Materials

• Muslin bags
• Fabric Dye or food colouring/shallow dish
• Deck of cards, dice, bingo chips, game markers, spinners, play coins, egg timer etc. (You could choose any or a combination of these items often found at educational and dollar stores, whatever you like for game components)
• Notepad, small pencil (optional)
• Ribbon
• Print-out of gift tag MakeYourOwnGame (with multiple copies for future use) or letter stamps/permanent stamp pad

Directions

• For an adult: Dye the bottom of muslin bags with fabric dye.  Follow the directions on the dye and be sure to use old containers (like a clean yogurt tub) and rubber gloves. Cover any surfaces that may come in contact with the dye (including under where you hang them to dry).  With a child: Dye the bottom of the bags, using diluted food colouring.

• Once you have let them dry overnight, you can then stamp onto the bags “Make Your Own Game” using letter stamps and a stamp pad intended for fabric.  We provided a simple tag should you like to use that instead.

• Fill the bag with a deck of cards, dice, bingo chips, game markers, spinners, play coins etc.

• Include a little notepad and pencil for them to write down and/or draw illustrations of how to play the game they create.

Purpose

• Encouraging creativity
• As many games use various math concepts such as probability, addition/subtraction (moving your pieces) they are a great way for kids to engage and apply their skills
• A meaningful opportunity for writing- if they write down the instructions and see others follow them, this gets them seeing the value of communication.

Safety Notes

• Many of the materials suggested (dice, bingo chips, play coins) are choking hazards, therefore they are not recommended for children 0-3.  Be sure to store the materials in a safe space.

Materials

• Kraft paper or newsprint
• Black ink (you can buy this at art supply stores where it is often labeled “Chinese Ink” or “India Ink”)
• Shallow dish
• Smock
• Craft tray or plastic table cloth
• Popsicle sticks and/or a toothbrush
• Non-toxic children’s paint (you may have to dilute for it to work with the eye dropper)
• Paint tray
• Eye dropper (purchase inexpensively at a drug store)
• Shoe laces (we chose neon for a pop of colour)
• Wet cloth for clean-up
• Print-out of birthday tag: AMostHappyBirthday (There are spots for the names on the tags and multiple copies for future use)
• Clear tape
• Scissors
• Crepe or tissue paper (optional)

Directions

• After donning your smock and covering your work space, carefully pour some ink into a shallow dish.

• Dip your popsicle sticks into the ink and create patterns on the paper.  You can also use the toothbrush and tap it on top to create dips.  (If you are outside, you could pull back the bristles and create a spray effect).  Allow to dry overnight.

• We also tried an option where we took a eye dropper and dropped paint and ink, creating splatters as well.

• Wrap your shoe box with the paper, creating layers and use a spare pair of shoelaces to create the bow.

• We provided a gift tag, should you like.

• Additional idea:  Kids love making stuff out of shoes boxes- why not slip in some craft supplies so they can re-use the box and turn it into something else- a diorama…a play suitcase… a doll studio apartment…

Purpose

• Fine motor skill development, using various materials, exploring various processes of creating

Safety Notes

• Be sure to wear a smock and cover your space as this medium tends to splatter and spill with its thin consistency.

Materials

• Kraft paper (can be purchased inexpensively with mailing supplies or re-use the interior of paper grocery bags)
• Newsprint (this is often used in packing between items and is perfect for this project!)
• Twine
• Scissors
• Clear tape
• Buttons (with holes large enough to thread twine through)
• Markers and/or crayons (optional)
• Needle (optional, one with a dull end works well  for children)
• Cardboard box (a perfect opportunity to re-use)
• Print-out of birthday tag AMostHappyBirthday (There are spots for names and multiple copies for future use)

Directions

• Put your present into a box, cover it with kraft paper.

• Thread you twine through the eye of a needle and then put it through one of the button holes (if it has two only) or through two (if it has four), fold it in half.  Do the same to a hole on the other side.  Tie both ends together under the present.  We repeated this three times.

• Optional Extension: With the buttons,  draw a person on the kraft paper with the buttons becoming part of their outfit.  You could further embellish with ribbon, sequins, craft jewels etc.

• Additional Idea:  When giving clothes, why not create a bit of a fun theme.  We bought some capes and then added some binoculars, a sketchbook, pencil crayons and a nature inspired pencil case so the chid could don their coat and go on a discovery walk.

Purpose

• Fine motor skill development,  drawing

Safety Notes

• Use scissors with adult supervision.
• Buttons can be choking hazards.  Be sure to keep them out of reach from small children.

Materials

• Map
• Clear Tape
• Scissors
• Ribbon
• Hole Punch
• Print-out of gift tag or make your own

Directions

• Re-purpose an old map by wrapping a baby gift in it.

• Since a map often has many folds in it, it a forgiving material for children learning to wrap gifts.

• Once it is all wrapped up, add a lovely fabric ribbon and a print-out of our gift tag WelcometotheWorld (There are spots for names and multiple copies for future use or multiple births!) or make your own.

