DIY Gift Exchange Ideas

The holidays often provide ample opportunities for you and your Blasters to celebrate with friends and exchange gifts as tokens of appreciate and a means of marking this very special time of year. And while the act of exchanging gifts can have all kinds of different meanings to each person involved, have you ever thought to explore the role of learning and the development of new skills through DIY holiday gift exchanges? Start by cutting the costs and looking for how you might create a homemade present instead!

DIY Holiday
Not sure where to start? Head to our DIY Holiday Gift page on Pinterest for a number of exciting craft ideas that not only promote learning and developmental skills but that also make for memorable and cherished holiday presents. From edible treats to holiday décor and so much more, the possibilities are seemingly endless when it comes to creating unique holiday gifts that your friends and family will love.

And the best part is that no matter the project that you choose these are tools for learning in almost all crafts. Remember to highlight the following elements of crafting with your kids if they’re lending a helping hand this holiday season -

  • Counting / Measuring Quantities - How many gifts will you be making? How much of each material will you need to complete your crafting project?
  • Developmental Skills - Crafts can help children approach problem solving, motor skills, creative thinking and more.

Kitchen Math: Trail Mix

Photo by Andy Melton, ©2007 Some rights reserved. Licensed by Creative Commons Public Works License

Photo by Andy Melton, ©2007 Some rights reserved. Licensed by Creative Commons Public Works License

This edition of Kitchen Math helps your child understand adding fractions while making a healthy treat for snack time, road trips or the playground. The best part about making trail mix is that it is easily modified to fit your child’s preferences or allergy restrictions! Learn how to incorporate math into this easy, no-cook recipe that you can whip up in no time!

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Fall Activities: Leaf Rubbing

Photo by Emma Craig, ©2013 Some rights reserved. Licensed by Creative Commons Public Works License.

Photo by Emma Craig, ©2013 Some rights reserved. Licensed by Creative Commons Public Works License.

Make the most of your leaf strewn lawn by incorporating Fall foliage into this fun activity with your kids! It’s simple and uses supplies that you probably already have at home, plus it creates instant seasonal artwork for your home! This is a great opportunity to teach your child about the different types of trees in your neighborhood!

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Halloween Math Activities

Photo by poppet with a camera, ©2014 Some rights reserved. Licensed by Creative Commons Public Works License

Photo by poppet with a camera, ©2014 Some rights reserved. Licensed by Creative Commons Public Works License

Halloween is in full effect all around us, so why not pull some spooky inspiration into your child’s math learning? Break up the routine of worksheets by incorporating some spook-tacular Halloween fun into new and exciting activities. Depending on your child’s math skills, try one (or more) of the activities below!

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Science Fair Projects

There’s nothing quite like the thrill of conducting your own scientific experiment. Science fair projects can give students the opportunity to practice their scientific thinking, on top of building onto their problem-solving skills. Hands-on experiments help to engage and connect kids with the many topics that science brings up. Spark up a new found discovery of scientific exploration with these ideas for science fair projects.

Photo By Jose Kevo

Photo By Jose Kevo

Build your own working compass

What you will need:

  1. A steel paper clip
  2. A magnet
  3. The cap from a milk jug
  4. A pie plate (9 to 12 inches in diameter)

Steps:

  • Fill your pie dish with water.
  • Place the cap from a milk jug onto the water to float. Center the float.
  • Straighten the steel paper clip and turn it into a magnet—Take your magnet and stroke it along the straightened paper clip around 15 times.
  • Place the magnetized paper clip onto the float and watch as your paperclip will slowly point North!

With hands-on experiments like these, kids will have a blast when discovering that they are fully capable of carrying out their own scientific experiment! For more inspiration on science fair projects, follow us on Pinterest and share with us some of your favorite discoveries!

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