Let your kids add their personal touch to the present-wrapping process this year by having them create wrapping paper.
There are endless ways you could approach this task to create unique, nature-based wrapping paper (you could even recycle kids’ artworks from the year). Here are a few of our favourite methods:
Spray Bottle Method
Materials: Spray bottles, food dye or paint (red & green), large paper/a roll of paper.
Method: Go outside and search for leaves, flowers, sticks and other natural items with varied shapes, sizes and textures. Fill your spray bottles with water and paint/food colouring in red and green (in separate bottles). Arrange your foraged bits of nature on paper, then splash and spray with paint! When it dries, peel off your nature items to reveal the shapes and patterns below.
Leaf Rubbing Method
Materials: Crayons (in festive colours), a roll of craft paper or large sheets of paper.
Method: Go outside and search for leaves, then place them (with veins facing upwards) on a hard surface. Put a sheet of plain craft paper or similar over the leaf. Then take a crayon or pencil and start gently colouring over your leaves. If you are using a pencil, make sure to colour on an angle. What sort of leafy patterns will you uncover?
Leaf Printing Method
Materials: Paint (red, green, silver, gold and other festive colours), a roll of kraft paper or large sheets of paper.
Method: Go outside and search for leaves. Paint onto the detailed side of each leaf, and it press onto paper to make an impression. Repeat, using festive colours, until you’re happy with your wrapping paper!
Painted Santa Leaves
Materials: Paint (red and white are essential!), paintbrush, leaves.
Method: This one is simple as finding cool leaves outside and turning them into Santa with your trusty paint set. Gum leaves are a great shape and texture for this one. Give your Santa an extra-long white beards and a pointy red hat! When the paint dries, add some face details. Then, carefully attach string or wire to hang the ornament from your tree or use as decoration on your wrapped gifts.
Wrapping: Finishing Touches
As your wrapping paper dries, why not go foraging again for some dried leaves to adorn your presents? When you’ve finished wrapping, a simple twine bow and sprig of dried gum leaves are the perfect finishing touches!
