Materials

• Printables:  (We have a version for juice type cartons: Juice Carton ginger bread and the slightly taller milk cartons too: Milk Carton ginger bread
  
• Beverage carton
• Scissors
• Glue
• Additional items to decorate (beads, rick rack, gems, buttons- use whatever you have on hand or our printable comes with paper candies too)

We always find these items useful too: 

Directions

• Wash your beverage carton throughly with soap and water and rinse it well, allowing it to dry overnight.

• Print your beverage carton gingerbread house on thick paper such as cardstock and cut it out.

• Fold along the dotted lines.

• Glue the two pieces on the carton where the roof of the the gingerbread house lines up with the peaks of the milk carton near the top.

• Cut out the characters, props and stands. For the characters with the tab on the bottom, fold it and then that will make the base where it will stand. For the items with a stand, make a cut along the dotted lines on the characters and the stands and insert them into one another.  You could make paper items of your own to add.  For the 2D gingerbread house we added some heavy vintage beads so to get it to be more study we simply glued a small box on the back which worked like a charm!

• Set up your scene and add any things that you might like to enhance it (small toy figurines for kids etc.)

EXTENSION 

• If you want to add a door for your characters to go into your gingerbread house, take a baby wipe lid and place it on the door of your house, see our example on our Milk Carton Haunted House: http://make-it-your-own.com/milk-carton-haunted-house-scene/

• Open the lid and trace around the inside.

• Paint your lid with acrylic paint if you like.

• Have an adult cut out the traced portion.

• Glue the lid down with a sturdy/ child-safe glue.

• Allow to dry.

• Voila!  A door to open your gingerbread house up!

If you like this idea, we also have:

A Beverage Carton Paper Farm: http://make-it-your-own.com/paper-farm/

A Beverage Carton Haunted House: http://make-it-your-own.com/milk-carton-haunted-house-scene/

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Purpose

• Recognizing some of the symbols associated with various holidays and celebrations.
• Reusing recyclables.
• Encouraging play which incorporates communication, imagination

Safety Notes

• We suggest that you use a tray and a smock to protect your clothing and surfaces.
• Use scissors with care and direct, adult supervision.
• Be sure to throughly WASH your beverage carton prior to use!
• Beads can be a choking hazard, therefore be sure to keep them out of the reach of children ages 0-3 years of age or those that tend to put things into their mouths.

Materials

• Printables: haunted house juice carton (Juice/ soy milk size) haunted house milk carton (milk carton size) 
  
• Cardstock
• Beverage carton (the shape of a orange juice carton or milk carton: there are 2 sizes of printables)
• Scissors
• Glue
• Additional items

We always find these items useful too:

Directions

• Wash your beverage carton throughly with soap and water and rinse it well, allowing it to dry overnight.

• Print your beverage carton house on thick paper such as cardstock and cut it out.

• Fold along the dotted lines.

• Glue the two pieces on the carton where the roof of the the haunted house lines up with the peaks of the milk carton near the top.

• Cut out the characters and props and glue the opposite duplicates back to back.  Do the same with the stands. Make a cut along the dotted lines on the characters and the stands and insert them into one another.  You could make paper items of your own to add.

• Set up your scene and add any things that you might like to enhance it (small toy figurines for trick or treaters etc.)

EXTENSION 

• If you want to add a door for your characters to go into your haunted house, take a baby wipe lid and place it on the door of your haunted house.

• Open the lid and trace around the inside.

• Paint your lid with acrylic paint if you like.

• Have an adult cut out the traced portion.

• Glue the lid down with a sturdy/ child-safe glue.

• Allow to dry.

• Voila!  A door to open your haunted house up!

If you like this idea, we also have:

A Beverage Carton Gingerbread House: http://make-it-your-own.com/beverage-carton-gingerbread-house-and-play-scene/

A Beverage Carton Paper Farm: http://make-it-your-own.com/paper-farm/

Pin this idea

Purpose

• Recognizing some of the symbols associated with various holidays and celebrations.
• Reusing recyclables.
• Encouraging play which incorporates communication, imagination and interaction!

