Holiday crafts for kids and toddlers

Are you looking for something to make with your kids?  I always am.  Especially for gifts.  Once you have kids, gifts for grandparents and aunts and uncles and great-grandparents and godparents become a cinch.  Who wouldn’t want a cute ornament made by a kid?  Decorating for the holidays is fun and economical.  These were the crafts we tackled last year.

As always, crafts can be adjusted for the age and ability of the child.  The older the child, the more the kid can do.

Picture Ornaments

(I thought this was a cute craft.  I make a different ornament with the kids every year and give them out as gifts and keep them for my own tree.  I liked the idea of saving a picture of the boys on my tree.  The boys enjoyed making these.  Anything with glue is fun to them. Younger kids can decorate the ornament.  Older kids can trace and cut as well as decorate.  My children (6, 4, and 1) are not fantastic cutters, so I cut.  I got the idea from here.)

Things you need:

• Card stock
• Jar lid recommended 3″ lid
• Another round lid slightly smaller (to cut the pictures)
• Scissors
• Pencil
• Photos
• Glue
• Pens, markers, paint, stamps (anything to decorate the front)
• String, elastic cord, something to hang up the ornament

What to do:

Fold the stock paper.  Make a simple ornament shape by tracing the jar lid and leaving the fold intact with the topper of the ornament.  Cut out ornament.  Decorate the front of the ornament with paints, stamps, whatever or do the activity below.  Using the smaller round shape, draw a circle on the photo, and cut it out.  Glue the picture on the inside of the ornament.  You can glue the string in place or just tie it.  (I’m a rebel.  I didn’t use glue for the string.)

Reindeer fingerprints

( I got the idea from Spoonfuls, the same site that brought you the craft above.  I wasn’t able to find the directions.  I thought these were so adorable on the cards.  But I thought they would be awesome on the photo ornament.  A fingerprint to match the picture to show how small they once were.  The boys LOVED this!  They got to get messy.  Tornado E and Tornado S (6 and 4) drew the antlers and glued the eyes and nose.  I helped the one year old.)

Things you need:

• Card stock
• Brown washable (I can’t stress WASHABLE enough) ink pad
• Brown marker
• 5mm googly eyes (for small fingers)
• 1/4 in black or red pom poms (for small fingers)

Have the child make a fingerprint with the WASHABLE brown ink.  Finger or thumb.  After the ink dries, have the child draw antlers.  Then have the child glue eyes and a nose.  Our craft we did just one.  If you’re making a card or have a large ornament, do more than one.

Making reindeer

Holiday Wreaths

(I stole this from my BFF and her holiday program at her church.  I was suppose to run this craft and got bumped.  In my disappointment, I decided to do this with my boys.  I did the hot glue.  They decided where to put the decorations.  If you’re A personality, I don’t recommend this.  We made an ugly wreath, but it was done with love.  The boys LOVED this.)

Things you need:

• Cheap fake Christmas wreath
• Cheap decorations like mini christmas ornaments and bells (I bought ours at the dollar store and Walmart.)
• Hot glue gun
• Hot glue
• Ribbon (optional)

What to do:

Lay the wreath down.  Heat the glue gun.  Have the kids place the decorations on the wreath.  Glue the decorations.

That is a kid approved wreath

For more craft ideas:

https://faemom.wordpress.com/2011/11/26/christmas-ornaments-for-kids-preschoolers-and-toddlers-to-make/

https://faemom.wordpress.com/2008/11/30/christmas-crafts-for-kids-toddlers-and-babies/

https://faemom.wordpress.com/2008/12/17/winter-and-christmas-crafts-for-toddlers-and-children/

https://faemom.wordpress.com/2008/12/10/more-christmas-crafts-for-children-toddlers-and-babies/

https://faemom.wordpress.com/2009/12/09/christmas-crafts-for-kids-preschoolers-and-toddlers-part-2/

Advertisement

Christmas ornaments for kids, preschoolers, and toddlers to make

Christmas is coming.  The goose is getting fat.  I love prepping for Christmas. Tornado E and I are brain storming for this year’s ornaments and crafts.  I’m not sure what to do for the families.  Here are some ornaments we made last year.  We had a blast making them.  Depending on the age and the ability of the child will depend on how much work you do.

