Gifts Archives - Page 4 of 4 - Fun Family Next Door

Baby Hand & Footprint Bowl for Grandparents

Grandma Bowl

When my husband’s mother only had two grand babies, we made this bowl for her Christmas gift. She loved it! We went to a make-it-yourself pottery shop called Color Me Mine. We designed the bowl beforehand. My brother-in-law, claiming to be the least artsy, took the babies on a walk around the shopping center while we painted the bowl. Then he returned so we could paint the babies’ hands and feet.

Baby Hands on Bowl

We all signed our names on the bottom of the bowl.

Bowl

We left the bowl at the shop to be glazed and fired. We went back the next week and it was finished! This is a large serving bowl, so it’s practical as well as fun!

ABC Books- Perfect Gift for Toddlers

ABC Books

My mother-in-law has given these books to my kids when they turned two years old. I have helped several of my friends make them as well.

ABC Books

There’s a photo for each letter of the alphabet. Some of my friends have pasted multiple photos on each page but I like the simplicity of one photo per letter. Some of our books have fabric covers and some are just plastic covers with a piece of paper slipped in front. Any way you do it, the kids LOVE, LOVE, LOVE having their own books.

I have used small 5.5 X 8.5 inch binders with a 1-inch ring for these books. The page protectors fit a half sheet of paper. They also measure 5.5 x 8.5 inches. I go to local scrapbook stores to find the paper and use their dye-cuts. Most stores let you use their dye-cuts for free if you buy their paper!

Our Favorite Picture Books

PLEASE give your children books. Let their fingers turn the pages. Let them study the illustrations. Let them use bookmarks! A beautiful paper book can never be trumped by an image on a phone or tablet, especially in the case of picture books. There’s something about the smell and feel of a real book, with lovely illustrations to sweep you into a new place and time. If you’ve missed out on any of these wonderful picture books, we think they’re worth a trip to the library or bookstore to get your hands on a copy.

Here are 30 picture books that have been read over and over at our house. Some teach wonderful lessons. Some have gorgeous illustrations. Some are just plain silly. We know they’ll make you smile! A full list follows the photos.