It's a gift

Try these ideas from Jean Evans for simple gifts the children can make

Encourage the children in your care to enter the spirit of Christmas by creating some attractive gifts to give to special people in their lives.

Sweet and spicy

• Make spice biscuits, using Christmas cutters to create festive shapes. Pierce a hole in each one and bake until brown. Help the children to pipe their chosen picture or message on to the surface with icing. Thread thin ribbon through the hole to hang up the biscuits.
• Create individual Christmas puddings by putting the mixture into yoghurt pots and sealing them with greaseproof paper. Steam the pots over a pan of water.
• Make truffles by combining 100g of plain grated chocolate and 50g of icing sugar. Mix to a paste with a little milk and a drop of vanilla essence. Form small balls and roll them in cocoa powder or flaked chocolate. Put each truffle in a small sweet case and display in an attractive box.
• Biscuit and pudding recipes can be found in most basic cookery books. Check first if any of the children suffer from food allergies.

Fine perfume

• Create a pomander by sticking cloves over the surface of an orange.
• Fill net bags with potpourri.
• Cut out some circles from attractive fabric using pinking shears. Put lavender into the centre of the circle and gather the sides up to form a small bag. Tie the neck of the bag and form a hanging loop with thin ribbon.

Snowy and bright

• Make snowstorms using plastic jars with screw-top lids. Invite each child to choose a small figure (those used for cake decorations are ideal) and have an adult stick it to the base on the inside of the jar using waterproof glue. Fill the jar with water and sprinkle in some glitter or desiccated coconut. Screw the lid on tightly.
• Create clay candleholders by moulding a dome shape and pushing the candle into the top. Remove the candle and allow the clay to harden before painting and varnishing with PVA glue. Paint a thin layer of PVA glue over the surface of the candle and sprinkle sequins and glitter on to it. Allow to dry and then stand the candle in the holder.

Purely practical

• Make papier mache bowls or plates. Spread petroleum jelly over the outside of a plastic bowl or the surface of a plate and cover with strips of torn newspaper. Brush paste over the newspaper and leave to dry. Continue to add around six more layers of paste and paper, allowing each one to dry. Separate the papier mache from the plastic. Paint the finished plate or bowl and varnish with PVA glue.
• Make fridge magnet 'hands' from salt dough to hold notes and reminders in place. Mix two cups of plain flour and half a cup of salt with up to one cup of water. Invite the children to knead the dough, roll it out and press a hand on to it. Cut around the outline of the hand and press a small magnet into the base. Remove the magnet and bake the hand until hard. Glue the magnet back into the hole, paint the hand and varnish it with PVA glue.
• Create a diary for gardening notes by covering an exercise book with pressed flowers or pictures of plants cut out from gardening catalogues. Cover in sticky-backed plastic for protection.
• Make a frame for a photograph from an A4 sheet of card. Cut a border from thick card to fit around the edge of the sheet and cover this with a collage of cut-out flower pictures.
• Create a desk tidy from a selection of cardboard tubes, cut to different lengths, painted and attached to a square of thick card.

Pack and wrap

• Create patterned wrapping paper using different techniques such as sponge printing or marbling. Brown paper is very effective.
• Collect small containers, such as stock cube and tissue boxes, and cover with festive wrapping paper or hologram paper to house gifts.
• Decorate parcels with tissue flowers or tie with silver thread.
• Create labels for gifts from old Christmas cards cut with pinking shears. Punch a hole and attach to the gift with silver thread.
• Write the names and messages with gold or silver pens.

Cards and calendars

• Provide plain sheets of coloured card and lots of festive collage materials such as recycled Christmas wrapping paper and cards, sequins, glitter and cellophane for the children to make their own Christmas cards. Give the children guidance on using tools and materials as appropriate for their age and skills.
• Make calendars more personal, and create lasting mementos for parents and relatives, with a simple mounted handprint or a surprise photograph of the child taken in the setting. Remember that the calendars will be displayed throughout the year, so avoid Christmas season pictures.