him to make at all!

[AAK]

Some that we've done:
Bought flour sack towels and done handprint xmas images on them (like foot and 2 hands for a reindeer, etc)
Bought silk pillowcases and dyed with koolaid (doing this year)
Bought plain tiles and decorated with sharpies (dd did this in class) and it was used as a wall decoration.

Amy

[Jyotsna]

Hi Bluebird,

Do you think we could do it the other way, color the rocks first, then heat them in the oven? I'd be worried my kids hands would get burnt, if we did it the way your friend suggested. I'll try some on a bit of aluminum sheet.

Jyotsna

[monkey's mom]

We'll be making garden art this year with the kids. We'll use a piece of board and hammer on lots of keys, latches, hinges, big nails, can lids, etc. into flowers, suns, and other designs. We;ll attach a hanger on the back and it can be hung on a tree, shed, garden gate, whatever. I'm eager to see how they turnout.