I used to dread Christmas wrapping. I love to be creative and make gifts look nice, but it always seemed like a huge task that just took up so much time in the holiday season. I’m also a perfectionist which didn’t help the situation.
At Asher’s second Christmas (1 1/2 years old) I decided that I really wanted him to be able to participate in Christmas wrapping. We were putting such thought and effort into finding ways to give him independence with so many other practical activities that it made sense to include him in this too! Plus, I think it’s fun and more meaningful for family members to get some toddler-decorated gifts.
I really wanted to have some options that would give toddlers independence with present decorating and a sense of pride. I was specifically looking for ideas that were not hand-over-hand activities. This Merry Montessori had some great ideas that got me started. Since then I have evolved the process a bit more and added some other options, especially for my preschooler. These are some of the ways that my boys (3 and 1) are joining in with the wrapping fun this year:
Independent Decorating
I started wrapping all of my Christmas gifts in brown kraft paper before my husband and I were married. Back then, I thought it looked cute and rustic and it was cheap! I continue to do this now because (it’s cheap) and it makes a great plain “canvas”. I buy the rolls at the dollar store and do the basic wrapping myself. This year, my preschooler helped out with the basic wrapping by doing some folds and taping. Then, I have a variety of decorating options available for the boys.
–Stickers: A nice mess-free option! For Aiden (1), I peel the background “backing” off of the sticker sheets so that he can peel the stickers up independently. I get an assortment of holiday stickers from the dollar store and Target. I always include an empty basket or bowl for them to put the sticker sheets in when they are done. Then, Aiden likes to bring the basket to the trash and dump it out.
-Stamps: These are also perfect for toddlers! We use wooden rubber stamps with washable ink pads and I include a set of wipes on a tray with the stamps for cleanup. Most of the wooden stamps I found at a garage sale but a few are from this set. I also set out self-inking Christmas stamps that Aiden loves and they are a little simpler than the wooden stamps.
–Red and Green Crayons: Another simple and festive option for open-ended coloring and decorating
-Red and Green Shades of Paint Sticks: If you’re following along with us on Instagram, then you know we use Kwik Stix paint sticks for just about everything. Of course I had to include them in our Christmas wrapping too! These are way less messy than regular paint and work on many surfaces. Both boys loved using these!
–Red and Green Dot Markers: These were another favorite decorating material for Aiden. These dot markers are easy for him to grasp and control. He loved using these to decorate gifts!
-Adhesive Decorations: We also used a variety of these for the first time this year. I buy these when they go on clearance at craft stores when the season ends. They were easy for Aiden and Asher to simply stick to the presents.
These materials have made it easy for my boys to both participate in present decorating. I set the materials out in their own bowl or small container so that their choices are visually organized. It also helps us to usually just decorate a couple of presents in a sitting. I have the wrapped presents sitting out in a pile by the tree or by their art table so that they can work on them when they’re interested. Sometimes they just feel like decorating one and other times they will do six all at once.
Spreading the Joy of Giving
As they work, I tell them who the gift is for and my three year old tries to pick out decorations that he thinks that person will like. I love that this involves them in the giving process too! They always feel so proud when they are done and they get so much joy from having independence with gift wrapping. Ever since starting this tradition, I have enjoyed the gift wrapping process so much more. It’s true, joy is contagious!
If you are searching for more ways to involve toddlers in practical life at home and integrate more of a Montessori approach, I really recommend reading this post on Montessori at Home from Montessori Method’s site. It gives some helpful and simple tips on slowing down and incorporating ideas into daily activities and the home environment.
What are some ways that you involve your toddler in practical holiday activities?
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abby says
What a great idea! I’m going to try this with my 2 year old.