Christmas Craft Ideas for Kids

Christmas crafts are enjoyable by most children. If your child likes crafts, why not let them make some for decoration or gifts? Children will love seeing their crafts displayed and will love giving them away, and it doesn't have to be that hard for them to do.

Gifts in a jar are great craft projects for older children. There are a variety of recipes on the internet, and all you need is ingredients that you probably have on hand and some quart wide mouth canning jars. One of the easiest recipes for one jar is 1 1/4 cups sugar, 1 1/4 cups M&M-brand chocolate candies, 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder. Mix the flour, soda and baking powder, and layer with the sugar on bottom, candies then flour mixture. Put the lid on (without the ring), cut a circle out of fabric, place over the lid, then put the ring on. You can then tie a ribbon around the ring. Add a tag to the ribbon that says:

For cookies:
Add 1/2 c softened butter or margarine
1 beaten egg
1tsp vanilla
Mix until completely blended. Roll into 1 inch balls, place 2 inches apart on cookie sheets. Bake @ 375 degrees until edges are slightly browned, approx 12-14 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

This is fairly easy for older kids to do and they can give them to bus drivers, teachers, grandparents, etc.

Salt dough ornaments are really fun for kids. Mix 1/2 cup salt, 1 cup flour, and 1/2 cup water. Mix well, kneading until smooth. You can add a little more flour ONLY if dough is sticky, but not too much. Roll out and cut with cookie cutters. Place on cookie sheet. With a straw, cut a hole out somewhere on the ornament for hanging. Bake in a 250 degree oven for 2 hours. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely. Paint with acrylic paints. Glitter and other decorations can also be used. Thread a ribbon in the hole when done. These can also be used to top packages, or if it is a smaller one, you can purchase pins from the craft department to hot glue to the back and make into a wearable pin.

Similar ornaments can be made by using 1 1/2 cups ground cinnamon, 1 cup applesauce, and 1/3 cup white school glue. Mix together. Let sit for about 30 minutes. Flatten it on waxed paper, dusting your rolling pin with cinnamon. Roll about 1/8 inch thick. Cut out, make a hole with the straw. Let sit about 5 days, turning occasionally so they dry evenly. Thread the ribbon.

Children can make cute placemats. Have them draw a Christmas themed drawing on construction paper. Let them use their imaginations. Put the date on the back and laminate it. They will enjoy eating off of "their" placemat!!

A "craft" my boys think is funny is snowman poop. Have them place a handfull of mini marshmallows into plastic bags. Tie with ribbon and have them put tags on the bags with this poem:
You've been naughty
So here's the Scoop
You're getting nothing
But Snowman Poop!

Let them decorate the tags any way they wish. They love giving these as a joke.

Similarly, kids love to make reindeer food for Santa's reindeer!!! Mix 1/4 cup of oatmeal, 1/4 cup of sugar and red and green glitter or shiny confetti. Mix well. Let them sprinkle it on the lawn for the reindeers or let them give it to someone with this poem:
DON'T FORGET THE REINDEER FOOD!!!
SPRINKLE ON THE LAWN AT NIGHT.
THE MOON WILL MAKE IT SPARKLE BRIGHT!
AS SANTA'S REINDEER FLY AND ROAM.
THIS WILL GUIDE THEM TO YOUR HOME!

Orange "air fresheners" will make your house smell nice and the kids will enjoy making them. Have them stick whole cloves into an orange. Let them decorate the orange with ribbon (which can be pinned or glued on). They can make all sorts of patterns with the cloves and ribbon. Display several in a bowl, or pin on a looped piece of ribbon to hang.

Why not let the kids make gift bags this year? It's very easy. Purchase paper lunch bags. (Plain bags for larger gifts can be found in the craft department at Walmart). Let them either draw, using markers, decorations on the bags or purchase Christmas theme stamps and ink and let them stamp the gift bags. Using a hole punch, punch two holes at the top of the bag and thread ribbon through. Tie into a pretty bow.

There was an old stand-by from years ago. Purchase Christmas colored construction papers, and cut into strips of the same size. Let children make a chain by putting the strips end to end and securing with glue. Thread the next strip through the first one before securing it. It can be as long or short as needed, and be draped around Christmas trees, over doorways and on mantles.

Smaller children can make reindeers out of their footprints and handprints, and it also makes a cute keepsake. Trace his or her foot (in the shoe) onto brown construction paper. Next, trace both of his or her hands onto darker brown or black construction paper. Cut out. Use the footprint as the head and glue the palms of the handprints behind the head, using the fingers as antlers. Either let the child draw eyes, a nose and mouth, or glue on wiggly eyes, a pom-pom nose and draw a mouth. You can also use a brown paper lunch bag, put the face where the piece is folded over and glue the handprint antlers on behind it. Use it as a puppet.

Using green construction paper, you can cut out several handprints (about 10) and glue them palm to palm, fanned out, to make a wreath. Decorate with markers, glitter, beads, whatever your child likes.

Smaller children can also thread Fruit Loops (or even better, Apple Jacks) to use as chains. Be careful they don't eat more than they thread!

If there are pine cones in your area, dip edges in glue and let the kids roll them in glitter. Display in a large clear bowl when dry.

Kids of all ages enjoy crafts. Hopefully, there are some here you and your child would like to try. It's not only good for the imagination, but it is good for spending quality time with your kids in the rush of the holidays. Have a very Merry Christmas!