Four- and 5-year-old children are developmentally ready to learn how to cut with scissors and glue what they cut onto a paper gift bag. If there are younger children in the group, they can tear materials and then glue them onto a gift bag. When planning the project, think about using recycled paper bags and craft materials and talking to the children about recycling, taking care of the earth, and being "green." Prior to the project, look around the house, yard or classroom to find recycled craft materials for cutting/tearing and gluing onto gift bags. Suggested materials include magazines, newspapers, wallpaper, wrapping paper, ribbon and string.
Matching colors is a cognitive skill that develops between the ages of 2 and 3 and is a precursor to being able to name colors. Making paper gift bags that focus on matching colors is done by buying colored paper gift bags or painting paper bags in the colors you want children to learn. Some ideas for items to glue on the bags are construction paper shapes of all sorts in the colors to match the bags, items cut from magazines and catalogs, string, yarn or ribbon strips in the colors of the bags, wood and plastic beads, and buttons.
Understanding the concepts of "big" and "small" is a cognitive skill that develops between the ages of 3 and 4. The concepts relate to two pre-school readiness skills--pre-math and vocabulary development. Decorating gift bags with like items that are big and small is the goal of this craft project. Big and small items to glue onto gift bags include crayons, basic geometric shapes, pencils, beads, leaves, flowers, pipe cleaners, chalk, beans and macaronis. The children may want to make big and small gift bags.