Assemble a Pretty Fabric Wreath!

Crafting holiday decorations is an excellent way to bring a festive spirit to your home while also engaging your child in one-on-one time! Try using a variety of old scraps of cloth to create a special wreath to hang up this holiday season. Your child will foster her critical thinking skills and strengthen important fine motor skills as she cuts, ties, and assembles this pretty fabric wreath.

What You Need:

• Foam circular halo (can be purchased at your local craft store)
• Scissors
• Colored fabric or material

What You Do:

1. Begin by inviting your child pick out a variety of colored scraps of cloth. Try collecting these from old shirts or worn-out, patterned dishcloths to maximize the environmental-friendliness of this project.
2. Once your child has picked out all the different pieces she wishes to use, help her cut the fabric swaths into strips. The length of each strip will depend upon how thick the foam halo is, but it is best to cut the strips about 1" thick and 12" long. If they turn out to be too long, it's always easier to trim them down later in the project.
3. Demonstrate how to tie the strips onto the wreath's frame. Do this by simply taking one strip of fabric and tying it around the foam circle into a firm knot, letting the extra fabric hang loose. Tie another strip in the same manner right next to the last strip, being sure to not let any of the foam show through.
4. Help your child tie enough pieces on to cover the entirety of the wreath. It is up to your child whether she wants to alternate colors to create a pattern, or if she would rather keep the design looking more random. There should be no foam left showing when she is finished!

Let your child choose just where to hang this special holiday decoration; perhaps by the chimney for Santa to take a peek at! The best part about this fabric wreath is that it won't wilt or turn brown. It's fabric "leaves" will keep forever, making this creation a keepsake for your family.