A few minutes, a little creativity, and a child, is all it will take to bring a little joy to a deployed soldier this holiday season.  It's time to pull out the bins of craft materials and get your youngsters making crafts.

Listed below are some ideas for crafts that your children can make and send overseas.  

Snowman Paper Chain

This craft is perfect for decorating a bare room.

Material needed:  a large sheet of white paper, construction paper, pencil, ruler, scissors, and a glue stick

Instructions:  To make the chain, trace a snowman onto the paper and repeat it over and over again.  If the chain is going to a parent or family member, name each snowman with someone from your family.  Then draw a hat, scarf, eyes, mouth, nose, and glue them onto the snowman.  This chain can be short or long.

Soap With A Message

This is a simple project that kids of almost any age can do

Materials needed:  a plain, light-colored bar of soap, and a plastic knife.

Instructions:  Carve a message, or make a shape out of the soap.  

Make and Design a Pillow

Typically the décor in a military installation is pretty plain.  Help a young person make a pillow for his parent's bed.

Materials needed: fabric, clothes marker, stuffing, and a needle and thread

Instructions:  First have the child draw a design on the material using the markers.   You can also use a photo and have it printed on the fabric.  Once the design for the pillow is completed, then sew the material together.  Stuff the pillow and sew the top shut.  This can make a very nice accent for a deployed soldier's room.  

Calendar of Special Dates

One of the worst parts of being separated from a young child, regardless of the time of the year, is all the events and activities that are missed.  To help bridge the gap, make a calendar to send to the parent.

Materials needed:  a calendar, a set of colored markers, and stickers

Instructions:  Have the school age child take the calendar and write his or her special dates on the calendar.  This might include birthdays, recitals, games, date report cards come out, holiday parties etc.  The calendar should also include events like "Call me today."

With the calendar, send a small photo album with the dates already on each page, and then throughout the year, send photos of all the dates you listed on the calendar.  This way, the parent not only knows what happened, but gets to see photos of the events as well.  

Picture Frames

Materials needed:  cardboard, glue stick, puzzle pieces, and ribbon

Instructions:  An adult should precut and piece together the frame from a piece of cardboard.  Then the child glues the puzzle pieces all over the front of the frame.   As an added touch, add a piece of ribbon to the frame.  Put a favorite photo of the child and the parent in the frame.  Send new photos throughout the deployment.