Jolly holiday crafts and games

Whether you’re celebrating Christmas, Hanukkah, or Kwanzaa, capture the warmth of the season with family-friendly crafts and games. Children learn through play and the experiences they encounter. Make this holiday season a time to incorporate some of these simple ideas with your own family traditions.

Make paper chains (in your holiday colors) as a countdown calendar. Link enough paper chains until the day of your special event. Then have your kids subtract one link each morning until that special day arrives.

Bake holiday cookies. If time is an issue, use pre-made refrigerated cookie dough. Bring out the cookie cutters and sprinkles and enjoy this cooking experience together.

Give crafts as gifts. This teaches the “gift of giving” and your child will feel special for what he has created and shared.

Sing holiday songs. Pick out your family favorites and sing the same ones every year. Add a new one periodically.

Send holiday cards and let your child participate. A child may add a line or two of her own personal writing or even the youngest child could make a simple drawing.

Make some holiday ornaments. Personalize some inexpensive glass balls with the family names. Write the names in glue and then sprinkle on glitter.

Make a Hanukkah craft. The Star of David is symbol of the Jewish culture and used in many holidays including Hanukkah. A traditional craft is making this six-pointed star from craft sticks. Make two identical triangles by gluing three sticks together. When dried, invert one over the other and glue together. Paint with blue paint and decorate.

Play a Kwanzaa game. Paint or cover a shoebox with red or green paper. Decorate the sides of the box with symbols of Kwanzaa. Next, paint seven spring-type clothespins (three red, three green, and one black). These candles stand for the Seven Principles of Kwanzaa (unity, self-determination, collective work & responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity, and faith). During Kwanzaa, these candles are placed in the Kinara (candle holder). Young children love to place the clothespins on the side of the box as if they are placing the candles in the candleholder.

Hunt for Gelt. This hiding game has an added sense of holiday excitement as the hidden treasure is Hanukkah Gelt. Before the game you will need numerous pieces of Gelt. Cut out circles (3-inches diameter) from cardboard. Cover these with aluminum foil or gold foil from a craft store. When the kids are out of the room, hide your Gelt. After the children return, have them search and collect the Gelt. When the game is finished, each child can count the Gelt they found. Who has found the most?