My kids both love to paint. It’s a fun craft which builds their fine motor skills and allows creativity and self expression.

We used to do a lot more painting when they were younger, but it seems to have become limited to a school-time activity. Amelia brings home pages and pages of paintings from pre-school.

Painting is also a special activity both of my kids like to do with their grandma (my mum). She doesn’t mind the mess and has a big table outside where the kids can paint and spill water, and it’s all okay and easy to clean up.

We were at Masters yesterday. Masters is a gigantic hardware/homewares type of store.

The staff were setting up the Christmas light display when we were there, so while hubby was looking at the power tools (as men seem to like to do), Amelia and I spent a little time, watching the lights... and ooohhing… and aaahhing.

We were just heading out when we found some great Christmas packs which included Christmas themed printed canvases, paints, glitter, glue, stickers, jewels… all the things required to make a beautiful festive artwork.

Amelia painted hers this morning. Look at that concentration.

The packs are quite simple and the best part is that they include everything required. Before we moved and packed the house up, we had all of these supplies, but everything is now in storage, so this was perfect for our needs.

Christmas canvases are very easy to make at home too. These types of canvases are readily available at the cheap shop for only a few dollars. Children can draw their own picture onto the canvas in pencil first (or mum can do this bit).

A pack of acrylic paints, some glitter, sequins, buttons, feathers, tinsel or really anything else you have at home can be used to decorate.

Don’t forget to put the date on the canvas. In years to come, it’ll be lovely for them to see what they made when they were little.

The kids can be creative and once it’s dry, they can proudly hang up their work, for all to see.

Come back later this week when I show you the finished products, plus some creative ways to use 3M hooks for Christmas. There may even be a 3M giveaway… but more on that later ;-)