Make These Super-Simple Christmas Crafts With Your Kids This Season
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Christmas is all about spending time with family and friends and making fun memories that will last a lifetime—this rings especially true when it comes to the little ones. Who doesn't remember tearing open gifts on Christmas morning or crafting salt dough ornaments with grandpa? And while there are endless ways to do this—think snow angels and sledding—there are some days when the weather doesn't cooperate and indoor activities are the best option. Rather than sitting the kids down in front of holiday movie (although we love doing that, too!), spread your love of DIY Christmas craft ideas by making a Christmas crafts with their help.
The best part about these projects? They make for fun holiday decor that you can use anywhere in the house and are also perfect for gifting. And heading to the craft closet every year will also help cement long lasting Christmas traditions! If you're looking to add a few more decorates to your Christmas tree, bookmark the many DIY Christmas ornaments ahead. Want an adorable item to put up on your wall or hang from the ceiling? We've got you covered. And these ideas are guaranteed to keep them busy during the hours you're making the holiday feast. I mean what kid isn't going to have a blast making slime.
Whatever you and your little ones choose to create, the most important thing is that you'll be spending quality time together! So go grab some glue sticks and paint, and get started making one of on our favorite Christmas crafts for kids.
School Paper Gift Bags
Have the kids transform plain white paper bags into school paper with nothing but a few pens and a standard hole punch. Once done they can use the bags to give gifts to their teachers or classmates.
To make: Use a ruler to draw blue lines side to side on a white paper gift bag. Draw a red line perpendicular to the red line. Use a standard size hole punch to punch three holes to the left of the red line. Fill with a gift, then tissue paper.
Apple Mason Jar
A craft the kids can make for their favorite teacher as a holiday present or to set on their own desk and fill with their favorite colored pencils and pens!
To make: Paint the inside of a Mason jar with red craft paint. Cut an apple leaf from green craft paper and punch a small hole in one end. Write a note to teacher on the leaf and attach to the jar with a length of twine. Fill jar with pencils, colored pencils, or pens
Snowmen Cupcakes
Kids will love decorating, with a generous sprinkle of coconut and icing faces and of course eating, these cute snowman vanilla flavored cupcakes.
Santa Mason Jar
After crafting a Santa mason jar, kids can use it to store their favorite holiday treats and candy.
To make: Paint the inside of a Mason jar with red craft paint. Cut a piece of red felt into cone shape and glue to the metal ring; shape into a hat. Cut a thin strip of white felt and hot glue to the bottom of the hat. Attach a small white pom pom or marble to the tip of the hat with hot glue (adults should help with tall hot glue use). Wrap a length of black ribbon around the lower part of the jar to create a belt. Top with a piece of yellow felt that’s fashioned into a buckle with hot glue. Attach two white buttons with hot glue.
SHOP FELT
Hot Chocolate Gift Mugs
Besides setting out just cookies have the kids put together a mug or two of cocoa mix for Santa to sip on while he delivery their holiday haul.
To make: Place hot cocoa mix in the bottom of small mug Mason jars. Top with mini marshmallow, chocolate chips, and crushed starlight mints. Attach lid. Attach a tag with red baker’s twine
Reindeer Brownies
Once an adult has baked up a batch of brownies invite the kids to help decorate them like Dancer, Dasher, Prancer, and Rudolph.
Reindeer Food Cones
In the lead up to the visit from the big guy in red enlist the kids to craft reindeer cones that they can use to sprinkle a snack for Donner, Dasher, Dancer, and Comet (really for the birds but the fantasy is the fun!) when they come to drop off presents.
To make: Cut a piece of brown kraft paper into a shape that can be rolled into a cone shape. Draw reindeer antlers, eyes, and a large red nose in the middle of the paper. Roll the shape into a cone and tape together. Fill cone with birdseed.
Advent Paper Bag Houses
Recruit the kids to help make their advent calendar or one for a little brother or sister. Made from paper bags and a few different colored markers, it'll be so fun to see what house styles they dream up!
To make: Draw windows, a door, and a roof on 24 small paper bags using a white paint pen. Write the numbers, one through 24, on the bags with a red pen. Use a small hole punch to punch two holes through the bags. Fill bags with treats then tie closed with red and white baker’s twine, adding a holly leaf, if desired.
Yarn Ball Ornaments
Sweet and soft these ornaments just might peak your kids interested in learning to knit or crochet. Get ready for an ugly sweater gift next year!
