Toddler Tuesday: Wax Paper Leaves

Today I am going to recommend that you do a classic leaf activity that your toddler can use to help decorate for Thanksgiving.  Wax paper leaves!  Do you remember ironing wax paper to preserve leaves as a kid because I sure do?  I will have to give a link for directions because I have to admit that I had a bit to a FAIL on this one, though we did have fun.  For some reason, our wax paper placemats would not completely seal for me (I ended up finishing with a glue stick) so I will not subject you to my directions. 

Directions here:    http://gardening.about.com/od/craftsanddecor/ss/Preserve_Leaves_4.htm

Start out by going on a fun leaf walk with your toddler and make sure to pick a variety of different colored and shaped leaves.  Then you get to decide what you will do with the leaves:  will you cut them out and hang them on the curtains or windows, make placemats like we did, or maybe make a little book of different leaves stapled together.  Either way I had my toddler and preschoolers arrange the leaves and then I whisked them away into my gated kitchen to keep everyone away from the hot iron.  My kids loved eating off of their special placemats at dinner all week.