Christmas Tree Process Art

 This is such a fun way for kids to paint, without using any brushes! It creates a lovely work of art that adds just the right touch of kid made cheer to your space!

My youngest and I love to paint together. We are always thinking of things to paint, without turning to a paint brush. We came up with this adorable process art using only a cork, a pencil eraser, and some paint. This is the perfect seasonal art project for kids.

Supplies:

Paint in green, red, yellow and brown

A pencil with an eraser

A paper plate

A cork

Paper

Directions:

Pour a little squirt of each color of paint on a paper plate.

Offer your child a pencil with an eraser and a cork.

Encourage your child to form the tree shape by stamping in the green paint, then adding one stamp to the paper.

On the next line, make two stamps.

On the third line, stamp 3 times. You get the idea.

After the tree is formed, using the eraser, dip into the other colors of paint, and start decorating the tree.

                     Use whatever colors you like for the ornaments. We used red, blue and yellow.

                                          Next form the tree trunk with brown paint.

                                         Allow to dry and display.

Isn't this such a cute holiday process art idea? Preschoolers and toddlers might enjoy this too!

You can find all of our Christmas crafts here.

Reader favorites include:

Gnome ornaments

Finding Boys’ Gifts to Match Your Child’s Interests

 

If you’re low on inspiration when buying presents for the boys in your family, it’s not as difficult as it seems. By basing the gifts around their interests and the latest trending gifts, you can get them something they’ll love.

Finding Inspiration

Before you choose a gift, looking online can help. You can make sure your gift is right for your child’s age. So, if you search for toys for 8 year old boys, you will find suggestions, from fashionable odd socks and interactive glow t-shirts to logic-based games such as Dog Crimes. This presents the players with ‘crimes’ such as who ate the homework and lets them work out which dog is the culprit.

Science gifts

Science has become more popular with boys, so recent gift recommendations can reflect that. Kidzlabs Kitchen Science has six child-friendly experiments which can be carried out at home. Alternatively, if your child prefers to read about science, The Science and Inventions Creativity Book still has plenty of activities to help him learn and be creative at the same time.

Science gifts can spark an interest that stays with your child as they get older and have to decide what subjects they want to pursue. If nothing else, they can show him science doesn’t have to be boring and can cover a variety of topics. So, he will enjoy learning about or trying out different things.

Drawing or Crafting gifts

If your child prefers to focus on being creative, How to Draw Animals – Made Easy, does what the name suggests and can help him draw animals by following simple instructions. It’s also a fun activity for the whole family to try.

Or you could combine science and creativity, with Archi.Tech Smart House. This lets your child use his creativity to carry out experiments and design a house, equipped with various gadgets and accessories.

It’s important for your child to explore his creativity and for you to encourage any educational interests he has. These can benefit his education, or help with problem-solving skills later in life. Creativity may not always be encouraged in schools, but it’s important to develop.

Outdoor gifts

For outdoor and sporty types, the ideal gift is something that encourages them to pursue their favorite activities outside. Dodgetag is a less aggressive version of dodgeball. Wearing vests with a target on, players have to try to dodge the soft balls from the other players. These are much smaller than those used in dodgeball.

Alternatively, Smart Ball is great if your child wants to practice his skills and improve his sporting stamina and skill.

These and other sporting gifts can help your child improve social skills. Many sports are team games, so by practicing they’re more likely to build up their skills and get chosen for school sports teams if they want to try out. If not, it’s still a good way for him to get exercise and spend time with friends.

If you find the right gift, your child can learn to improve his social skills or learn something useful from it, while having fun at the same time.