Free flow xmas crafts
Children love doing organised crafts, where they have a goal and can see what they are trying to achieve. It is fun, they get to learn to follow instructions and have a great end product. However, I believe it is also important to let children have a go on their own, let them think about what to do and how to do it, use their imagination.
Here are a few things my children have crafted on their own in the last couple of weeks….
Paper chains
Here’s where the children come up with great ideas without adult intervention. I would have got coloured paper, cut it into strips and glued together into chains. But no, my children cut strips of white paper and coloured pretty patterns on them, before glueing them into chains! I was very impressed!
Snowflakes
The children decided to make snowflakes by cutting bits out of folded paper. This was very popular, as they all love cutting with scissors. My 3yr old girls found it a little tricky, but they persevered and did well.
Christmas card making
The children wanted to make some christmas cards for grandparents. Rather than me suggesting ways of making a ‘good’ christmas card, I thought, why not give them the tools and let them do what they want, that’s far more personal for grandparents, 100% the children’s efforts.
I gave them red card, some christmas stickers, pens, stars and whatever else they wanted. BB did really well, he drew a fireplace and then stuck stocking stickers on it and wrote everyones name on the stockings. I thought he was very imaginative.
I loved watching them make their creations. It is fascinating to see what they come up with, their minds are so freer than ours. It is very important for children to be able to use their own imagination and make their own creations sometimes, it’s a wonderful way of learning.
It is not about the end product, more about the process of getting to their creations. Love it! 
I’m a youth worker and over the summer I ran a holiday club. I spend hours planning games, activities, quizzes and organised crafts. The most popular activity over the week? The “junk corner” where I had put various cardboard/cereal boxes, cardboard tubes, plastic pots and tubs, bottle tops etc and they could do whatever they wanted. They were so imaginative in their creations too
Yeah, kids love to just make something completely random. I think it’s great seeing what they come up with
Lovely to see them left to their own devices and getting creative
Thanks, they loved it
These are lovely. I try organised crafts and my kids always go off piste and do something else entirely. All good for the creative spirit! #PoCoLo
That’s true, often even when a craft is organised the children do things in their own unique way
Lovely ideas. My lot are never happier than when let loose in the craft cupboard. The things they come up with can be quite surpising.
True, I love seeing what kids come up with x
I do like to give H free rein with things like cards. Makes it much more their own creation.
That’s so true
Grace has been – and loving – paper chains too
These are such simple but great crafts. Thank you for supporting PoCoLo this year x
They’re such a great kids activity x
I’ve just ordered lots of little bits to make cards. I’m not a big crafter so thought this would be good baby steps
Oh yes, give it a go, nothing needs to be perfect, it’s about the fun trying
Paper chains – I love making those each year- traditional family fun
Thanks for linking up to the Pin It Party x
Paper chains are great aren’t they