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Looking to sprinkle a little magic over the holiday season (or maybe just keep the kids and their prying eyes away for a few more moments)? We've got you covered with not one but TWO fun and family-friendly activities: Crafting your own Fantasy Ornaments and hosting a magical Story Book Scavenger Hunt!
These activities are perfect for kids and grown-ups who love a touch of whimsy or are aching to keep the magic alive (even if we might all be feeling a little too tired to feel festive ourselves). So, grab your wizard hat, fire up that cauldron (or just some cocoa because - you know cauldron prices are expensive these days), and let the adventure begin!
Craft Your Own Fantasy Ornaments
Everyone loves to decorate the tree and kids will love to decorate their own with handmade ornaments inspired by dragons, fairies, and mythical creatures! Here's how to bring these enchanting decorations to life:
WHAT YOU NEED:
Air-Dry Clay (you can also make salt-dough using flour, salt, PVA, and water).
Acrylic Paints (Make it magical with colour transition acrylics - yes they exist!)
Glitter Glue, stickers, tiny gemstones - the sky is the limit
String or ribbon
Cookie cutters (or go avantgarde and shape them by hand)
A toothpick
STEP-BY-STEP
Shape Your Magic: Roll out the clay and use a cookie cutter to create stars, moons, or even dragon eggs (round). Feeling bold? Use your fingers to pinch faerie wings or even spell books into life!
Add Details: Use a toothpick to etch scales, wing membranes, or magical runes into your ornaments and make a small hole for the ribbon or string to go through.
Let Them Dry: Airdry clay will take about 24 hours to harden. If you are using salt-dough. You will need to bake them in the oven (check your recipe!)
Paint on Some Magic: Once dry (and cool), paint your ornaments with bold colours. Metallic and Colour Shift acrylics will make them truly magical, while glitter glue, stickers (like the fantastic range at Thistle and Bard HERE), and fake jewels will give them a fantasy sparkle!
String Them Up: Thread ribbon or string through the holes, and your magical ornaments are ready to adorn your tree - or hang around your home.
BONUS IDEA
Create a Dragon Egg Ornament by shaping a small egg or using a round cutter and pinching the top a little, you can use an empty biro/pen casing to gently press scales into the clay. Doing this at a 45-degree angle will give a more 3d effect. Paint it shimmering greens and dust gold mica powder (old eyeshadow works too) for a truly stunning effect. You can use these as gift tags and family members will love receiving something handmade by the little-ones (no matter how wonky it looks).
Host a Magical StoryBook Scavenger Hunt
If you're playing host to a number of children over the festive period, this might be the one for you. Transform your home into a magical realm with this interactive hunt inspired by fantasy stories. To take it one step further, add an adventurous element and frame your scavenger hunt as a magical quest! Don't worry, you don't need to be a Dungeon Master for this! Use stories like Hansel and Gretal, Cinderella, or even The Grinch to inspire you.
WHAT YOU'LL NEED:
A list of story-inspired clues ( see ideas below!)
Small prizes (think chocolate coins or shapes)
A sense of Adventure (Let them dress up!)
HOW TO PLAY:
Set the Scene: Choose a few key settings in your home to hide clues and prizes. No need to over complicate this, think Sleeping Beauty's Tower (bedroom), the Enchanted Forest (Your living room or wherevere you Christmas Tree normally resides), The Dragon's Lair (Inside an airing cupboard just obviously not where your hiding Santa's gifts - keep those locked away!)
Write Your Clues: Use rhymes or Riddles to guide participants to each location. For Example: "The Dragon snoozes where it's warm, your next clue waits within the storm!" (The next clue lies in the airing cupboard). "Cinderella's stolen shoe is hidden here in plainest view" (The next clue lies where the shoes are normally kept - possibly in a shoe!)
Hide the Magic: Place small prizes with each clue to keep the adventurers motivated.
The Grand Finale: At the end of the hunt, fill a treasure chest (a shoe box or similar will be fine) filled with goodies or perhaps a special ornament for the family tree (see above for creating magical ornaments).
BONUS POINTS:
DRESS UP: Wizards, Knights, and faeries are welcome and actively encouraged!
SET THE ATMOSPHERE WITH MUSIC: Think a whimsical fantasy soundtrack or festive tunes.
ADD A STORYTELLING TWIST: Narrate the scavenger hunt as an epic quest.
WHY STOP THERE?
These activities are just the beginning of your holiday adventures. Share your creations with us on social media and we would LOVE to see your scavenger hunt setups! A Thistle and Bard we aim to spread a little magic to every home.
Happy crafting, hunting, and holiday adventuring!
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