Christmas is almost here, and there’s excitement in the air!  With twinkling lights, festive music, and the promise of presents, it’s a magical time of year.  But let’s be honest, keeping the little ones entertained can be a challenge.  You don't want them getting bored and cranky during the holidays, right? 

Fear not!  We've got a fun solution: DIY Christmas crafts!  These simple and creative projects are perfect for keeping kids busy and inspired. Not only will they have a blast making these cute crafts, but they'll also cherish the memories of crafting together as a family. 

Ready to get crafty?  In this article, we’re sharing 10 easy Christmas craft ideas to spark your kids' imaginations. Let's dive in!

1. Salt Dough Ornaments

One of our favourite festive craft activities is homemade salt dough ornaments.  It’s fun creating hand-shaped reindeers, baubles and figurines from everyday ingredients in our pantry.  Download our easy salt dough recipe to get started! 

Once you’ve made your dough, it’s time to form some shapes to paint and decorate.  Cookie cutters are handy for making stars, Christmas trees, hearts and more.  After creating your shapes, add a hole to any ornaments you wish to hang, and then bake to harden. 

To decorate your baked ornaments, use quality acrylic paints for kids.  This will give your shapes a vibrant surface to then adorn with beads, sequins, pom poms, glitter or other embellishments. 

Finish your ornaments with ribbon or string, ready to hang on your Christmas tree!

2. Stained Glass Suncatchers

Brighten up your Christmas windows with DIY ‘stained glass’ decorations.  There are a few ways you can make these, but we’re going to cover the easiest option. 

Start with a clear acrylic sheet.  You can find these at art shops or, if you’re eco-friendly like us, repurpose a plastic window from some packaging.  Next, use black glue or a ‘Sharpie’ pen to draw the outlines of your image.  You can also trace these by placing a line drawing underneath your acrylic sheet. 

Once your outlines are dry, you can cut around the outer edge and add some colour between the black lines.  The fastest way to do this is with Magic Markers.  These dry almost instantly and can also be erased if you make a mistake or want to reuse your suncatchers. 

When you’re happy with your finished artwork, you can hang them with thread or stick them to your windows.  Your neighbours will be impressed!

3. DIY Christmas Bon Bons

Christmas is synonymous with waste so, instead of buying pre-made bon bons this festive season, let your kids make them for your family!  All you need is cardboard tubes (clean toilet rolls are ideal), coloured paper, double-sided tape, craft glue and ribbon or string.  If you wish to bon bon with a ‘bang’, you can find cracker snaps at craft stores. 

Start by placing a cracker snap inside your cardboard tube and fix it well with glue.  Next, cut your paper to overhang the length of the cracker snap.  The paper should fit snugly around your cardboard tube and be fixed in position with double-sided tape.  Tip: Use a washable craft mat for measuring, gluing and storing your craft elements. 

Then, pinch one end of the paper cylinder and tie with ribbon or string. Insert your trinkets and treats, then pinch and tie-off the other side.  Party time!
 

4. Christmas Clay Photo Frames

Festive photo frames made from clay are an easy Christmas craft that make a lovely keepsake for your family.  Start by rolling reusable clay until almost 1cm thick.  Then, using clay tools or cookie cutters, create some festive shapes.  Stars always look great! 

Next, cut a hole in the centre of your shape to form a photo frame.  Circles, rectangles or squares work well for this.  Now, you have the front panel of your photo frame.  You can add a small hole if you wish to hang the frames on your Christmas tree. 

Now, place your frames on a baking tray and bake for 15-20 minutes to harden.  Once your frames have cooled, paint and decorate as you please.  Gemstones and glitter add a nice festive touch. 

Once dry, finish your photo frames by cutting a cardboard or felt shape to match your clay frame.  Glue this to the bottom and sides of your frame to form a pocket.  This is where your photo will sit.  You can also add a small cardboard mount to enable your frame to stand upright.  Continue to create and capture happy memories to include in your frames for years to come.

5. Homemade Gift Bags

Buying gift bags is a convenient option, but why not have your kids make some this Christmas?  It keeps them creative, saves you money and is better for our environment.  All you need is coloured paper, scissors, glue and some elements for decoration. 

