Thursday, December 10, 2009

Quick Activity: Christmas Lacing Cards

I don't know what the weather's been like where you live, but it's been plain wack-a-doo around here. I'm knocking on wood right now because in the last three hours the temperature has dropped probably twenty degrees, and it actually feels wintry, just a little. But last week, it was hot, it was humid, and it was raining--a lot. One morning last week with both little ones home and no outside play, I needed a busy kid activity. I glanced over at the Christmas decorations and saw, conveniently next to my yarn basket, my stash of last year's cards. I save them for ornaments, gift tags, and who knows what else. On this day, they would become lacing cards, and who knew they would buy me a good half hour of mama time.

I chose cards that had large images, so that punching their outlines was feasible.
I cut an appropriate length of yarn for lacing and used scotch tape to make the ends easy for little hands to thread.Big B and little b traded cards, made new designs, and practiced their fine motor skills for much longer than I had anticipated. The cards make a fine addition to their very own Christmas table, growing each day with sweet activities just for them, complete with a little tree, lights, and ornaments they can yank off as often as they'd like.

2 comments:

  1. Great idea! I'm going to make some of these up today. Please share with us what else is on the kids' Christmas table... I love this idea.

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  2. Thanks Mama B! Right now on the table are...
    --miniature tree, decorated
    --paper chains
    --santa hat
    --the lacing cards
    --christmas books
    --christmas finger puppets
    --pinecones
    --little wooden christmas candleholders and wooden candles

    I know this last one is weird, but they came in a huge bag of unpainted wooden holiday figurines I'll be using to create a winter scene, and they didn't really belong--and Big B and little b love putting the candles in and out of the different holders!

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