Safety Notes

• We suggest that you use a tray and a smock to protect your clothing and surfaces.
• Use scissors with care and direct, adult supervision.
• Be sure to throughly WASH your beverage carton prior to use.Beads can be a choking hazard, therefore be sure to keep them out of the reach of children ages 0-3 years of age or those that tend to put things into their mouths.

Materials

Templates:

• Coloured Version:  barn milk container (Barn, Animals, Hay Bales, Pond, Tree, Railroad, Dirt Roads)
• Colour Yourself: barn milk container bw
• Barn Writing Booklet: Colour: farm writing colour Colour Yourself: farm writing BW
• Story Planner: story planner

• Washed milk/ beverage cartons (2L)
• Paper (we used cardstock for a more sturdy build)
• Scissors
• Glue
• Farm Vehicles (we constructed ours from https://connetixtiles.com/shop/)
• Cardboard tubes (re-use TP or paper towel rolls)
• Paint, brush

We always find these items useful too:

Directions

• There are options that are fully coloured for each idea or ones that you can colour yourself.

• Print the barn pieces.  Cut them out, fold along the dotted lines and glue them on the side of your milk cartons.

• Print our your animals and cut them along the dotted lines. Glue the two pieces together, back to back.  Along with the animals is a tuft of grass which they will stand in.  Snip the line under the animal’s feet and the one in the grass and then slide one into the other to make them stand.  You could also add toy animal figurines if you have them.

• Print your roads and railroads and cut them out.  The grass folds up along the roads if you like.  You can connect them together to build an intricate system.

• Print and add a pond to your farm yard if you like.

• The trees work with the same premise as the animals.  Paint cardboard tubes to use as the trunk and insert the tree tops into the trunks along the smaller snip lines.

• Add your farm vehicles.  We created ours out of the Connetix vehicle set (the roads and the railway are the width of the wheel base).  Find them here: https://connetixtiles.com/shop/
  

• Enjoy your farm!

Farm Writing Booklet

• Print the cover of the booklet that you like (you can either chose a coloured version or one to colour yourself).  We used cardstock for the front and back cover as it is a bit more sturdy and then regular paper for the interior writing pages.  Use the writing booklet to describe what happens on a farm or perhaps a report on one of the animals that are found on a farm.  You could also use it for narrative writing.  You may find this story writing template helpful: story planner.  We printed some extra copies of the interior pages so we could write a rough copy, edit it with an adult and then write a good copy.

If you like this idea, we also have:

A Beverage Carton Haunted House: http://make-it-your-own.com/milk-carton-haunted-house-scene/

A Beverage Carton Gingerbread House: http://make-it-your-own.com/beverage-carton-gingerbread-house-and-play-scene/

Pin this idea

If you love this idea, why not make a PAPER FAIRY GARDEN too!

Find the printables here: http://make-it-your-own.com/paper-fairy-garden-and-writing-booklet/

OR our BUTTERFLY THEATRE & SCRIPT

Find the printables here:

http://make-it-your-own.com/printables-on-hp-play-learn/

Purpose

• Reimagining recyclables for play.
• Writing for various purposes whether it be fiction or non fiction.

Safety Notes

• We suggest that you use a tray and a smock to protect your clothing and surfaces.
• Use scissors with care and direct, adult supervision.

You could also create this package for a teacher gift for them to use in their classroom!  (I know I would have loved it as a teacher!) 

