Thanksgiving Decor for the Kid Table

To create this you will need the following materials and supplies”

• Laura Kelly for Therm-O-Web Foil
• Therm-O-Web (Also Laura Kelly) Toner Papers
• Heat Laminator
• Adhesive (Therm-O-Web)
• Leaf Die and Cutting Machine or Pattern (Free to Download)
• Chipboard or Heavy Paper (Recycled Cereal Box)
• Scissors
• Water Based Markers
• Black Thin Marker
• Dowel Rods
• Washi Tape

Directions to Make Thanksgiving Decor for the Kid Table

Plug in and heat up the laminator. It usually takes at least 15 minutes. I really love the Royal Sovereign one that is sold on Amazon.

Choose which colors of foil are best on which toner papers and get them ready to put through the heat laminator.

Run the toner sheets with the foil (facing UP) through the laminator using the paper that comes in the packages as a cover. Peel off the foil for the magical reveal!

Step Three

Adheres the foiled papers to chipboard to make them super sturdy. This is an important step because kids can be rough.

Step Four

Cut out leaves from the paper/chipboard stack either using a die-cut machine or the free pattern. I used my leaf die that I designed for Sizzix.

Step Five

Color the leaves with water based markers to make them bright and cheery.

PRO TIP – Water based markers can be used to color layer after layer.

Step Six

With the scrap pieces of chipboard, create name plates using a black marker to adhere to the leaves.

Step Seven

Use washi tape to adhere a dowel rod to the back of the leaf to turn it into a wand!

Step Eight

Add ribbons and bow to make them into leaf wands!

Ways to Use the Foiled Leaves Thanksgiving Decor for the Kid Table

The foiled leaves make interactive wands for play. They can be placed in a floral arrangement to add something personal for each child. Be sure to arrange flowers in a container that won’t break (or spill) if knocked over.

The wands can also be used as place cards to set up where the kids will sit ahead of time. This can be a really good idea!

Take off of the dowel rod, the leaf makes a great gift tag. It would be fun to give the kids all wrapped gratitude journals at the table.

Cheers,

Laura

Practice Fine Motor Skills – Many craft projects require the use of fine motor skills to cut, tie knots, paint, color and even apply glue. Crafting provides a great opportunity to work on fine motor skills while creating works of art.

Build Self Esteem – Through the process of creating a craft project, a child works through a series of steps to make a masterpiece. The success of completing steps and having something wonderful to show for it has proven to build self esteem.

Create Community – Many craft projects that are done by kids in classrooms or groups collectively create a larger work of art. For example. When a group of kids create individual pumpkin crafts – once put together they have a patch. This creates community and inclusion.

Build Social Skills – While actively crafting, often times the fears and worries of talking with others subsides and children (of all ages) find themselves to be more social with those around them,

Promotes Individuality – Craft projects should allow children the opportunity to put their own style or mark into their work. There need to be choices available to successfully promote individuality. Some of these choices include picking colors, crayons vs colored pencils, cutting vs tearing paper and outlining.

Encourages Self Expression – Often times children will express their feelings and thoughts through simple drawing and works of art. Encouraging kids to draw in their journals and add their own elements to projects sometimes offers a release of feelings.

Do It Yourself projects are a great way to get the kids involved in making decorations. This gives them the opportunity to participate in what their environment looks and feels like – whether at home, school or camp. When kids have been included in the ideas and the creating, they have a sense of inclusion and importance, It is a way to have them learn that their vote counts.

If you are not aligned with your kid’s ideas for decorations because it’s not your look or style, don’t dismiss them. A good way to empower them to continue to express themselves is to allow them to have a large say in how they decorate their own space (bedroom or homework station). If you want to raise your kids to successfully be able to have a style of their own, it starts by giving them a say when they are little.