Fee's World

Finding the time to wrap gifts when you have a toddler is difficult, so I decided (one evening when LO was avoiding sleep) to include him in wrapping our Christmas presents. How hard could it be?

Scissors are clearly not a toddler toy so they stay firmly a “Mummy’s” object, so when he did get hold of them, which he did, they were the only “not for Arthur” of the exercise.

So, we got our scissors, our sellotape, wrapping paper and ribbons and bows. Something was missing…oh yeah, the presents! It’s worth noting here that presents can be very exciting, so we wrapped one thing at a time leaving the others out of reach/view.

You get to wrapping as you normally would, but this time you have a fake present or a present for Grandma at hand on which your toddler can stick his sticky tape!

Toddler helping wrap gifts

Cut your paper to size and wrap the gift, ask your toddler to help by holding the paper closed while you get some tape to stick it down, you’ll be surprised at how much help a 15 month old can actually be. Don’t bank on this being a neat package though, and don’t bank on said toddler keeping his hands on the parcel while you get the tape, but it let’s them help, which they love, and also gives you a second to at least get some tape cut.

You might not want to show your toddler you breaking the sellotape with your teeth, depending on your toddler, ours is pretty good about what goes in his mouth and if he does and it isn’t food, he’s also pretty good at taking it out again. The tape did go to his mouth but it was deemed not food 🙂

Next up, the tape. This is the fun part. Break off two pieces for every piece you need and give one of them to your toddler for sticking either on to the parcel your wrapping (consider it decoration) or onto their own present, or even just a scrap of the paper you’re wrapping with.

You might fund yourself rushing a bit here but make a game of it and let him play with the roll between use.

Then comes the ribbon, which if you have cats like we do, can make this double fun. Again, have two rolls and make sure your toddler (and cat) is under constant supervision with the ribbon, especially as they seem to live putting it round themselves. Chill out if you can and let them run around trailing the ribbon, it gives you time to finish the wrapping and they will love it.

Labels are tricky because I’d your toddler is anything like mine then Mummy having a pen is not allowed, all pens now belong to one person, your toddler. But that’s ok, get a sheet of paper, give them their own pen and get them to make you some custom labels for the next round of wrapping! Let them scribble away with festive colours then cut festive shapes out of the page, hole punch a hole, et voila, custom labels made with love and guaranteed to make the recipient smile. Meanwhile, rush writing onto the label you need.

Then on to the next present!

I didn’t say this would be quick, did I? Fun though, and a lovely activity for you both for these dark evenings.