Materials

Gingerbread Building Blocks

• Blank building block set (we used one from Melissa and Doug https://www.melissaanddoug.com/ which you can purchase at many toy shops or online as we know the quality of their toys)
• Paint pens (our favourite are the Posca brand)
• Line and Design Ideas: gingerbread pattern

Gingerbread Puppets

• Wooden puppets (you can purchase these online) OR here’s a template to make paper ones:
• Gingerbread people print out gingerbread people
• Tongue depressors or popsicle sticks.
• Cardstock or thick paper
• Decorating items  (Use up odds and ends- felt, ribbon, beads, buttons) OR
• Paint pens

Gingerbread Ornament

• Gingerbread person template: gingerbread
• Gingerbread house template: house
• Felt
• Embroidery thread or sewing machine (with direct, adult supervision)
• Fabric glue
• Fabric scissors
• Decorating items (Ribbon, rick-rack, beads, buttons etc. )
• Stuffing

Present Label 

• Printable: Happy Holiday Tag
• Cardstock
• Pencil/ eraser
• Scissors
• Tape
• Ribbon

We always find these items useful too:

Directions

Gingerbread Building Blocks

• Paint your blocks with paint pens to look like icing lines and designs.  If you need some ideas, we have included a printable.  Allow them to dry overnight.

Gingerbread Puppets

• Print out the gingerbread people on thick paper such as cardstock.  (You could also print them on copy paper and glue them on cardboard if you want)
• Glue them onto a craft stick.
• Or purchase pre-made wooden gingerbread people.
• Decorate your gingerbread men or gingerbread women with fabric scraps, buttons, beads, paint pens etc. (use up little odds and ends that you have on hand) OR with paint pens.

Gingerbread Ornament

• Print out the gingerbread person or house template.  We made them quite large for beginning sewers, but you could shrink them if you like.
• Cut out the templates.
• Tape them to the felt with a tape donut.
• Cut out two copies of the gingerbread person or house.
• Decorate the top copy with beads, buttons, rick-rack, ribbon etc.  You could glue them on with fabric glue or sew the them on.  Sometimes we do both- a light glue to hold pieces in place so we can then sew them more easily.
• Allow your work to dry overnight.
• Sew your sides together- however be sure to sew a loop in at the top (ribbon, rick rack or folded felt) and a spot to insert your stuffing.  You could use a dowel, the eraser end of a pencil or the stick part of a paint brush to push the stuffing to the end.
• Sew up the hole.

Present Label 

• Print the label, add your your name.  Put all your blocks and puppets back into the box (or use another one) and then tie a ribbon around your gift!  Give it to a special friend!

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Purpose

• Building is great for developing STEM skills, refining motor skills and the puppets lead to dramatic play, developing communication skills  and growing one’s imagination!

Safety Notes

• We suggest that you use a tray and a smock to protect your clothing and surfaces.
• Use scissors, a needle with care and direct, adult supervision.
• Cord, yarn etc. can be a strangulation hazard, therefore be sure to use with direct supervision and for its intended purpose.
• Beads can be a choking hazard, therefore be sure to keep them out of the reach of children ages 0-3 years of age or those that tend to put things into their mouths.
• Follow product directions.  This is not a gift idea intended for children 0-3 years of age or those that still tend to put things in their mouths.

Donations

1) In lieu of gifts, we give donations for the adults in our family and close friends.  These are organizations that are important to ourselves or the recipient.   However, we like to attach a handmade ornament to the donation card.  Here are a few we have made in the past:

Snow person: http://make-it-your-own.com/silvery-snow-snow-person-ornament/

Santa, Mrs. Claus & Elf Ornaments:

http://make-it-your-own.com/christmas-ornaments-santa-claus-mrs-claus-and-the-elves/ 

Clay Faces: http://make-it-your-own.com/clay-portrait-ornaments/

Shrink Art Ornaments: http://make-it-your-own.com/snow-globe-shrink-art-ornaments/

AND Our favourite handmade cards:

Snow People: http://make-it-your-own.com/handmade-cards-make-your-own-snowperson/

Ornament Card: http://make-it-your-own.com/handmade-cards-ornaments/

Snowy Forest: http://make-it-your-own.com/handmade-cards-snowy-forest/

Candle Cards: http://make-it-your-own.com/handmade-cards-candles/

2) We do give gifts to teachers and help Santa with the stockings of our family members so here are a few items we like to add:

• Plantiful: https://plantiful.ca/  I wear Plantiful’s lip butter every day (and night)- I just love it!  With their new compostable tube with 3 times the amount of lip butter in it, I pop in my coats, purse and have one beside my bed.  My kids like to have one by their bed and in their back packs for school too!  We love their vapour balm (I literally have it on while I am typing this), face masks, hand creams, pain remedies and make-up remover (so good for face paint).  I like that all their products are plant based.  My friends and the kids’ teachers can attest, that their products make lovely gifts!

