The holiday season leaves us with a lot of festive items—ornaments, wrapping paper, gift boxes, and cards. Instead of storing them away (or tossing them!), Heartfelt encourages families and teachers to repurpose these materials into meaningful learning experiences. Here’s how we turn post-holiday items into opportunities for creativity, fine motor development, and imaginative play—the Heartfelt way.
Ornaments: Fine Motor & Sorting Fun
Ornaments aren’t just for the tree—they’re perfect for hands-on learning:
- Sorting: Children can sort ornaments by size, color, or shape. This builds early math skills like categorization and comparison.
- Fine motor practice: Stringing lightweight ornaments or threading them onto pipe cleaners strengthens hand-eye coordination and dexterity.
- Pattern play: Arrange ornaments in color or shape patterns to introduce sequencing concepts.
At home, let children help pack ornaments into small boxes by color or size—they’ll be learning while you tidy up!
Wrapping Paper: Art & Collage
Leftover wrapping paper can spark artistic exploration:
- Collages: Children can cut or tear wrapping paper into shapes, creating festive collages or cards. This encourages creativity while practicing scissor skills.
- Painting and stamping: Use wrapping paper as a canvas for finger painting or stamping. The colorful patterns make every artwork feel special.
- Texture exploration: Crumpled, layered, or torn paper gives sensory experiences that are perfect for toddlers and preschoolers.
Invite your child to decorate new cards or gift tags from scraps—they’ll be turning waste into wonder.
Gift Boxes: Dramatic Play & Building
Empty gift boxes become portals for imaginative play:
- House or store play: Children can use boxes as shops, houses, or vehicles in dramatic play scenarios.
- Stacking & building: Boxes of different sizes encourage problem-solving, balance, and creativity.
- Costumes and props: Larger boxes can become wearable props or parts of a homemade costume.
At home, encourage children to “shop” in the box pile or create a gift-wrapping station to reimagine boxes in new ways.
Holiday Cards: Storytelling & Letter Recognition
Holiday cards are rich with literacy opportunities:
- Storytelling: Children can create stories inspired by pictures or messages on the cards.
- Letter recognition: Point out letters, names, or words to build early reading skills.
- Art inspiration: Cards can be cut up and repurposed into new art projects, combining literacy and creativity.
Encourage children to write a short note or draw a picture on the back of old cards—connecting the joy of giving with writing and expression.
Heartfelt Takeaway
At Heartfelt, we see learning everywhere—even in leftover holiday items. By repurposing ornaments, wrapping paper, boxes, and cards, children continue developing fine motor skills, creativity, literacy, and problem-solving, while exploring imaginative play.
After the holidays, don’t just put these items away—use them to extend the season of learning, creativity, and connection. What seems like clutter becomes a treasure trove of discovery, the Heartfelt way.
Written by:
Brittany Kay
Director of Program Quality at Heartfelt Impressions