To make: Wrap yarn around a clear plastic Christmas ornament, holding the beginning of the yarn in place with a dab of hot glue, until the ornament is completely covered. Thread bamboo cocktail picks through the yarn to mimic knitting needles. Hang as desired.
Craft Bead and Button Snowman
These cute as a button snowman are great for hanging on the tree or adorning presents.
To make: Draw snowmen faces on wooden craft beads with markers. Thread a length of baker’s twine through a brown button. Thread both ends of the thread twine through two plain buttons then through the button with the face. Thread twine through 5 to 6 black button to creating a hat. Tie twine close to the top button to hold everything together, then tie again about 2-inches up to create a loop for hanging. Cut a thin piece of red felt and tie between the top to buttons for a scarf.
Yarn Stars
So simple to make you made find that the kids have gone wild and there are yarn stars in every room of your house!
To make: Cut a star shape from a piece of cardboard using an X-acto knife (adults should help kids with this). Wrap the star in yarn, using dabs of hot glue to help hold the yarn in place near the points of the star, until fully covered. Glue the ends of a length of yarn to the back on one point to create a loop for hanging.
Cookie Cutter Candy Corral
Have the littles help you package up a candy assortment using cookie cutters to stylishly separate each sweet. Or, lay them out on a tray and fill with snacks at a holiday gathering.
Twine-Wrapped Toppers
Kids will love helping wrap cookies cutters with bakers twine that will add a playful touch to presents.
To make: Wrap baker's twine (if your twine is thin, wrap two strands at a time) around cookie cutters, holding the ends in place with glue. Secure to presents with extra twine.
Cookie Cutter Ornaments
A handmade ornament will bring back sweet memories every year when you hang it on the tree and what's sweeter than the memory of a craft days with the kids.
To make: Hot-glue tinsel and mini Christmas notions in solid-backed aluminum cutters. Tie or glue a piece of thin ribbon to the back for hanging.
Oversized Pom Poms
When it's time to head outside for a little skiing and skating, kids will love showing off the oversized pom poms they made for their skates!
Snowflaked Stamped Bags
After you've spent time with the kiddos in the kitchen making and decorating cookies, shift to the craft room and put together a quick set of snowflake covered gift bags for gifting your delicious treats.
To make: Stamp snowflakes on the front of brown paper bags using snowflake rubber stamps and light blue, dark blue, and white ink. Use a small round hole punch to make two holes in the top of the bag. Thread and tie a piece of red and white bakers twine through the holes.
Santa Advent Calendar
The kids will love helping Santa’s beard grow with fluffy cotton balls. By the 25th he will have the full monty!
To make: Cut Santa’s face from white craft paper. Add texture with colored pencil. Cut pink cheeks, eyes, and nose from construction paper; glue to the face. Cut the hat from red and white craft paper; glue to the face. Glue a large cotton ball at the point of the hat. Cut a long beard shape from white craft paper. Write the dates of the month leading up to Christmas on the beard. Hang the calendar and set a bowl of cotton balls and a bottle of glue nearby.
DIY Hot Cocoa Kit
We can guarantee that you’ll have to make the kids a cup of hot cocoa when you recruit them to help assemble these sweet DIY kits. But spending quality time making gifts for loved ones will be worth the sugar rush.
To make: Paint a red circle with acrylic paint (or use a round red sticker) on a 1-cup mason jar. Once dry paint on a bit of greenery and write hot cocoa. Layer hot cocoa mixture, chocolate chips, and mini marshmallows in the jar. Place a square of seasonal fabric between the lid and screw band and tighten.
Felt Wreath
Simply tie strips of green felt around a wreath form to create this fluffy and fun holiday decor.
To make: Cut strips of two different shades of green felt. Tie strips around a wreath form. Attach small red ornaments throughout the wreath with hot glue. Loop a length of wide ribbon around the wreath to hang.
Jingle Bell Swag
Kids will love helping you make this sweet holiday noise maker. Have them thread the bells on the ribbon while you tie the bow. Hang on the front door, above the mantel, or at the end of a bed.
To make: Thread large jingle bells onto three lengths of ribbon; knot one end of the ribbon. Tie the unknotted end around a small wreath form or a length of wire shaped into a circle. Wire together a small bunch of seasonal greenery; attach to the wreath or circle form. Tie an oversized bow and hot glue to the wire just above the greenery.
Christmas Character Treat Bags
If your kid has a Christmas party at school or you're hosting one of your own, these sweet Christmas treat bags make the perfect carrier for taking home goodies. Make a cast of characters for even more fun!