• Justine Ma Designs: https://justinema.ca/ Since my kids just love making, I think it is always important to support makers and Justine is a favourite of our whole family!  She has beautiful, handmade ornaments, cards (which I am always giving my family members) and cake toppers.  If you look at Justine’s site, she participates in many events in her community, promotes and donates to initiatives and is a lovely friend!

• This year we are adding all sorts of re-useable items to our adult stockings such as metal straws, veggie bags, wax wraps etc.  My husband always likes consumables too- hot sauce, chocolate etc.  And my mom always taught us to include some practical items such as nail clippers, combs etc. as well.

• For teachers, if we know that they like something in particular, we try to align our gift ideas to that.  So for example, give bakers things to use in their kitchen, cook books etc.  Other gift ideas include:  stationary, throws, winter wear, candles, body care items, tea/ coffee, books gift cards etc.  We include a handmade piece of art, or an ornament, along with a personal note of appreciation.   We will also try to include a children’s book with an inscribed note.

Kid Gift and Stocking Ideas

We generally don’t give our kids tonnes of gifts as we travel for the holidays to visit family and try to focus on experiences such as lessons, activities etc.  However, we select one toy to share and help Santa with the stockings!  Here are a few ideas:

• Craft and art materials:  Our kids love things like paint pens (Posca), Paint Sticks (https://www.thepencilgrip.com/collections/kwik-stix-super-quick-drying-solid-tempera-paint-sticks), paint brushes and our new favourite place to order wooden craft materials for open-ended creating and crafts: Wood Pecker Crafts https://woodpeckerscrafts.com/

• Melanie Shanks: https://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/MyBigWorldPlayscapes Melanie makes beautiful, hand-sewn felt PLAYMATS and our kids just love playing with figurines (animals, fairies, sea creatures etc.), so these play mats are perfect for play in both your home or classroom.

• Adventures in a Box: https://www.adventure-in-a-box.com/shadow-puppets/ Liska and her family create these intricate, detailed SHADOW PUPPETS.  We have used them in groups, given them to friends and teachers and they have always been a hit!

• Pink NouNou Stuffies: https://www.pinknounou.com/shop_/ If your child would like a “lovie” to treasure, Ana’s creations are unique and designed by her.

• This year our children’s gift to share is going to be Connetix Magnet Tiles: https://connetixtiles.com/.  We have heard such great reviews about their magnet strength and can’t wait until they are available for order here in Canada!

• In the past our children have enjoyed Schleich figurines, Playmobil, various building items such as LEGO, forts and cardboard blocks.  They love items for dramatic play such as puppets and costumes as well.  Board games have also been a hit as they have grown.  If you want age specific toy recommendations the developmental information behind those selections Toy Ideas is a good site: https://www.toy-ideas.com/

• This year the cousins are getting a Building Kit from us or

• A Gingerbread Kit  (video coming out soon)

Books

We just love Children’s picture books and novels and here are a few of our favourite sites for book recommendations:  (we give our neighbours books if they have children and treats/ hot chocolate/ tea if they don’t)

• Innovation Press: https://www.theinnovationpress.com/our-books I like that the Innovation Press illuminates the careers and contributions of women to STEM related fields.  Here are some of their newest titles that we have been reading:

• My Colour is Rainbow: https://www.hellowonderful.co/post/my-color-is-rainbow-a-playful-children-s-book-on-kindness-love-and-acceptance-shop/:  The kids sure enjoyed this book and if you are familiar with Agnes and her family, they support lots of Kindness initiatives!

