Create and Play Christmas Products for Kids -- a Crafty Weekends Review & Link Party

Disclosure: Candlewick Press sent me these products in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. 

Thanksgiving is over and now it is time to focus on our next holidays. For us that is Christmas. Today I am going to share three fun craft "books" for kids. Hazel has been having so much fun with all of these!! The first one is Press Out and Color: Christmas Ornaments by Kate McLelland. (Be sure to check out our reviews of other Press Out and Color books.)

Hazel has been coloring away on these fun ornaments. She is planning on using some as presents this year. They are so fun and easy. They are also nice that it is a small project (though on the three-dimensional ones you have to color several sides). They are fairly easy to complete.

 You literally just press them out, color them and then if they are more than one piece put them together. They have a hole or two for strings to hang them and they are ready to go. Fun and easy ways to personalize your tree or use as kid-made gifts. (Be sure to check out our review of Christmas gift boxes and cards 1 and 2 to color.)

Our next book is Make and Play: Christmas by Joey Chou. This "book" has 20 pieces to press out and put together. They make ornaments for your tree or you can play with them. We were a little disappointed that the three-dimensional ones did not stand up (like the third book in this review). However Hazel managed to tell a story and play with them. It is also nice you can hang them on your tree. 

The book also includes songs, recipes and crafts. The crafts are common but fun and the songs are fun to have the words to common Christmas carols. The recipes are fun. We have not tried them yet, but plan on it. 

Our final book for tonight is Make and Play: Nativity by Joey Chou. As someone who has been making or giving her daughter nativities to play with and retell the story for years (see our first ones here and here), I LOVE this Make and Play book!! It has all the nativity people and animals to punch out and have stand up so a child can play with the story and truly make it his or her own.

She set it up right away and then wanted to tell me the story when we were both taking a break from the Thanksgiving craze. (Yes in the third picture the angel is in the sky talking to the shepherds!!) Of course now that she is older she doesn't add in her own touches anymore. I miss her telling me that she had an inn where there is always room for Mary and Joseph and Baby Jesus in fact she use to tell me they each got their own room in her inn. Now she was telling the Christmas story accurately at age two. I truly believe it was from having sets to play with and the books we read that told the story. This book has the Nativity story in it. It has a couple of songs and a couple fun and easy crafts for kids to take the story even further. I love how the songs and crafts extend the story even more!

So if you are looking for some fun ways to get your kids into Christmas and the spirit of the season, be sure to check out these fun craft "books". 

Thank you to everyone who shared with us at our last party!! There was a mix of things from Halloween and fall to Christmas and every day.   Below are some features from the party, but this is just a small sample of great ideas shared! Also remember for your child-oriented crafts, activities, lessons, etc. Sharing Saturday is going on!! For any cultural related posts (diversity and/or multicultural as well) be sure to share at the month long Creative Kids Creative Blog Hop.

Features

1) From Crafts Unleashed: DIY Wood Slice Chalkboard Ornaments

2) From Just Being Jennifer: Pet Paw Print Snowflake Ornament

3) From Bombshell Bling: Mason Jar Snowman 

4) From Momma D Jane: Kid-Crafted Disney Pixar Cars 3 Ornament

5) From Growing Up Gabel: Wine Cork Reindeer

6) From Sparkle: Layered Ribbon Trees

7) From You Brew My Tea: 25 Kids Craft Projects for Hanukkah

8) From Lilia Craft Party: Cool Breeze Scarf Pattern

9) From Flamingo Toes: Fun Safari Party Embroidery Hoop Art

Thank you to everyone who shared the last week!! I hope you will share again!! If you are featured here, please feel free to grab a featured button to display proudly on your blog. I would love the help spreading the word about Crafty Weekends!!

An InLinkz Link-up