‘Tis the season for Advent, when little ones in religious education classes begin to look for the glitter and glue, and start to ask, “Are we making a Christmas craft today?”
With children as young as preschool age, crafts are an important part of CCD class. In the weeks leading up to Christmas, teachers can gather up ideas for religious Christmas craft ideas to make each religious education class session fun and creative.
Clove Orange Pomanders
Preschoolers will love this craft, because there are few rules (other than “Don’t eat the craft supplies!”) and they get to poke cloves into oranges in whatever random pattern they wish. Each child gets a small orange and a handful of whole cloves. The pointy end of the clove is pushed into the skin of the orange.
Teachers may pre-poke holes in the orange to make it easier for the children. The holes may be placed in a pattern or spelling out a name or word.
Orange clove pomanders may be wrapped in a square of mesh fabric or netting and hung in a closet, or simply placed in a bowl to scent a room.
Glittery Pine Cones
Pine cones begin to fall to the ground just in time for CCD teachers to gather them up for easy Christmas crafts for preschoolers. Give each child a pine cone, a paintbrush and some clear glitter paint and let them cover the pine cone with sparkles. Attach a ribbon around the base, near the top, and it’s a shimmering Christmas tree ornament.
Painted Christmas Bulbs
Remove the top from a clear plastic Christmas tree ball ornament and pour in a very small amount (1/4-1/2 teaspoon) of two different colors of paint. Replace the top and move the bulb around to swirl the paint along the insides.
Star Photo Ornament
Cut a star out of gold poster board and cut a round hole in the center. Place the child’s picture in the circle from behind and tape it on the back. The children can now decorate their star photo ornaments, using glitter, paint or marker. Punch a hole in the top of the star photo ornament and put a ribbon loop for hanging.
Angel Prints
An angel design using a child’s hand print and footprint makes a beautiful print on paper or fabric.
Use paper big enough for the print in a color that will contrast with white (red, green or gold work well). Dip the child’s foot into white tempera paint and brush off the excess with a paint brush. The child steps onto the paper, leaving the white paint footprint on the center bottom of the paper. The footprint should be with toes pointing down. This makes the angel’s body, with the heel of the foot as the angel’s head.
Next dip the child’s hand into the white paint and brush off the excess. The child puts his hand on the paper, leaving a white handprint as wings on the angel. The heel of the hand should be near the center of the “body” of the footprint, with fingers extended out. Repeat with the other hand on the other side for the other wing.
There is now a basic angel design on the paper. After the paint dries the child can paint or draw on eyes and mouth, add a halo, and decorate his angel, or it can be left plain.
Angel prints can also be made on fabric. Gold paint on a white muslin fabric background is a beautiful keepsake for parents.
Paper Cup Bells
A paper or Styrofoam cup turned upside down becomes a Christmas bell, with the addition of a jingle bell and some decorations. Poke a hole in the bottom of the cup and insert a piece of pipe cleaner or chenille craft stick that has a jingle bell attached to the end. Bend it to keep it in place.
Children can now decorate their bells however they wish. Paint and marker won’t stick to Styrofoam, but yarn and ribbon can be wrapped around the bell and most stickers will stay on.
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