• Happily Ever Elephants: https://happilyeverelephants.com/ Lauren has good, thoughtful book suggestions with titles that lend to discussion and debate!

• Here Wee Read: http://hereweeread.com/ This is such a great site for diverse titles which is something that I always tried to focus on as teacher and in our family in expanding our library.

• Kid Art Lit: https://www.kidartlit.com/  Megan and Julia have created a subscription box that combines their love of Children’s picture books and art, delivered right to your door!

Project Books:

These make lovely gifts for little friends with a few supplies in a basket, along with the book.  Here are a few that we have enjoyed lately:

• Babble Dabble Do’s The Bot Book : https://babbledabbledo.com/the-bot-book/ If you have a child who enjoys STEAM or you would like to get them into more of it, this is a great book for creating!

• Best Ideas for Kids: https://www.thebestideasforkids.com/ . Kim’s new book is all about recyclables which is great for the earth and I know my kids are always using the recycling bin as place to get inspiration!

• Red Ted Art Paper Project Book: https://www.redtedart.com/my-new-paper-crafts-for-kids-book/ . This book is great in that it uses one material that we all have on hand in so many unique ways!

• Sticks and Stones Outdoor Activity Book: https://www.firefliesandmudpies.com/outdoor-activity-book/  We love collecting nature- sticks, rocks, acorns and pinecones and this book of Melissa’s is great for showing your projects that you can make with those nature finds!

• Color Made Happy Rock Painting Book: https://colormadehappy.com/  Our youngest just loves rocks and so we are often creating with them.  Sam’s book had the best recommendations for supplies to use and potential ideas for projects!  We truly feel like it took the kids’ rock creations to the next level!

We’d love to hear your holiday gift recommendations!  We hope you have a most wonderful one, with the greatest gift- the warmth of family & friends! 

Materials

Christmas Tree

• Wooden mug holder
• Acrylic paint
• Wooden curtain hooks
• Wooden star (we used a Christmas ornament that we removed the loop from)
• Wooden bead or dowel cap
• Paint brush
• Floral foam
• Wood glue or glue gun

Nesting Dolls

• Blank Nesting Dolls (we got ours at Michaels craft store)
• Acrylic paint
• Paint pens (we like the Posca brand which are available on Amazon)
• Pencil/eraser
• Paint brush

Bowling Set

• Blank bowling set (we got ours at Bear Woods Supply Company: https://www.woodparts.ca/mini-wooden-baseball-bats-bowling-pins.html)
• Acrylic paint
• Paint pens (we like the Posca brand which are available on Amazon)
• Pencil/eraser
• Paint brush

Stacking Present Blocks

• Blank wood blocks (we got ours at Michaels craft store)
• Acrylic paint
• Paint pens (we like the Posca brand which are available on Amazon)
• Pencil/eraser
• Ruler
• Cake stand, wood round or flat surface
• Paint brush

We always find these items useful too:

Directions

Christmas Tree

• Unscrew the pegs out of your mug holder.  These will form your branches for your tree.  Insert them into your floral foam and give them a few thin coats of acrylic paint, allowing them to dry throughly in between.

• Paint your wooden circular curtain rings with a few thin coats of acrylic paint, allowing drying in between.  These will form your ornaments.

• Paint your star, allow it to dry and have an adult glue to your bead, making sure that it is on the opposite side of the flat portion of your bead, so that it will be able to stand on the top of your tree.

• Screw your pegs/ branches back in, arrange your curtain hooks (ornaments and star on a tray) and decorate your tree!

Nesting Dolls

• Take your nesting doll set apart and then build each of the dolls.  Sketch your ideas onto your dolls.  We went with a family of snow people, just like the five of us!

• We then painted our background with a thin layer of acrylic paint.

