by Amanda Sullivan

Created on: November 30, 2010

Christmas is a wonderful time of year for kids of all ages. This is the time to give gifts and have fun with the family. There are many different types of crafts to make. These crafts can be used for neat gifts or just fun things to do with the kids. Lets start with some simple crafts.

The Dollar Tree is a great place to find inexpensive items to use in projects for the kids. Foam crafts are easy and fun. You can make purses, decorations, cards and more with foam.

Easy Foam Decoration:

1. Take a square of thin craft foam in your favorite color.

2. Draw a design or trace around a pattern such as a Christmas tree, snowman, etc.

3. Cut this out on the foam.

4. Use a hole punch to put a small hole in the top of the ornament. You may also use a toothpick to poke a hole in the foam.

5. Cut some ribbon. Slip it through the hole at the top of the decoration. Tie a knot so the ribbon won't fall out.

6. Hang on a tree or doorknob. You may also draw designs on the ornament or decorate it however you choose. These are great to make with the kids. The craft foam is very easy to work with.

Styrofoam is another cheap, yet fun thing to use for crafts with the kids. You can make some very pretty decorations with the styrofoam balls.

Styrofoam Ball Ornament:

1. Take a small or medium sized styrofoam ball and decorate it with scrap pieces of material such as felt.

2. Use a toothpick to gently poke the scrap pieces of material into the styrofoam ball. Do this until the ball is covered.

3. Get a small hook used for hanging decorations and stick into the top of the styrofoam ball ornament.

4. You may hang these decorations anywhere. The nice thing about this craft is that you don't have to use glue. This makes it safer for the kids. You don't even need scissors.

Craft Foam Card:

1. Use a thin square of craft foam and fold it in half.

2. Cut out shapes from other pieces of craft foam, paper or any material that might be pretty for the card.

3. Glue the shapes on the folded foam or draw your own decorations.

4. These cards can be used for Christmas, birthdays or any celebration.

There are so many easy crafts to make that the kids will love. Just use your creativity and make sure the crafts are kid-safe. The internet is full of good ideas. You can also check your library to find some books about crafts for kids.

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