Kiddipedia

Kiddipedia

by The Plant Runner

 

As shopping centres and supermarket shelves start to fill with Christmas decorations, consider doing something different this year.

Resourceful, sustainable and oh-so fun, DIY Christmas decorations are the perfect way to make the festive season extra special and build lasting memories.

To help kids, parents and families get creative, Dominic Hooghuis and Duncan Hilder, co-founders of The Plant Runner, have put together a list of handmade Christmas decorations that can be displayed outdoors.

Note: adult supervision is always advised.

  •  Painted baubles

If you’re prone to buying a new set of baubles each year in an effort to stay on trend, this one’s for you.

While baubles are a staple Christmas decoration, many of them are made from plastic and often get thrown out once a noticeable scratch reveals itself or the sparkle wears off. This year, instead of disposing of old baubles, reinvent them.

Set up a space with a mess-friendly mat and child-safe paint. Place your old baubles in the middle and help the kids take off the string and top attachments. Using the opening as a handle, paint each bauble with a new colour or pattern and top with fun stickers, googly eyes or tinsel.

Once finished, display your new baubles on the tree or around the garden.

  •  Pebble friends

 Scavenger hunts can be a great way for kids to explore the outdoors. Set out on an adventure in the backyard or go for a gentle stroll around the block to find a selection of pebbles or manicured rocks.

Once you’ve found a solid collection, wash and dry them, and set up a mess-friendly space to get creative. From googly eyes to colourful pipe cleaners, child-safe paint and glitter, let the kids’ imagination run wild as they bring their new pebble friends to life.

Once all creations have dried, help the kids display their new little friends around the base of the Christmas tree, along the porch, or in the garden.

If scavenger hunts aren’t for you or your family, a bag of pebbles from your local craft or hardware store will do the trick. Alternatively, our Ladybird Rock Mini Kit by Poppy and Daisy has all the tools you need to build a family of creative creatures.

Tip: PVA glue helps to waterproof paint in the elements.

  •  Floral paper cut outs

Newspapers, magazines, spare notepads and old wrapping paper are common household items that can be reused in a myriad of different ways. This festive season, gather all the scrap paper lying around the house and set up a craft station with child-safe scissors and some art supplies.

Using their imagination and child-safe scissors, kids can create bouquets of paper flowers to sit under the tree, floral decorations to hang around the house, and present toppers in the shape of their favourite plants.

Tip: laminate each cut out and hang them outside, on awnings and around the garden.

  • Painted fallen leaves

There’s nothing like a neighbourhood walk on a warm summer’s afternoon. Take the kids around the block or down to the park and collect a bunch of fallen leaves. We recommend finding those with a surface area similar to an average adult hand, that are still intact and haven’t dried out too much.

At home, set up a space where paint can be used freely. This could be a shady space in the backyard or indoors with a mess-proof mat. Grab a set of child-safe paint from the cupboard or purchase one from a nearby craft store, and get creative!

Once the paint has completely dried, tie a piece of string around the stem of each leaf and hang them on the tree or outdoor awnings.

Note: it’s important to encourage children not to pick leaves from plants, but rather collect those that have naturally fallen to the ground. This teaches them to respect the natural life cycle of plants.

 

For more family-friendly gardening activities or sustainable plant care products and information, head to theplantrunner.com or follow us on socials at @plantrunnertruck