Purpose

• Re-using materials for a different purpose
• Thinking of others

Safety Notes

• If you need to trim the map, using scissors, do so with adult supervision

This is a simple way to wrap a gift (and the child can use it for measurement after!)  

Materials

• Kraft paper (can be purchased inexpensively with mailing supplies or re-use the interior of paper shopping bags)
• Measuring tape (can be purchased at a fabric stores)
• Scissors
• Clear tape
• Cardboard box (a great way to re-use!)
• Ribbon
• Twill cotton ribbon, fabric dye or food colouring & a shallow dish (optional)
• Print-out of the gift tag MyHowYouHaveGrown (With spots for the names and multiple copies for future use)

Directions

• Put your present into a box, cover it with kraft paper.

• Use the measuring tape as ribbon.

• We added a bit of interest by dying twill cotton ribbon (which can be purchased at a fabric store inexpensively.)  If an adult is dying the ribbon, follow the directions on the package of fabric dye, dipping portions of the ribbon into the solution or brushing it on.  If working with a child, you can dye this type of ribbon using food colouring diluted with water in a shallow dish.

• Attach the provided gift tag or make your own.

Purpose

• Re-using materials

Safety Notes

• As with any of these types of materials (ribbon, rope etc.), a measuring tape can be a strangulation hazard and should be used with adult supervision.

Materials

• Kraft paper or newsprint (You can re-purpose these from packing materials as we did or re-use the interior of paper grocery bags)
• Black ink (you can buy this at art supply stores where it is often labeled “Chinese Ink” or “India Ink”)
• Shallow dish
• Smock
• Craft tray or plastic table cloth
• Milk and/or juice jug caps
• Wet cloth for clean-up
• Washers, nuts (that go with bolts) or similar circular hardware that can be re-used or purchased inexpensively from a hardware store.
• Twine (we dyed ours using food colouring diluted with water in a small container)
• Crepe or tissue (optional)
• Scissors
• Clear tape
• Cardboard box (We re-used a packing box)
• Print-out of birthday tag AMostHappyBirthday (With spots for names and multiple copies for future use)

Directions

• After donning your smock and covering your work space, carefully pour some ink into a shallow dish.

• Dip your caps carefully into the ink and create patterns on the paper.  Allow to dry overnight.

• Put your robot themed gift (puzzles, games, magnet sets, books etc.) or building themed gift (building sets, blocks, play tools, construction worker costumes etc.) into a box, cover it with the paper.  We layered it with various other types of paper (such as crepe).   Take two long pieces of twine and loop them through opposite sides of the nuts or washers.  Fold in half and make even.  Tie at the bottom of the present.  Repeat should you like.

• We provided a gift tag or make your own!

Purpose

• Fine motor skill development, using various materials, re-using materials for another purpose.

Safety Notes

• Be sure to wear a smock and cover your space as this medium tends to splatter and spill with its thin consistency.
• Use scissors with adult supervision.
• Washers and nuts can be choking hazards.  Be sure to keep them out of reach from small children.

Materials

• Print-out of the baby template (or draw your own) baby-present-topper
• Thick paper such as cardstock
• Multicultural crayons or markers
• Thin felt marker (we used a permanent one to prevent smudging when the crayon was applied)
• Single hole punch
• Ribbon or twine
• Bone folder (optional)
• Scissors
• Gift Tag: CelebratingYourArrival (With a spot for names and multiple copies for future use or multiple births!)

Option 1

• Fabric
• Fabric scissors
• Fabric glue
• Stick pins

Option 2

• Bath “poof”
• Paint
• Shallow tray
• Craft tray
• Craft glue
• Smock
• Wet cloth for clean-up

Directions

• Print the template onto a piece of white cardstock.  Cut out the two pieces (the blanket and the head).

• Have the child draw the baby’s face on the circle and colour with a multicultural crayon.

Option 1

• Pin the cut out blanket template onto fabric and cut out two copies.

• Fold the cardstock template (along the dotted lines) using a bone folder to get sharp edges.

• Glue the fabric onto the cardstock, one piece on either side, making sure that the fabric goes into the creases of the folds.  Allow to dry overnight. (As you can see, we extended this a bit further, by sewing the edges on a machine as well).

• Attach the circular head as shown using fabric glue.  Allow to dry overnight.

• Attach to the present using tape.  (OR punch two holes in the interior of the blanket.  String twine or ribbon through the holes and attach to the present.)

• Attach the provided tag, should you like.

Option 2

• After donning your smock, put your cut out blanket template in a craft tray or large, shallow dish.

• Dip the bath “poof” into  your paint and paint your blanket, dabbing it several times to cover the surface.

• Allow this to dry and do the other side.

• Once dried, fold the template along the dotted lines and attach the head using craft glue.

• Attach to the gift using tape or punch two holes in the blanket, string ribbon or twine through the holes and attach to the gift.

• Add the provided gift tag.

Option 3

• Print the templates and decorate the blanket, using your ideas/ imagination, making it your own!

• We would love for you to share your ideas.  Please send us a photo!

Purpose

• Thinking of others, using a variety of tools to paint/ create texture

Safety Notes

• It is recommended that you use non-toxic paint and scissors with adult supervision