As winter begins and days become shorter, it's a good time to focus on making holiday decorations with your children. Doing holiday crafts together is an enjoyable way to celebrate the season, especially when outdoor play is less possible. Crafting not only brings holiday joy into your home but also creates lasting memories and keepsakes. Here is a selection of fun and simple Christmas decorations you can create with children of any age to embrace the season.
The Joy of Making Christmas Decorations with Kids
Crafting Christmas decorations with your children is a great way to celebrate the season. It brings everyone together, sparks creativity, and helps kids learn skills like hand coordination. Handmade decorations also give your home a special feel that store-bought items don’t provide. This guide offers a variety of craft ideas that are perfect for all ages, so everyone in the family can join in and have fun.
Cupcake Wrapper Christmas Trees
Create Christmas trees using cupcake wrappers. This easy project works well with young kids and uses leftover cupcake cases. Fold and glue wrappers to craft small, cute Christmas trees that brighten any space.
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Materials Needed:
- Festive cupcake wrappers
- Glue
- Scissors
- Ribbon for hanging (optional)
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Instructions:
- Start by flattening the cupcake wrappers.
- Fold each wrapper into a cone shape and secure with glue.
- Stack multiple cone-shaped wrappers to form a tree shape, gluing each layer as you go.
- For added flair, glue a small loop of ribbon to the top so it can be hung on the tree.
For more creative ideas, consider using mini Christmas trees as part of your festive décor, which can complement these homemade cupcake wrapper trees perfectly.
Key Takeaway:
💡 Cupcake wrapper Christmas trees are an easy, creative craft that repurposes everyday items into charming festive decorations.
Fingerprint Snowmen
Fingerprint snowmen are both fun and create sweet keepsakes that show your child’s hand size. Using plastic baubles and paint, kids can create snowmen with just their fingerprints.
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Materials Needed:
- Sturdy plastic baubles
- White acrylic paint
- Paintbrush
- Black and orange markers for details
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Instructions:
- Dip your child’s finger in white paint and press it onto the bauble to form the body of the snowman.
- Let the paint dry completely.
- Use markers to add the eyes, nose, buttons, and scarf to your snowman.
- For a personalised touch, write your child’s name and the year on the bauble.
Key Takeaway:
💡 Fingerprint snowmen baubles are a delightful way to preserve memories while making a festive and personalised decoration.
Bead Candy Canes
Craft bead candy canes for a very simple and fun activity that helps kids practice their hand coordination. Children string beads onto pipe cleaners to create candy cane shapes.
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Materials Needed:
- Red and white beads
- Pipe cleaners (preferably red or white)
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Instructions:
- Cut the pipe cleaners to the desired candy cane length.
- Twist one end of the pipe cleaner to prevent beads from slipping off.
- Let your child alternate red and white beads onto the pipe cleaner.
- When finished, bend the top of the pipe cleaner to form the candy cane hook.
Key Takeaway:
💡 Bead candy canes are a simple and engaging craft that’s perfect for enhancing children’s fine motor skills.
Handprint Wreath
A handprint wreath is a great craft that combines fun with creativity, resulting in a lovely holiday decoration. Trace, cut, and arrange handprints into a wreath.
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Materials Needed:
- Green cardstock or construction paper
- Red buttons or pom-poms
- Glue
- Scissors
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Instructions:
- Trace your child’s hand on the green paper multiple times and cut out the handprints.
- Arrange the handprints in a circle, overlapping them to form a wreath shape.
- Glue the handprints together.
- Decorate with red buttons or pom-poms to mimic holly berries.
Key Takeaway:
💡 A handprint wreath is a personalised and heartwarming decoration that captures the unique charm of your child’s hands.
Threading Decorations
Threading decorations are an excellent craft that keeps kids occupied and encourages creativity. These decorations provide options to be simple or detailed.
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Materials Needed:
- Scrap cardboard
- Wool or yarn in various colours
- Scissors
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Instructions:
- Cut out a circle or any shape from the cardboard.
- Make small notches around the edges.
- Let your child choose different colors of wool to wrap around the cardboard, creating patterns and designs.
Key Takeaway:
💡 Threading decorations are a flexible craft that encourages creativity and can be tailored to suit different skill levels.
Hanging Spiral Christmas Trees
Create hanging spiral Christmas trees with green card and decorations. A fun way to practice scissor skills while crafting unique decorations.
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Materials Needed:
- Green card
- Scissors
- Stickers, pom-poms, glitter, and other embellishments
- String for hanging
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Instructions:
- Draw a spiral on the green card.
- Cut along the line carefully to form a spiral tree.
- Decorate the tree with stickers, pom-poms, and glitter.
- Attach a piece of string to the top and hang it up.
Key Takeaway:
💡 Hanging spiral trees are a fun and interactive craft that helps children improve their scissor skills while creating beautiful decorations.
Homemade Snow Globes
Homemade snow globes are a magical way to create a winter wonderland in your home. This craft involves creating a snow globe using a jam jar, water, glitter, and a small figurine.
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Materials Needed:
- Jam jar with a lid
- Water
- Glycerin
- Glitter
- Small figurine
- Superglue
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Instructions:
- Glue the figurine to the inside of the jar lid.
- Fill the jar with water, add a few drops of glycerin, and sprinkle in glitter.
- Screw the lid tightly onto the jar and seal it with superglue.
- Turn the jar upside down to see your snow globe in action.
Key Takeaway:
💡 Homemade snow globes are a creative and enchanting craft that adds a personal touch to your holiday décor.
Paper Plate Angels
Transform simple paper plates into beautiful angels that can adorn your Christmas tree or be used as table decorations. This craft is easy for children of all ages and allows for a lot of personalisation.
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Materials Needed:
- Paper plates
- Scissors
- Glue
- Paint, markers, or crayons
- Glitter and other decorative materials
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Instructions:
- Cut a paper plate in half and roll one half into a cone for the angel’s body.
- Use the other half to cut out wings and a circle for the face.
- Glue the wings to the back of the cone and attach the face to the top.
- Decorate with paint, markers, glitter, and any other materials you like.
Key Takeaway:
💡 Paper plate angels are a versatile and creative craft that can be customized in countless ways.
Salt Dough Olaf
Create your own version of Olaf, the lovable snowman from "Frozen," using salt dough. This craft is simple and fun, and the resulting decorations can be used year after year.
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Materials Needed:
- Salt dough (made from flour, salt, and water)
- Black and orange markers or paint
- Ribbon or string for hanging
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Instructions:
- Shape the salt dough into Olaf's body parts.
- Use a straw to poke a hole at the top for hanging.
- Bake the dough until hard.
- Once cool, paint or draw Olaf’s facial features and add a ribbon for hanging.
If you're looking for more tips on creating the perfect Christmas look for your tree, check out our guide on how to decorate my Christmas tree.
Key Takeaway:
💡 Salt dough crafts are a durable and creative way to make unique Christmas decorations.
Conclusion: Have Fun and Make Memories
Crafting Christmas decorations with your children does more than just pass time - it’s about creating memories, spreading creativity, and spending time together. From easy bead candy canes to detailed homemade snow globes, there’s something for every skill level. Gather your materials, play some holiday tunes, and start crafting! The decorations will not only brighten your home but also become cherished keepsakes for years. Enjoy crafting!