Get the tutorial at The Homes I Have Made.
Christmas Character Candy Pots
Not only will these little pots look so cute as a Christmas table decorations, but they're also meant to be filled up with treats for optimal Christmas candy snacking!
Get the tutorial at Crazy Little Projects.
Paper Plate Santa Claus
Your kids will love making this adorable googly-eyed Santa, complete with a pom pom nose and white mustache.
Get the tutorial at I Heart Crafty Things.
DIY Christmas Balloon Wreath
Add a pop of color and whimsical fun with this charming DIY Christmas wreath made out of balloons. Let your little ones help you for a kid-approved Christmas decoration in their rooms.
Get the tutorial at Studio DIY.
Pinecone Tree Craft
This project is so easy to put together, you don't even have to go to the craft store to find the supplies. Just venture to your yard for materials for these pine cone crafts, paint the pine cones green, and add dots of color for "ornaments."
Get the tutorial at PJs and Paint.
Sparkly Snowflake Ornament Craft
There's nothing wrong with making snowflakes by cutting holes in paper, but we think these are just a little more jazzy. Your kids will love deciding which colors to use and, of course, bedazzling each flake.
Get the tutorial at The Best Ideas for Kids.
Lollipop Photo Ornament Craft
Create personalized ornaments with your child's school pictures. They'll look great hanging on your tree and make for great gifts for grandpa and grandma, too.
Get the tutorial at I Heart Arts 'n Crafts.
Christmas Popsicle Stick Craft
Can't decide what to make with your little ones? Start with popsicle sticks. They're easy to find and super versatile—just look to this craft!
Get the tutorial at The Keeper of the Cheerios.
Paper Plate Christmas Tree Craft
You'll soon find that you can make almost anything with paper plates. Just cut one into thirds and layer on top of one another. For the ornaments and garlands, use pom-poms and ribbons.
Get the tutorial at I Heart Crafty Things.
Handprint Santa and Reindeer Craft
Your kids can use their hands for more than just cutting and gluing paper with this project. Have them trace their hand on a sheet of paper to create Santa's beard and Rudolph's antlers!
Get the tutorial at Simple Everyday Mom.
Grinch Slime Craft
Slime is popular for its versatility, and the fact that it's extremely fun to play with! That's why your kids will enjoy mixing up a batch of Grinch-inspired slime—with a red heart to boot.
Get the tutorial at I Heart Arts 'n Crafts.
Christmas Tree Whirligig Craft
When it's Christmastime, you can never have too many trees around your house. Add one more to the bunch by cutting a spiral shape into a paper plate. To finish your tree, attach "ornaments" to each level using string and top it off with a star.
Get the tutorial at Red Ted Art.
Bead and Pipe Cleaner Ornament Crafts
It's not hard to figure out why we love these DIY ornaments: They're so simple to put together. All you need are pipe cleaners, beads, and ribbons.
Get the tutorial at Vicky Barone.
No-Sew Sock Snowman
Forget the needle and thread—grab some socks and buttons instead!
Get the tutorial at Easy Peasy and Fun.
Popsicle Stick Christmas Trees
Decorating these popsicle stick ornaments will be a special treat for your little helper.
Get the tutorial at One Little Project.
Toilet Paper Roll Snowman
Your kids will love personalizing these mini toilet paper snowmen.
Get the tutorial at Craftaholics Anonymous.
Yarn-Wrapped Christmas Tree Ornaments
If only decorating a real Christmas tree was this easy!
Get the tutorial at Easy Peasy and Fun.
Scrap Ribbon Tree Ornaments
Never leaf scrap ribbon lying around again.
Get the tutorial at Fireflies and Mud Pies.
Tea Light Snowman Ornaments
Turning tea lights into snowman ornaments? Now that's a bright idea!
Get the tutorial at One Little Project.
Pasta Christmas Tree
Your little noodle will love designing their very own tree this Christmas.
Get the tutorial at The Best Ideas For Kids.
Pom Poms and Pinecones Ornaments
We're a fan of any craft that uses pom poms.
Get the tutorial at One Little Project.
Santa Slime
Give kids something to do with their hands while the adults prep Christmas dinner.
Get the tutorial at The Best Ideas For Kids.
Paper Plate Ornament Craft
Finally, a bauble that can't break!
Get the tutorial at Crafty Morning.
Twig Reindeer Ornaments
This reindeer ornament will go down in (craft) history.
Get the tutorial at Fireflies and Mud Pies.
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