Holiday Craft Idea with Beach Twist

In case you need a holiday craft project for young ones, try this beach-themed one. It takes minimal supplies, but supervision needs depend on the ages of the children involved. You'll need a drape to protect the table and the floor, some paper plates, some thin kitchen sponges, some heavy craft paper and some craft paint (washable) in complementary colors. If the paper and paint can be beachy, so much the better.

Take a kitchen sponge and cut out star shapes. Give each child a section of paper, a sponge and some paint squeezed out onto a paper plate. Have him or her stamp the paper with the sponge, creating personalized wrapping paper.

Older children can use the odd bits of sponge to create coral reefs or other “sea”-sonal decorations.

For large family gatherings where lots of children are going to be present, use the same idea, but swap out the paper for craft foam in rectangles of roughly 11-by-17 inches. If all the children are present a day or so ahead of time, each can make his or her own custom place setting. If not, the “host” children can make place settings for everyone else. It's a great way to keep youngsters involved in the process by giving them their own project.

When it's time to go home, each person has his or her little piece of the beach as a reminder of the great holiday