• After allowing sufficient drying time, we then painted our snow people with paint pens, working in layers.  Some tips to make your painting more effective and hopefully turn out the way that you hoped:

1. Shake your pens before use.
2. Start with the larger layers which form the background of your image- so for example, the snow balls of our snow person.
3. Start with the lighter colour layers.
4. Add details and outlining with a thinner, black paint pens last.
5. If you make a mistake, allow your layer to dry and then use the corrective colour of paint pen over it.
6. Keep a scrap piece of paper handy- if the tip of your pen gets another colour of ink on it, use it on the paper until it disappears before using it again on your project.

• See if your recipient can take the dolls apart and then put them together again, enjoying the surprise within each one!

Bowling Set

• Sketch your ideas onto your pins- you could go with any holiday images.  Be sure to try to incorporate the shape of the bowling pin into your drawing.

• We then painted our background with a thin layer of acrylic paint.

• After allowing drying time, we painted our images (Christmas tree, gingerbread house, Santa and a snow person) with paint pens, working in layers.  Some tips to make your painting more effective and hopefully turn out the way that you hoped:

1. Shake your pens before use.
2. Start with the larger layers which form the background of your image- so for example, the snow balls of our snow person.
3. Start with the lighter layers.
4. Add details and outlining with a thinner, black paint pens last.
5. If you make a mistake, allow your layer to dry and then use the corrective colour of paint pen over it.
6. Keep a scrap piece of paper handy- if the tip of your pen gets another colour of ink on it, use it on the paper until it disappears before using it again on your project.

• Paint your bowling ball (snow ball) with a thin layer of acrylic paint.

• Arrange your pins and see how many you can knock down!

*Remind the bowler that the ball needs to stay on the ground and chose a spot to use this activity where damage cannot occur should your ball stray (gym, open area of a playroom etc.).  Assure that other children are not in the path of the ball as well.*

Stacking Present Blocks

• Paint your blocks with a thin layer of acrylic paint and allow them to dry.

• With your pencil and ruler draw the lines that would form your ribbon and then use your ruler and go over them with a paint pen, allowing them to dry. Create a bow on the top with your pen if you like.

• Put out your presents and see how high your friend can stack them up!

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Purpose

• Developing one’s motor skills through creating and playing with the items.
• Recognizing symbols associated with various seasons and celebrations.

Safety Notes

• We suggest that you use a tray and a smock to protect your clothing and surfaces.
• Follow product directions/ cautions.
• Use a glue gun with with care and direct, adult supervision.
• Beads can be a choking hazard, therefore be sure to keep them out of the reach of children ages 0-3 years of age or those that tend to put things into their mouths.
• These activities are intended for children over the age of 3 and those that no longer put items in their mouths.

Materials

• Rocks
• Paint pens (Our favourite brand is Posca)
• Soap/ water
• Drying rack
• Pencil/eraser
• Circular lid

We always find these items useful too:

Directions

• Wash, rinse and dry your rocks on a drying rack.

• Sketch your idea on your rock.  To dry the globe portion, you can trace around your lid.

• Create a base by going out, forming a trapezoid-like shape with rounded edges.

• Sketch out what you might see in the centre of your globe: a snow person, you playing in the snow, a gingerbread house, a Christmas tree, holiday images etc.

• Here’s some tips for the paint pens is to: 1) Shake them with the cap on before use 2) Work in layers allowing pieces that are beside each other to completely dry before moving to the next area.  3) Outline your area and then shade it in with the colour.  This allows for containing the paint.

• Colour in your image layer by layer and allow it to thoroughly dry.

• Colour in your background and allow it to dry thoroughly.

• Add some details- the light reflecting on your globe, snowflakes etc.

• Display your rock snow globe for the holidays!

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Purpose

• Creating with nature.
• Recognizing symbols associated with various seasons.

Safety Notes

• We suggest that you use a tray and a smock to protect your clothing and surfaces.
• Follow product directions.

