Every time it's the birthday of someone close to us, we always make them a homemade card.

Such a lovely activity that will not only help them to practice a variety of skills (see tips at the bottom) but also help to instill some pride in their work.

The delight of them handing over something they put their time and effort into is priceless.

 Set out all the materials for your card so your child can see and access them easily. Here we used a variety of coloured and textured paper, glue, little paper shapes from cutters, glue and stamps.

 As this activity was to be given as a gift, we practiced our stamping on scrap paper to begin with so that she could learn the proper technique to get a clear and complete print. This can be harder than it sounds for kids.

 Stamping on the good copy. Hoorah, the practice paid off. Got it right first time!

 Arranging shapes of paper onto the card to see what will look good. I encourage this BEFORE gluing as it saves them changing their mind and ripping it up again

 The final design that she settled on. Now to glue it in place!

Gluing the individual pieces 

 Taking the time to try and get them stuck back in the same place. This takes memory and concentration

 Sticking the final piece in place

 After dictating her message for the inside of the card, she decided that needed some colour as well. Paper punched strips of coloured paper worked well here.

 The front of the completed card

Inside the completed card

Some tips:

- Involve your child in choosing the materials, colours etc so that they are individual to the person the card is for as well as giving your child some ownership over their creation. If your child is quite young, present them with just a couple of alternatives ie, "Would Grandpa like a blue card or a green card?"

- To simplify this activity, cut out all the pieces for the front of the card and allow your child to stick them on as they like. Alternatively, provide stickers and write the message in the card for your child.

- To extend this activity, let the child do the cutting etc themselves, let them attempt some of the writing etc

- Help your child build their literacy skills and understanding by talking with them about how to write a card, the sort of messages that go into a card, what they'd like the card to say, the purpose of the card and so on.

- Having your child dictate to you as you write down (before they can write, of course) really personalises your card (as well as the obvious literacy learning)

- Use any materials you have at hand. You don't have to rush out and buy greeting stamps and paper cutters/punches! (It's just what we used this time)

Debs :)

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This activity is a great way to either add a splash of colour around your house or garden, or a fabulous gift idea.

Using very cheap plant pots from Bunnings (or any garden supplies shop), and some paint, your child can create great pieces of art.

Maddie made these pots as handmade Christmas pressies for her grandmothers. Once dried we potted in some colourful flowers.

Set up all your materials before beginning. As it was a nice day we painted outside.

To add a bit of a personal touch to these pots we used handprints as the base of our design

 Then added the rest of the detail with paint brushes

We turned the handprints into flowers. Simple and easy for a young child.

Some tips:

- Paint or decorate your pots in any fashion that you like and within your child's abilities.

- The very kid friendly, washable paints AREN'T the best for this type of painting as they don't dry very vibrantly. Try a basic acrylic paint and just wash their hands right after.
- When dry, cover with mod podge or a waterproof sealant to keep the design intact.

- Using handprints or finger painting makes the activity much more tactile. It also helps to date your pot and show just how small your child was at the time.

- Making things that look visually pleasing as the end result help your child feel proud about what they have created. Giving your activity a special purpose, (like a gift for a loved one) can also help instill some pride in their work.

Debs :)

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