7 Things Kids Can Do As Holiday Helpers
Kids' help during the Holidays extends beyond the kitchen. Turn your kids into homemade Holiday helpers.
Children are especially excited about Christmas and Thanksgiving. The smells and sounds of these two Holidays, in particular, call for decorating and parties. As adults, we feel the need to get the family ready, but how do you involve everyone who wants to be involved in preparing for the Holidays, especially the children? Children are curious about what Mom's and Dad's plans are and always want to lend a hand. How do we get the kids to lend a hand without having them get in the way. Give them something to do besides helping in the kitchen. Here are seven wonderful things that kids can do to be part of the Holidays.
1. Stemware Label Creators - give your kids a list of the guests that will be coming to your home, purchase stemware labels or have your kids make them. Have your kids write the names of the guests on the stemware labels. Have them make at least 5 labels per guest. Also, take ordinary white labels and have the kids write the guests names on these as well - these can be placed on ordinary plastic cups that might hold other beverages. These labels are good for the kids' cups as well, especially if there will be more children than adults. We don't want our guests drinking out of each others' glasses or cups now do we?
2. Food Labelists - say it's The Fourth of July and you're getting your grill on! Some guests like well done burgers, some like medium rare, and some like rare. To distinguish between the burgers have the kids create "Burger Flags." Put the words "Rare", "Medium", or "Well Done" on the flags and stick them in the burgers so your guests can choose which ones they want instead of asking.
- How to make Toothpick Flags » Pretty Little Studio
Supplies needed: Pretty Little Studio Celebration Paper Ribbons, toothpicks, ink, adhesive. Step 1. Chose the colour and style of paper ribbon you would like to use
3. Coffee, Tea or Water Labels - if you're using several urns for coffee, tea or hot water don't keep your guests in the dark about what's decaffeinated and what's not or what's sweet tea and what's not. Have the kids create tent labels to place in front of each urn. They can make them colorful and decorative.
Here's how: Create colorful labels using MS Word, I like using MS Word, if you didn't notice. Use the clipart section and different fonts then print out. Cut heavy construction paper and fold into tents, then cut the MS Word labels out to fit the size of the construction paper tents and glue them on.
4. Mini Photographers - if you want your Holiday gatherings in pictures, have your kids be the photographers. Provide cameras to each child and don't forget to label the camera with that child's name. Tell them to be mindful of who wants their picture taken and who doesn't - have them be courteous and ask guests if they mind getting their picture taken, this way guests won't be caught in pictures that they may view as unflattering. Help your kids to later e-mail the guests the pictures they were in and thank them for coming to the party.
5. Greeters - Meet & Greet! What a great way for kids to interact with the guests. Not only have your child meet the guests at the door, but have them point out the important place the guests will want to see during their visit to your home - the bathroom. Purchase an apron for your child with the word "Greeter" on it or their name on it as the one in the photo. Provide a sign-in book for guests asking for their names and e-mail addresses. Their e-mail addresses will be used to send thank you's and pictures that were taken during the party.
6. Bathroom Monitor - Well, not really. Have your child make a colorful bathroom sign that will hang on the doorknob and have "Vacant" on one side and "Occupied" on the other.
Here's how: Again, MS Word has some great clipart. Glue or tape the signs together back to back. Take a hole punch and punch two holes about five inches apart at the top of the sign and feed a thin decorative ribbon through both holes, tie a bow with the ends, then hang it on the bathroom door knob. This will keep guests from having to knock on the bathroom door to see if anyone is in there.
7. Coat Valet - assign one of the kids to be a coat valet. You might even want to purchase a coat rack. Have the kids make Coat Check Tags. Round ones are great - why? Because they're easy to make.
Here's how: Get thick white or colorful construction paper and using the bottom of a cup trace around it. Cut out two sets of a circle. Then take a hole punch and punch a hole close to the tops of the circles. Write numbers on the circles. Take fabric rubber-bands and loop through one of the circles - these circles can be placed on the wrists of the guests so they will not lose their Coat Check Tags. The other circle with the corresponding number will be hung over the coat hanger with the guest's coat. This will make it easy for any guest to retrieve their own coat or for your child to retrieve guests' coats. Make sure that the fabric you use for the Coat Check Tags is cotton - just in case any of your guests are allergic to certain fabrics.
