Six Homemade Christmas Crafts for Children

The holidays are a very special time for children. Help them enjoy it by participating in fun activities and providing the materials needed to make homemade Christmas crafts. They will remember the time you spend with them and the fun they have more than any present you could buy.

1. Popcorn Strings
This is a Christmas favorite because its so easy. Make a bag of popcorn and then let the kids thread them together. Children do need to be supervised because of the needle but make sure you give them a plastic one and not one that you would sew with. You can get these in crafts stores. After they make their popcorn string help them hang it on the tree.

2. Christmas Cookies
Cookie cutters come in a variety of sizes and shapes. Buy some with snowmen, reindeer, snowflakes, ornaments and Christmas trees to make holiday themed cookies. Let your children make a simple sugar cookie recipe with your supervision. Cookie cutters with handles on top make them easier for children to pick up. You can decorate the cookies in colors of red, green and gold using sprinkles or icing.

3. Homemade Ornaments
Craft stores sell foam balls that make great Christmas ornaments. This is a great activity for kids because all they have to do is draw or glue on pretty decorations. A parent should take a needle and thread some yarn through the ball and then tie it off to make a loop. This will be used to hang it on the tree. Use normal glue to secure beads and embellishments to the ornament. Let the kids be creative. Scrap booking supplies would be great to use on these.

4. Stockings
Instead of buying a stocking with a picture on it get a plain one. Give your kids colored glue and glitter so they can decorate their own. Tape stencils on the stockings and let them fill in the spaces with glitter to write their names.

5. Sand Dollars
Sand Dollars can be purchased at most craft stores. They make great ornaments and are very versatile. Sand Dollars can be decorated using paint, glitter and even small photographs. When finished hang them on the tree or fireplace.

6. Homemade Reindeer
I remember doing this as a kid and it was fun. Give each child a three sheets of construction paper. Tell them (they might need your help) to trace one shoe on one piece of paper and both of their hands on another. Take the shoe shape and glue in on the third piece of paper. Use the hands to make the antlers of the reindeer and glue to the top of the shoe shape. If done right it will look like a reindeer with antlers. Now the children can decorate any way they want. Hang these on the fridge or the wall.