Art Projects Flex Creative Muscle
Creating arts and crafts with family this holiday season provides the perfect opportunity for families to bond with each other, focus on connecting and celebrate the season in a meaningful way with mindful special moments. With the festive and joyous Winter holidays upon us, it’s time for a little extra family togetherness.
This time of year tends to be busy, so it is especially important to pause for some self-care and time with loved ones. Art-making provides an opportunity to connect through creativity.
You also get to usher in the holiday spirit with a personal touch and decorations for your home. Whether you are starting new traditions or simply looking to entertain the kids, activities can make these holiday seasons especially wonderful.
Holiday themed crafts are a great way to keep kids entertained, as well as teach them important lessons. Kids love having the opportunity to get creative and create something. Here are some inspirations for things you can create alongside your kids, family and friends. Remember to slow down and to have fun with some collaborative art projects. (Note: See images of these activity examples.)
1. A lovely keepsake that kids and families enjoy making and using over the holidays are festive hand-painted cookie and treat plates and holiday mugs. Simply use enamel paints (which come with baking instructions) on a plain ceramic dish, menorah, candlestick holders, or a mug/wine glass to paint your holiday design on. This can hold special memories, and be used over the years. They make fantastic unique gifts! 2. Create a nature collage or nature mandala. Nature is so healing. Try going on a fun and explorative family nature walk after or before or after your holiday meal, to gather colorful leaves and nature elements to use for your crafty activities. These activities can include painting something you saw in nature (example: trees/flowers), gluing some elements you found on a canvas/paper, laying out your circular mandala (meditative pattern design) using nature elements such as leaves/branches/flowers/feathers, etc., or making a decorative nature collage (with nature elements and stickers/decorations to add from home).
3. Clay family handprints, Hamsa Mosaics, menorahs, dreidels and keepsakes. Clay is always a fun medium for both kids and adults and both of these examples include paint and decorative embellishments. Sculpting with clay and mosaic making are relaxing, meditative, soothing and fun sensory activities. For example, the kids can make a special gift of their handprints painted in clay (air dry clay works great) and while the clay is still wet, they can decorate around the handprints by sticking in gems/mosaic pieces to make a pattern. Pets can participate with their paw print as well because they are part of the family, too! Cookie cutters can be used to cut ornament shapes to paint. Poke one or two holes at the top of the handmade ornaments, to tie a ribbon into, once it has dried, to hang. The family of all ages can also participate by sculpting a shape they would like to mosaic, such as a leaf, holiday symbol, or even a little pinch pot. And there are always plain ready-made ornaments at local craft stores you can hand-paint/decorate, as well.
4. Make a fun family mural together, collaboratively painting on canvas, personalized wrapping paper, or a tablecloth at the kids table this year. You may use clear sheet paper roll of any light color, or tape together clear sheets of paper, markers/crayons/paint, and stickers. This can be a fun tradition to start by having everyone put their special touch on any of these choices. Maybe focusing on gratitude, family, a festive Winter wonderland scene, Hanukkah, or holiday symbols, and happy memories.
5. Create a family vision board. This is one of my favorite activities to do with families towards and in the New Year. Come together over the holidays to create this collage where you can share family goals and dreams, and create this powerful tool for manifesting, motivation, and goal setting with each other. This activity can help a family communicate, stay inspired, and build a strong bond. It can include using almost any medium and embellishments that are representative of you and yours (mementos, cutouts, poems, affirmations, paint/markers/decorations, etc.). A vision for the New Year!
We wish you and yours the absolute best in health and happiness in these upcoming Winter and holiday season and hope you enjoy creating holiday art together. We are grateful to share these activities with you and hope to inspire some holiday creativity in your homes. Keep creating!
Diana Shabtai “MissDee, psy.D., Atr-bc is a board certified art therapist who obtained a masters degree in clinical art therapy, ma in marriage & family therapy & a doctorate degree in mft. She is passionate advocate for bringing awareness to the therapeutic benefits of art. Experience studying, working, & educating in the field of psychology & the therapeutic arts for nearly 20 years. she is a contributing writer to jlife magazine.
