Make a Keepsake Christmas ornament before putting those decorations away!

STOP! Don't put those Christmas ornaments away just yet!

You can easily create a unique Christmas keepsake with your ornaments.

 

If you already have any solid colored or glass ball ornaments, all you need now is paint and your child. If you don't have any ornaments that will work, you're in luck because most retail stores are having after-Christmas sales on decorations right now.

I did this project with my CBRS children this year. While my original idea was to make beautiful snowmen out of their handprints, it ended up looking more like blobs of paint. But, all of the parents loved the handmade ornaments, so it really didn't matter what it ended up looking like.

If your child has high-sensitivity to messy stuff on their hands, encourage them to just paint on the ornament. You can allow it to dry and then write their name and the year on it as well. You can also try doing footprints with children less willing to use their hand OR for babies (feet are much cuter anyway, right?)

Wouldn't this make a wonderful family weekend activity before having to put your holiday decorations away and returning to normal live? And you'll have a family memory and keepsake for Christmases to come!

Katie Zink, Infant-Toddler Family Specialist