Making centerpieces shows children that they're important to the event.
When you're decorating for a child's birthday party or setting up the children's table at Thanksgiving, a formal flower arrangement just looks wrong. Get children invested in the decoration by creating their own centerpieces. Children will be proud to see their creations on the table, and you can pull these decorations out for years to come.
Crayon Bouquet
Crayons are not only for coloring. Children can use a new box of crayons to create colorful centerpieces. Buy a foam ball from a craft store and cut off a bit of the bottom so the ball can rest on a table. Let children paint the entire ball. Once the ball's dry, show children push the flat ends of crayons into the ball so the crayons will stay in place. Help children cover the entire ball with crayons. When you're done with the centerpiece, children can pull the crayons out of the ball to create their artwork.
Tube People
Empty paper towel and toilet paper tubes can be turned into people. Collect several tubes, then give children construction paper, glue, scissors and art supplies. Once children cut the paper into strips, help them glue the strips onto the tubes to create clothing and faces for their tube people. Help children add hats or hair made from paper or yarn. The kids can use crayons and markers to color the people to look like themselves and their family members, or to make Thanksgiving pilgrims or Santa. Cluster the tubes together at the center of the table.
Layered Sand
Even a preschooler can create a colorful centerpiece out of layered sand. Buy glass vases or use clear plastic cups for more casual centerpieces. Buy several shades of colored sand from a craft store. Show children pour in one color at a time to create several layers of colored sand. Give children the choice to leave the centerpieces like this or add decorations to the top by pressing flags, pinwheels or seashells into the top layer of sand.
Paper Flowers
Real flowers die after a few days, but paper flowers can last forever. Trace flower shapes onto several colors of paper and help children cut out and layer the flowers together. Push brass fasteners through the centers of the flowers to keep layers together.
To make tissue paper flowers, give each child a few piece of tissue paper and help him twist the center of the paper a few times to create a flower shape. Children can twist green pipe cleaners around the bottom of their flowers, then arrange the flowers in vases.
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