Children love to create, and when they can use 'found' items to create beautiful gifts, how crafty can they get?
Here are two simple ideas that are tried and true: branch blossoms and coffee filter flowers. Both involve common household materials and a bit of craft know-how:
Branch Blossoms
Simple,elegant and beautiful. All you need is a bare branch (with twigs attached), your child's favorite color of tissue paper plus green for 'leaves' and craft or white glue. Children may want to craft a "vase" out of a suitably shaped jar or a trip to a thrift store may yield the perfect vessel. All children have to do is tear tissue paper into small bits, scrunch them slightly, dip into glue and attach to twigs for elegant little blossoms. The same can be done with the green to make leaves. They can also make "pussy willows" with little scrunched up bits of grey or white tissue paper if they want to make a bouquet.
Coffee Filter Tie-Dye Flowers
Another simple craft idea, better suited to children over the age of 3 years. You will need food coloring diluted with water in squeeze bottles (or in jars, if you want to use pipettes); coffee filters; a work surface covered in a plastic bag with newspaper on top to act as a spill-guard; either twigs or chenille stems for branches; green construction paper that children can cut into their own leaves.
To make the craft, simply place the filter (any size) on the prepared surface. Children can squeeze on the food coloring or use the pipettes - depending upon their dexterity - to color blend some beautiful tie-dye flowers. You can hang them outside on a line to dry, as children cut out their own leaves to make the flowers even prettier. Once your 'flowers' are almost dry, poke the 'stem' into the middle of the flower, gently cupping your hand around the middle of the filter and flower to form a flower blossom. You may want to secure some floral or clear tape around the stem and flower 'bottom' to keep its shape as it dries. When it's completely dry, glue on leaves and place in a vase of your child's choice, either home-made or commercial.
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