Christmas is a great time of year to encourage a child’s creative side. There’s lots of easy Christmas art you can create, from personalised cards and gifts, to homemade ornaments and decorations- we’ve got ten great Christmas craft ideas to keep idle hands and curious minds busy throughout the festive season – all using materials you’re likely to have around.
No matter what age your children, they’ll enjoy getting a bit messy and making these fun crafts – so pop on the Christmas tune sand get crafting!
Cards and gifts
• Snow globes. Simple snow globes make great gifts and are easy – and fun! – to make. Children can paint and decorate wintery toys, figurines, and whatever else they want to put in their globe. Then take a plastic jar and use the top to form the base of the snow globe, gluing their figurines to the inside of the jar’s top. Once the glue and decorations are dry, fill the jar with glitter and water, screw the lid on tight and flip it over for a super festive homemade snow globe.
• Card free-for-all. Grab any and all craft supplies you have on hand, plus anything non-perishable from the kitchen or garden that you think might work (pasta, cinnamon sticks, dried leaves, etc) and let your children’s creativity run wild. Precut and fold paper cards and set out glue and tape so all they need to worry about is decorating their cards.
• Make old cards new again. Holding on to old greeting cards for no good reason? Give them new life as Christmas collages. Children can cut out illustrations and greetings from old cards and use them to make new cards or colourful collages on pieces of coloured paper. Glitter glue, stickers, and pom poms make great add-ons.
• Card painting. A simple activity that children of any age will enjoy. To make it friendly for young children, have stencils and finger paints for them.
• Potato print wrapping paper. Don’t forget about decorating gifts! Cut different shapes into halved potatoes to make stamps that your children can use to decorate kraft paper – or, make it a low-waste Christmas by using newspaper or other recycled paper. Just make sure the paint is dry before wrapping those precious gifts!
Ornaments and decorations
• Garlands. Kids’ DIY Christmas ornaments can suit any age. Materials for younger children include paper rings and cut-out handprints or snowflakes, while older children might enjoy stringing popcorn or making more complex garlands out of dried fruit slices. Oranges are particularly festive and give the house a lovely aroma.
• Salt dough ornaments. Mix together 4 cups of plain flour, 1 cup of table salt and 1 ½ cups of water to make salt dough. Once your children have shaped them into ornaments (with your help, depending on age/ability), poke a hole through the top for the string, then bake at 120° C for 3 hours. Once cooled, it’s time to decorate for a truly unique Christmas ornament. Stuck for ideas? Snowmen, Christmas trees, candy canes, and handprint Santas all make great additions to the tree. Make them extra-durable by applying a layer of white glue over the paint to seal, and a backing of card paper to help them stand the test of time.
• Ice-cream stick ornaments. These make great snowflakes and Christmas trees, just glue into the chosen shape and then children can add decorations and a ribbon for hanging on the tree.
• Paper plate Christmas trees. Take a paper plate and form into a cone shape, securing with glue or staples (being careful of the pokey bits), then have children decorate with paint, stickers, pom poms, buttons, bows, etc.
• Handprint wreaths. Help your children trace handprints on coloured paper and cut them out, then glue or tape to a paper plate or circle to make colourful and personal wreaths.
Christmas is a time for family – but too many children in the UK don’t have a safe home to call their own. If you’re thinking about welcoming a foster child into your family, please get in touch today.
