Homemade Book Activity: Holiday Wishes

Each year at Christmas, we as parents ask our children to write a wish list. The list all the things they wish Santa would bring them on Christmas Eve. Most often you'll find very reasonable and sensible things on their lists—things like Elsa dolls, a Lego set, a camera, a stuffed puppy, even a real puppy. But have you ever asked your kids to write a wish list as if the sky were the limit? As if they had no boundaries and they could wish for anything at all, be it for themselves or for others? Today I did just that. And each child made a book of all the wishes as a keepsake for his/her parents to treasure for many years to come. Some of the wishes were tender, like this one for all the world to love the animals.

Some of the wishes were a bit cheeky and gave a little insight to life at home.

And some were just full of pure imagination.

HOW TO MAKE YOUR OWN CHRISTMAS WISH BOOK

Here is an example of some of the materials you will need for creating your own book of special wishes.

Before binding the book, allow the children to use the provided materials to decorate their book covers.

Once their covers are finished and drying, they can begin filling all their pages with special wishes! For the younger ones, I encouraged them to draw their wishes, and I sat with them later and wrote down what they told me about each page. The youngest one in our group today was six, the oldest was nine. They all came up with such wonderful, personalized wishes.

When the children are finished filling their pages with wishes, you can go ahead and bind them together as a book...

The mind of a child who is unhindered by physical boundaries is such a beautiful thing. So often kids are restrained by instructions and steps and adult preferences. This Christmas, give your child the simple gift of wishes unbridled. Tell them they can wish for whatever they want most for the world! The gift you will receive in return is more lovely than you can imagine.

So do I, little man. So do I.