It is always nice to have handmade decor or gifts for the holidays. The simplest things are, without a doubt, the most meaningful. And they’re extra special when the kids gather round to make them. These adorable toddler crafts for Christmas are sure to keep your little ones at home busy. Doing these craft ideas is your perfect excuse to bond with the family, too!
1. Christmas Cards
The kids can always send virtual cards to their cousins, schoolmates and friends. But making handmade Christmas cards is a better way of telling how special these people are to them. So, bring out your craft boxes and help the kids cut strips of paper and ribbons. They can then arrange these to form a star or tree. Let them use stickers to decorate their masterpiece, or use beads or glitter to add some sparkle.
Alternative: Instead of ribbons, you can also cut paper straws to form striped Christmas trees. These will make lovely gift tags. You can fold holiday cupcake liners as well to make Christmas trees for your DIY cards or garland.
2. Gingerbread House
Building a gingerbread house will make the most of your kids’ favourite skill: playing with their food! Hands down, the best toddler crafts for Christmas would have to be those that are messy and edible. If you want, you can do some baking and make your house materials from scratch. But using store-bought graham crackers or gingerbread house kits are just as fun.
Alternative: If no one in the family loves snacking on gingerbread crackers, sugar cookies will work, too. Make sure to have small bowls of royal icing, candies and chocolate ready. Let the kiddos enjoy getting their hands all sticky as they decorate each treat! When done, you can place the decorated cookies in loot bags or paper boxes for gift-giving.
3. Santa Pegs
Do you have spare wooden clothes pegs at home? You can use pom-poms, yarn, markers and acrylic paint to turn them into Santa or reindeer pegs. These decorative pegs are perfect for clipping ornaments in place for your DIY garland. Another great idea is to stick magnets at the back of each peg then use them to decorate your fridge. As for me, I love using these for sealing Christmas presents wrapped in brown bags.
Alternative: Paddle pop sticks are the best substitute in case you don’t have wooden pegs on hand. You can dress up your popsicle sticks into snowmen or angels. If you’re giving children’s books for Christmas, add one of your handcrafted pop sticks in the package. The lucky recipients can now use them as adorable bookmarks!
4. Toilet Paper Roll Puppets
If you prefer eco-friendly toddler crafts for Christmas, then start saving your toilet paper rolls. With the right embellishments and some googly eyes, you can turn them into a mini Christmas army. Let your kids make reindeers, Santas and snowmen out of this waste material. Ask them to cover one end of the roll, so they can fill it with lollies or candy and give them as gifts.
Alternative: No toilet paper rolls? No problem! You can make masks or puppets out of paper plates, brown bags or any card stock that you have instead. When you have all your characters ready, have the kids do a puppet show or play on Christmas morning.
5. Pom-pom Ornaments
The Christmas tree is the star of your holiday decorating. And little ones love covering it with all sorts of ornaments. So, why not ask them to help you refurbish your plain baubles? All you need are glue and lots of mini pom-poms. Brush glue all over the bauble then let your little helpers cover it with pom-poms. It’s an easy Christmas activity for kids with fabulous and colourful results. Aside from baubles, you can use pine cones, too.
Alternative: Pipe cleaners and beads also make great-looking tree ornaments. Just thread the beads through the pipe cleaner then form it into a candy cane. The beads can be a choking hazard for kids, though. So, be sure you’re with your kids when doing this craft activity. For safety, you can also take the threading role, while the kids can take charge of the tree decorating.
Are you planning to take the DIY path for your Christmas decor, too? We’ve got the perfect decorating ideas to have your home looking pretty and nice!
