I love making these simple wreaths during the holidays, and they are easy enough that kids of all abilities can participate with a little guidance from an adult as needed.
Wreaths add a festive touch to the front door and can be hung on the wall indoors or in a front window for the neighbors walking by to enjoy, also. This is a project that develops small motor skills in the manipulation of the materials.
Age level: 4 and older (help for younger kids and those needing it)
Materials needed for each wreath:
One metal hanger
Real or artificial green branches
Roll of clear sticky tape
Large roll of red ribbon
Scissors
To make:
Spread all the materials out on the worktable with the kids sitting all around.
Have a wreath made up and in the center of the table, so the kids can see what it will look like when finished.
Give each child a metal hanger, and help them bend it into a circle shape. This forms the shape of the wreath.
Lay out six inch sections of the real or artificial greens in a circle around the perimeter of each hanger.
Tape the first branch onto the hanger frame at the base of the branch.
Tape the next and succeeding branches on with the tip of the new branch covering the base of the previous branch.
Take a very long length of ribbon and starting at the curved hanger part wrap the whole circle of the wreath to hold the pieces of branches in place.
Tie the ribbon at the top when it's gone around the full circle.
Now to make it fancy, hang small Christmas tree balls on the ribbon that is wrapped around the wreath.
Tie a big bow at the top of the wreath.
Now your wreath is ready to hang on your front door or in the front window, and the child can proudly say, "I made it myself!"
For offline reading
Kinesthetic Math and Language Lessons -
YouŽll find 33 beginning and advanced kinesthetic math and language lessons in 78 pages for kids of all abilities in grades K-6, including teaching all ages the one-hand alphabet with large photos of the letter shapes.
And, for ages 2 to 5, more than 10 kinesthetic learning lessons, plus rhythms, dances and exercises in this workbook Rhythms and Dances for Toddlers and Preschoolers
Article by Susan Kramer
