Our favourite gifts to give are books and educational toys and games, however, sometimes you just have to give something practical so why not make it interesting! 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. Please like & share: Leave a Reply Cancel Reply Your email address will not be published. Name* Email* Website Comment Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Notify me of new posts by email.
