Try these homemade Christmas gift ideas with your kids. They cost little to make, but are a gift of love, time and effort.
As a bonus, this craft helps kids learn to construct circles and semicircles using a compass.
Inside each attractive little package is a surprise.
Here's the surprise. The trick is make it the right surprise for each person! We'll talk more about that later.
For Our Homemade Christmas Gift Ideas
You'll need:
Christmas wrapping paper
Lightweight coloured cardboard
Gluestick or glue
Paper
Ruler and compass
Scissors
Pencil
What to Do
Draw a square 10cm x 10cm in the middle of the light card.
Set the compass 5cm wide and place the pencil end at one corner of the square. Place the spike end half way along one side of the square. Now swing the compass around to draw a half circle against one side of the square.
Repeat for each side of the square. Look at the picture below to see the shape you'll be making.
Cut around the four-petalled flower shape you've made.
Now spread glue all over the side with your pencil lines on it and glue on a piece of wrapping paper.
Cut the wrapping paper to the same shape as the card.
Turn so that the card side faces upwards, and fold inwards along the edges of the square, as in the picture above.
With the compass still set at 5cm, draw a circle on paper and cut it out. Write your message on it (more about the message soon), and glue it inside your flower shape.
Close the package by folding one flap into the middle, then the one next to it, then the one next to that. Tuck the fourth flap in under the first to secure it.
The Message Inside
Write something you'd like to do for the person you're giving the present to. Kids may need help to think of something appropriate. It should be something you wouldn't normally do anyway, and it must be something the person would really appreciate.
Don't offer something you aren't prepared to do, and don't grumble when you do it!
How about
I'll make you breakfast in bed on Saturday.
I'll vacuum the house.
There's hidden treasure waiting for you under the rose bush. . . (This could be the first clue of a treasure hunt.)
I'll bake you muffins.
I'll pray for you for. . .
I'll give you a back/foot massage.
Think of your own ideas.
Parents can make these for kids too.
Use homemade wrapping paper and recycled cardboard from a cereal packet to make them.
You could hang these packages on the Christmas tree. How about putting a child's photo in each one and using them as decorations.
With two petals open, the flower shape becomes a love heart. We'll leave it to you to think of some homemade Christmas gift ideas using this shape.
