Ornaments For Little Hands

I have been dying to try out making ornaments with my friends. The dilemma is which one to do; there are tons! For inspiration I did not have to look any farther than my own Christmas tree.

My son made this rice wreath ornament at his school. I was reminded of this today when I dropped my youngest off at that very school. There they were, the rice wreath ornaments. The light bulb went off.

Supplies: rice, paint, glue, and items to decorate wreath. Today I used only glitter since I had my friends who are 1-2 years old. I had my friends help me measure and mix the rice. They loved it. I was so busy, I forgot to take pictures. I recommend letting your little ones mix it, it is a great way to be included and practice those skills.

I did not use any exact measurements. I just poured the paint and glue, praying it would be enough. It was. Additionally I chose a more vibrant green (my paint was a powder) than a pine green as I wanted it to stand out and not get lost in a tree.

Here are the results:

Sorry about clarity - I need to remember my good camera. 

I am going to do this with my 2-3 year olds next week and will post the process and results. 

At the end of class I wanted to show my friends pine cone painting. I put a piece of paper in a small plastic storage container that securely locks. I added a large pine cone and black paint. They each took turns shaking it; eagerly I might add. 

The first pine cone painting had too much paint. I recommend starting with a little paint and adding more when needed. 

Finally, our sensory was with the sponges! I had star shapes, tree shapes, and ginger bread people shapes. I laid out the aquadoodle mat and let the kids explore. They loved playing in the water and painting the mat.