Come wintertime, kids are bound to be excited, but parents are equally bound to be desperate.As winter break rolls around, kids envision getting up late and doing all things fun. Parents, on the other hand, know that after a few days of marathon daytime TV viewing, the fun quickly turns to boredom. If you’re looking for something to keep your kids occupied this winter break, try a little creative home crafting.Although the very phrase “home crafting” sends some parents running for the hills, these projects don’t have to be elaborate or expensive. In fact, all you need is a printer, some decal paper, ink and toner. With these basic items, you and your kids can print off decals from any home printer and use them in a variety of ways.
Redecorate a Bedroom
Kids change their minds about as often as they change socks – perhaps even more so! This means a kid’s bedroom decorations are soon irrelevant as interests shift from dinosaurs to race cars to reptiles. If your kid’s room is in need of a redo, print off decals related to your kid’s latest obsession. Stick them on windows, mirrors, or walls.
Kids will love to help choose and customize the designs, and they’re sure to be thrilled seeing the personalized decals every day. Parents can also rest easy knowing the decals were inexpensive and fun to create, and they are easy to remove when a kid’s whim once again shifts.
Personalize Crafts and Models
If your kid has model planes, trains, or automobiles, revitalize the bland plastic or wood with personalized decals. Decals are surprisingly versatile and can be successfully applied to a variety of surfaces, so no matter the model’s material, your kid can make his or her creation even more special by adding names, pictures, or drawings.
As always with printed decals, they can be removed without damage to the material beneath. Therefore, frequently changing the pattern of the model toys is as easy as clicking print, especially when using HP toner cartridges.
Create Custom Tattoos
Make a drizzly winter afternoon more interesting by surprising your kids with impromptu tattoos. Make them as big or small as you want and as outlandish as you want. From your home printer, just print the designs to the decal paper and apply with a bit of water. (It’s the same process as store brand removable tattoos.)
Kids will get a kick out of helping design the tattoos and then be just as excited to sport the body art all day. You’ll be happy the kids were occupied for the afternoon, and you’ll be really happy the ink comes off after a shower and a bit of gentle scrubbing.
Manicure Afternoon
For the girl in your household, printer decals can even offer a fun, indulgent afternoon of manicures (for a lot less than an actual spa visit). Let your little girl pick whatever picture or pictures she wants, print them out, and apply to clean nails.
This technique works great for girls of all temperaments. If she’s a traditionalist, she can easily have ten beautiful matching nails adorned with flowers or filigree. If she has a more unique fashion streak, give her ten different nails ranging from skull and crossbones to the letters of her name.
Make HolidayDecorations
People always complain about the commercialization of the holidays, but there are still so many ways to make it a special time of year. One of those ways is to take an afternoon to make your very own holiday decorations. Apply the decals to any ceramic, tile, glass, or plastic surface. (Plain decorations can easily be purchased at any craft store.)
These decorations will mean a lot more than anything generic and store-bought, and they can adorn your house or make heartfelt gifts for relatives. In a season marked by spending, advertising, and malls, it’s amazing that the most meaningful gifts can be given for a little bit of plastic, paper, ink and toner.
Even though winter break can feel like the blink of an eye to kids and an eternity to parents, help fill the afternoons with a variety of printer decal projects, and everyone can enjoy the time off!
