by Melissa from Michigan
We fill our homes with warmth and decor all throughout December, but sometimes the long, cold winter months seem to drag on in the most depressing way.
I recently read an article mentioning the fact that we are quick to tear down all of our cheery, seasonal decor as soon as the holidays have passed. The article made the suggestion to keep out any decor that was winter-themed.
This year, I decided to go ahead and take that advice. I left out garland and cute winter accents. About mid-January, the kiddos and I whipped up some Valentine's Day crafts for decor.
It’s tempting to buy seasonal decor for every small holiday, but it’s so simple to craft a few things that are just as precious — and even more so if you let the kiddos help.
Bonus? It gives them something to do and can be a learning experience when you
incorporate reinforcing colors, etc. Depending on the activity you choose, crafting increases gross and fine motor skills and scratches the itch for sensory seekers.
I set up a simple painting activity for my toddlers. I limited the colors to limit mess and allow them to focus better. We used pink and red. Choosing limited colors made it impossible for them to make everything brown! It also made it easy to practice which color was which.
I creased an empty paper towel roll (that was cut in half widthwise) at the bottom, then pinched the top in to form a heart. A piece of scotch tape held the heart shape well. This became an adorable stamp!
I always make sure to cover the surface area of wherever the kids are crafting, and paper plates as palettes make clean-up that much easier.
I used the 98-cent acrylic craft paints, but finger paints will work just as well. Take into consideration your child’s developmental stage to decide which type of paint is best for them.
I don’t pretend to be a great interior designer by any means, but my kids love the festive touches, and it keeps us in good spirits while we wait for sunny days ahead!
This blog was written by one of our guest bloggers, Melissa.
About Melissa. . .
Melissa is a social media copywriter, Mother to an amazing 19 year old son, foster Mother of 7 years, and adoptive Mother of 3 Littles all under 4!! She enjoys creative writing, floral design and outdoor recreation in her free time.
Read Melissa's other post:
Want more activities to do with your children? Check out our free lesson called Happy, Healthy, Active Children in the Keeping Your Family Healthy category. Visit us at www.wichealth.org today!
Do you have ideas to keep kids active? We would love to hear about them in the comments below!