There are a few ways to create a gift bag, but the simplest involves folding a rectangular piece of paper in half, lengthwise.  Then, bringing the short sides together, glue or tape the edges to form a sleeve.  You can complete the bag by hole-punching the top and threading ribbon to form a handle. 

Now, your kids can put in some gifts, add a little tissue paper and impress their friends!

6. Reindeer Puppet

Reindeers are etched in our Christmas memories. Remember the childhood stories of Rudolph, Dasher and Dancer? Kids love these cute animals and will enjoy creating their own puppet version. 

To make this reindeer craft, you require socks (grey or brown for authenticity), pipe-cleaners or stiffened felt, buttons, pom poms and glue. 

Firstly, cut two small holes in the toe section of the sock.  This is where you’ll thread your antlers.  Next, shape two antlers by cutting felt or twisting pipe-cleaners.  Poke the base of your antlers through the holes in the sock.  You may need secure these in place with glue or a few stitches. 

Then, complete your reindeer by gluing on some eyes and a nose using buttons and a pom pom.  You now have your brand new reindeer puppet ready for festive fun!
 

7. Christmas Cards

Giving and receiving Christmas cards is one tradition worth preserving in an age where many traditional practices are disappearing or becoming digital.  It’s a simple gesture that’s a lot more meaningful than a text message or e-card and helps to instil kindness in your child. 

Make the practice of exchanging cards fun for kids by letting them make their own.  It’s a Christmas craft that encourages your child’s imagination.  Cards can be cut into a variety of shapes.  They can also be folded in different ways, such as concertina cards and pop-up cards. And, of course, many materials may be used to decorate cards – marker pens, pencils, paints, sequins, glitter, pressed flowers, stamps, coloured paper, wool, stickers, ribbon and more. 

If your children are giving their cards to friends or teachers, consider adding gift cards as a convenient Christmas treat.

8. Biodegradable Garlands

Garlands are great Christmas decorations and you can make biodegradable ones to deck the halls this holiday season.  Eco-friendly crafts such as this are opportunities to educate kids about environment. 

You can use natural materials like dried orange slices, cinnamon sticks, pine cones, twigs and leaves to create a rustic and fragrant garland. Or, if you’re feeling creative, try stringing together popcorn or dry pasta shapes and finish them with a spray of coloured paint. Remember, the possibilities are endless when it comes to crafting sustainable decorations!

9. Jingle Bells Craft

Your child will love decorating their bedroom door with these pretty Jingle Bells that can also be used as a real musical instrument.  It’s an easy and inexpensive Christmas craft that can be made using many items already in your home. 

To start, use a pencil to punch a hole in the base of a paper cup.  Next, create a loop in one end of a pipe cleaner and, using string, connect a jingle bell to the pipe cleaner loop. 

Now, thread the straight end of the pipe cleaner through the hole inside the cup. Keep pulling the pipe cleaner until the looped end touches the interior base of the cup.  Then, thread a large bead down the pipe cleaner until it hits the outer base of the cup (the top of your bell).  Finally, take the end of the pipe cleaner and twist it around the top of the bead to form a handle. 

Complete your Jingle Bells Craft by painting the bell and tying a ribbon bow above the bead.

10. Santa’s Hat

Santa’s hat is a crucial feature in Christmas festivities, making it one of the exciting Christmas crafts. The best part is with a few items you can whip out a perfect Santa hat in no time. 

Use red felt, scissors, craft glue and cotton wool balls. Measure the correct head size using a measuring tape or length of paper. Then, using chalk or pencil, draw a triangular shape on the felt, ensuring the base measurement matches your head size.  Tip: It’s better to make it a little larger at first as you can always reduce the size later! 

Next, cut your felt to form a conical shape. Test it on the wearer’s head and trim if necessary.  Make sure you keep enough overlap for gluing.  Once you’re happy with the fit, glue the two short sides together to create Santa’s hat. 

You can now add some fur trim by gluing cotton wool around the base of the hat and adding a pom pom to the point. 

Leave the glue to set and Santa's hat is ready!

Keep Your Kids Entertained This Christmas Holiday With Easy Crafts for Kids

While the holidays are supposed to be fun, kids can easily get bored. However, with simple crafts, you can provide a thrilling Christmas. 

You only need readily-available materials, a little guidance and a bit of creativity. This not only creates entertainment but also curbs the addictive use of digital devices in young children.