Teachable MOMents
With our family, church, and school commitments; and with our ever-growing to-do lists, the focused time we are able to spend with our children is so important. Much more is "caught" by our children than is taught. In order for them to catch our values, they need to be able to observe us living our values.
Whether you are a grandparent, relative, Mom, or Dad, there are precious teachable moments that happen in our children's lives. These projects will take less than an hour to complete, use minimal supplies, and be a way to share some teachable moments.
As you consider helping some of the less fortunate this Christmas season, whether it be through adopting a foster-care family, project Angel Tree, or other deserving charities, here are some attractive ways to present the gifts in a lasting package.
Personalized Christmas stockings
What you need:
- Oversized plain Christmas stocking
- Fabric glitter paint
- Piece of cardboard
- Felt pieces
- Scissors (parent supervision required)
- Fabric glue
1. Put the cardboard in the stocking so that the fabric paint and glue do not bleed through to the other side.
2. Write the name of the recipient in the glitter paint on the cuff of the stocking. Let dry overnight.
3. Cut Christmas shapes out of the felt and use fabric glue to attach to the sock part of the stocking. Decorate with glitter fabric paint. For example, if you cut out a Christmas tree, use glitter paint to put ornaments and decorations on the tree.
4. Once dry, remove cardboard and insert the gifts into the stocking. It will give them a lasting memento instead of just wrapping paper to discard. We put shoes in the very bottom, cover with a coat and clothing, then put a couple of toys on top when we deliver to foster kids. They love seeing their name on the stocking and realize it is for them.
Make your own gift bags
What you need:
- Paper bags or blank colored gift bags
- Potato
- Knife (parent supervision required)
- Paint
- Markers
1. Cut the potato in half.
2. Have an adult carve out a raised Christmas-related shape on each half of the potato. For example, a star, tree, angel, etc. Remove all of the potato from around the design so you end up with a shape to dip in the paint and stamp on the paper bag.
3. Cover the table with newspapers and then put the paper bags on them. Have the kids stamp the designs all over the paper bags. Let dry.
4. Use markers to write the name of the person receiving the gift on the bag.
5. Put the gift inside of some nice tissue paper before placing into the bag for a nice presentation.
For more Teachable MOMents craft ideas, visit our past issues!
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