GINGERBREAD HOUSE

Materials

• Felt sheet
• Template house
• Scissors
• Tape
• Loose parts (we went with beads, jingle bells, felt circles, rick rack, buttons & pom poms, but use what you have!)

Directions

• Print and cut out the gingerbread house template, or draw your own!

• Tape your house template to your felt and cut out the felt house.

• With your loose parts, design the “candies” on your house.

CHRISTMAS TREE

Materials

• Felt sheet
• Scissors
• Tape
• Template tree
• Loose parts (We went with rick rack, beads, felt circles, buttons & jingle bells, but use what you have!)

Directions

• Print and cut out the Christmas tree template, or draw your own!

• Tape your template to your felt and cut out the felt house.

• With your loose parts, design your decorations for your tree.

Purpose

• Learning about symbols of various celebrations.
• Manipulating loose parts lends to developing design making and fine motor skills.

Safety Notes

• Use scissors with care and adult supervision.
• Small parts such as beads and buttons can be a choking hazard, therefore be sure to keep them out of the reach of children ages 0-3 years of age or those that tend to put things into their mouths.

Materials

• Template gingerbread
• Felt
• Loose parts (buttons, beads, rick rack, jingle bells etc. Use what you have!)
• Scissors
• Chenille sticks
• Paper/Printer
• Craft tray
• Tape
• Camera

Directions

• Print out the gingerbread person template and cut it out.  Even better, you could draw your own!

• Attach your template to your felt, using tape (creating a small tape donut).  Cut around your template, forming a felt gingerbread person.

• Using your loose parts, design your gingerbread person.  To contain your parts, lay your felt gingerbread person in a craft tray.

• Take a photo of your person if you like, to document your creation and then make another!

Purpose

• This activity lends to the exploration of various math concepts (symmetry, patterning etc.).
• Recognizing symbols of various seasons and celebrations.

Safety Notes

• Use a craft tray to contain items.
• Use scissors with care and direct adult supervision.
• Cord, yarn, rick rack etc. can be a strangulation hazard, therefore be sure to use with direct supervision and for its intended purpose.
• Beads, buttons and other small objects can be a choking hazard therefore be sure to keep them out of the reach of children ages 0-3 years of age or those that tend to put things into their mouths.

Materials

• Cardboard box (we used a floral box and small shipping boxes)
• Additional cardboard for the roof
• Glue gun (to be used by an adult)
• Craft glue
• Craft knife (to be used by an adult)
• Scissors
• Craft tray
• Smock

These ideas are suggestions of embellishments, but use whatever materials you may have:

• Rick rack
• Ribbon
• Sequins
• Jewels
• Beads
• Wood shapes
• Tissue paper

Directions

Candy Decorations

• Put your wood shapes into your craft tray, don your smock and paint them.  Allow them to dry overnight.  Glue folds of tissue paper at each end to make them appear like candies for your house.

Constructing Your House

• Have an adult cut out two sides to your roof (as seen in the photograph, this looks like a triangle on top of a small rectangle and would be slightly less than the width of 2 of the sides of the box).  Glue gun this into the inside ends of your house.

• Glue a flat rectangular piece onto these two pieces to form the peak of your roof.  We suggest scoring the one side of the cardboard with the craft knife so that it folds more easily.  Trim the edges of your roof.

• Have an adult cut out any doors or windows that you may like.

• With your craft glue and selected materials, decorate your gingerbread house.

• Allow it to dry overnight.

• Wouldn’t it be fun to hide a present under this?  Or create a little town, making a different house or building each year.

Purpose

• Creating a three dimensional structure
• Working together

Safety Notes

• It is recommended that an adult use the craft knife and the glue gun.  Be sure to store these items out of the reach of small children.
• Beads and other small objects can be choking hazards.  Keep them our of reach from children ages 0-3 or those that tend to put things in their mouths.
• Be sure to wear a smock and use a craft tray to protect surfaces and clothing.
• String like materials such as rick rack can be a strangulation hazard and therefore are not for play and should be used with adult supervision.