Christmas seems to be the time of year when everyone gets in the mood to create some wonderful family fun crafts. This is great for two reasons. One, it gives the family a project to do together, and two, it provides the kids an opportunity to make a nice present or family heirloom for years to come.
I remember when I was in kindergarten, we made these cute Christmas decorations. Actually, it was one decoration for the tree. It was a peanut with pipe cleaners as arms and two dots of nail polish for eyes. The one arm carried a match to light a Christmas candle and the pipe cleaner legs clung onto the branch of the tree.
That little ornament went on the Christmas tree every year and it is still in my mother’s Christmas box, although we no longer put up a tree at her house. Of course, today, children would not be permitted to use matches in a school project, nor would we even expect them to do so at home. So, if you decide to make that particular fun Christmas project for kids, please use a substitute item such as cardboard stick with red nail polish at the end.
But, to further help you with cool crafts for kids, I have put together a list of Five Christmas Projects for Kids that Are Fun and Easy To Make.
#1- Pretty Garland
One of the easiest crafts children can make are Christmas garlands out of popcorn or macaroni. You’ll need a long piece of thin rope or twine, about eight to sixteen feet, long enough to go around the tree, or stretch the length of a mantle.
Make sure it is not too flimsy, as it needs to hold the weight of the pasta which is heavy. You could use either Penne or Rigatoni and spray paint the pieces with non-toxic colored paint. Just string the macaroni on the rope and at either end tie balls to keep the pasta from slipping off.
An alternative is popping popcorn and using a needle and long thread and string it through the popcorn. It, too, can be colored before stringing or stick-on gold glitter can be applied after.
#2- Christmas Bowls
This is a cute project for the kids, but not all houses will have the supplies, so you might have to buy a few things. But, I think you should be able to get them at the dollar store, so keep it cheap.
Basically, you take coffee filters and let the kids draw bright Christmas colored designs on them. Once the designs are completed, drape the paper filters over an empty plastic margarine dish and spray with starch like you use for ironing. But, I would recommend non-toxic, environmentally friendly homemade starch. This lady shows you how to do it perfectly.
Once the coffee filter dries, you have a pretty bowl to display jujubes, mini candy canes, or some other Christmas treat. It makes a nice gift, too.
#3- Popsicle Stick Christmas Trees
These are so cute, and yet, so easy to make, I just love them for crafts for young kids. All you need are seven sticks, some children’s glue, a few felt cutouts and some glitter. Scraps of tissue paper and little bits of ribbon can come in handy, as well.
Just take three sticks and glue together in a triangle. Then take a shorter stick and glue across the narrow part, and another stick to glue across the wider part. This will be your tree branches, so to speak.
Take two shorter sticks and glue side-by-side to the middle of the bottom stick to form a tree stump. Once the sticks are in place, add a felt star to the top of the tree and some bits of tissue or little felt balls, flowers, whatever to the two crossways sticks. This will look like the garland and tinsel on your tree.
Old buttons and Christmas stickers can be attached to the sticks to add more decorations. Be sure to make a little hanger and glue to the angel topper or to the top of the sticks. You can use ribbon. Or something that is even prettier and sturdier is the two-colored thin twine you get at Christmas to tie up boxes.
#4- Footprint Reindeer Artwork
If your child likes paint and wants to make a wall hanging, this cute reindeer should fit the bill. Take some water based paint and brush it on one of your child’s feet.
Make sure to have a clean white sheet of paper ready. Once the foot is painted, the child should stand firmly on the paper to leave an imprint of the foot. This becomes the reindeer’s body.
The toes are at the top of the artwork, so they represent the ears and top of the head. Add some antlers with black magic marker or pipe cleaners.
Red round felt pieces are cute for the nose. The heel of the child’s foot will be the nose. Let your child decorate the reindeer accordingly with funny eyes and maybe eyelashes.
Once done, you can place in a frame or attach some kind of hanging string. If you don’t have a frame, you can make a glitter frame on the piece of paper and then glue the artwork to cardboard to make it stiff for hanging. Maybe even spray paint the cardboard green or bright gold first to make it a festive color.
#5 – Craft Stick Snow People
The snow people are easy and fun crafts to make because the sticks can represent ladies, girls, boys, men and even cats and dogs. Whole families can be made.
Get a package of colored sticks and then use one at a time to make one person of the family.
Add buttons for decoration, cotton balls for Grandpa’s beard, finger paint a hat, glitter for Grandma’s necklace, and use any little scraps or odds and ends you have around the house.
Even the little color plastic bread clips will work for a belt buckle on a stick Santa.
Another idea is to take several sticks together, gluing them wide-ways to make a chunky Snowman or Snowlady. You can watch one being made in the video.
As you can see, Christmas projects for kids do not have to be expensive nor hard to accomplish. Everyone in the family can get involved and I am sure it will be great fun and hugely rewarding.
If you haven’t had your fill of Christmas crafts yet, then making your own Christmas wrapping paper might be fun and rewarding!