Christmas crafts for kids are one of the easiest ways to fill the weeks before the holiday with something other than screen time — most of these use supplies already sitting in a kitchen drawer or recycling bin.
Here are 15 Christmas crafts for kids organized by type, from five-minute ornaments toddlers can help with to slightly more involved projects that make real gifts.
Christmas Crafts for Kids: Ornaments They Can Actually Make
Salt dough ornaments. Mix flour, salt, and water into a simple salt dough, cut shapes with cookie cutters, poke a hole for string, and bake low and slow until firm. Paint once cool.
Handprint reindeer. Trace a handprint on brown paper or felt, add googly eyes and a red pom-pom nose. A classic that doubles as a keepsake.
Pinecone trees. Paint a pinecone green, dot on tiny pom-poms or beads as ornaments, and top with a star sticker.
Melted crayon ornaments. Shave old crayon bits into a clear plastic ornament, warm gently, and swirl for a stained-glass effect.
Cards and Gift Wrap
Potato-stamp wrapping paper. Cut a simple star or tree shape into a halved potato, dip in paint, and stamp plain kraft paper.
Fingerprint wreath cards. Fingerprints in green paint arranged in a circle make an instant wreath; add a red dot bow at the bottom.
Photo ornament gift tags. Punch a hole in a small printed photo, tie with ribbon, and use as a tag on a family member’s gift.
No-Mess and Toddler-Friendly Christmas Crafts
Paper chain countdown. Loop 24 or 25 strips of red and green paper into a chain; tear off one link a day until Christmas.
Sticker snow globes. Draw a globe outline on paper and let toddlers fill it in with white sticker “snow” and cutout shapes.
Cotton ball snowman. Glue cotton balls in a stack onto construction paper, add a paper hat and buttons.
Window clings. Squeeze puffy paint or glue-and-glitter mix onto a plastic sheet, let it dry overnight, and peel off to stick on windows.
Slightly Bigger Projects
Popsicle stick sleds. Glue popsicle sticks into a small sled shape, add a ribbon loop, and tie on as a tree ornament.
Paper plate wreaths. Cut the center out of a paper plate, glue on tissue paper or leaf cutouts, and finish with a bow.
Mason jar snow globes. A small figurine, water, glitter, and a lid glued shut make a shake-and-watch snow globe kids can display.
Felt ornament sewing. For older kids, a simple blanket stitch around two felt shapes stuffed with cotton makes a soft, durable ornament.
Tips for Making Christmas Crafts With Kids Go Smoothly
Cover the table before you start — an old shower curtain or a stack of newspaper saves the cleanup arguments that usually end a craft session early. Set out only the supplies needed for one project at a time; a table covered in every marker, bead, and glitter jar you own overwhelms younger kids more than it helps.
For toddlers, pick Christmas crafts for kids that don’t require precise cutting or gluing — stickers, stamping, and tearing paper give them the same “I made this” feeling without the frustration. Older kids can usually handle a full afternoon project like the felt ornaments or mason jar snow globes, especially if you let them pick the colors and add-ins themselves.
Bottom Line
Christmas crafts for kids don’t need a trip to the craft store — paper, paint, pinecones, and a glue stick cover most of what’s on this list.
Pick two or three Christmas crafts for kids to spread across the weeks before the holiday, and let the finished pieces double as tree ornaments or gifts for grandparents.
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About the Author: Family Hobby Hub
The Family Hobby Hub team researches and puts together simple, screen-free activity ideas for parents, grandparents, and caregivers — indoor play and sensory activities, backyard and outdoor games, on-the-go entertainment for car rides and waiting rooms, and easy learning and STEM activities for kids of different ages. Every guide is built around things most families already have around the house, takes only a few minutes to set up, and comes with a free printable checklist or activity sheet whenever possible. We are not child development specialists, educators, or licensed childcare professionals, and our activity ideas are general suggestions for family fun rather than professional guidance. Always supervise children during any activity and use your own judgment about what is appropriate for your child's age, interests, and abilities.