Mini Christmas Trees

(I remember doing something similar when I was a Brownie in Girl Scouts. It’s an easy, fun, and messy project.  Tornado E (5) and Tornado S (3) really enjoyed making them.)

What you need:

Pine cones

Green spray paint

Glue

Glitter

Paper plates

Ribbon

Spray paint pine cones green.  Once the pine cones are dry, pour glue in one paper plate and glitter in another.  Have the child roll the pine cone in the glue and then in the glitter.  Let the pine cone dry.  Glue ribbon to the pine cone to make a loop.  Allow to dry.

Glitter Shells

(I saw this in a Martha Stewart magazine.  The hard part is putting a whole in the shell; you’ll need a drill, preferably a dremel drill.  It was easy to adopt for children.  I’m thinking I want to try other shells this year.  The boys loved making these.  I loved playing with my dad’s dremel drill.  If only I had a real reason to get one.)

Things you need:

Shells (We used clam shells)

Dremel Drill

Glue

Glitter

Paper plates

Tooth pick

Ribbon or string

Drill a hole in the top of the shell.  Have the child dip the shell into the glue.  Have the child cover the shell in glitter.  (We did most shells in one color as well as mixing two colors together to get a neat effect.)  Clear the hole of glue and glitter.  Allow to dry.  Thread the whole with ribbon or string.  Tie the ribbon to make a loop.

Clay Ornaments

(These are so easy, simple, and fun.  Toddlers can even do it.  Now that I think about it, I might have the boys make more this year and work on decorating them in different ways.  The boys had lots of fun.  Keep on eye on these.  They can burn quickly.  Tornado E prefered the burnt ones.  I was less than thrilled.)

What you need:

Polymer Clay

Something to cut clay in a circle (I used a plastic Easter egg.)

Rubber stamps

Straw

Cookie sheet

Tooth pick

Foil

Ribbon

Have the child knead the clay for at least two minutes.  (For younger children, you may have to work with it too.)  Roll the clay flat to about 1/4″ to 1/2″ thick.  Cut out circles.  Use the straw to cut out a hole in the top.  Have the child press a rubber stamp in to the clay.  On the back of the clay, write the child’s name or initials with the year.  Cover a cookie sheet with foil, and place the ornaments on it.  Bake in an oven or toaster oven as it says on the directions. (275°F for 15 mins.  I think mine baked in 10 mins.)  Let the ornaments cool.  String ornaments with ribbon.

More craft and ornament ideas

Christmas crafts for kids, preschoolers and toddlers part 2

Winter and Christmas Crafts for Toddlers and Children

More Christmas Crafts for Children, Toddlers, and Babies

Christmas Crafts for Kids, Toddlers, and Babies

More Christmas Crafts for Children, Toddlers, and Babies

I worked on some more crafts and ornaments with the boys.  The handprint tiles and dishtowels can work with babies too, but baby handprints are hard to do.  Older children can do more of the work like making the applesauce ornaments on their own.

 

I thought I would mention some other gift ideas too.  Every year I give out the jar mixes to couples and families.  They’re a real cute gift, and you’re giving them the gift of time to spend with each other baking and eating.  This is a great site: http://www.razzledazzlerecipes.com/christmas/gifts/index.htm.  The people I have given these to love them.  This is also a great gift to make with children.  I have also made candles and soaps.  With the soaps I added a little toy in the middle for a neat surprise.  One year I added charms to the candles. 

 

Here is a great site for homemade ornamets: http://familyfun.go.com/arts-and-crafts/season/specialfeature/christmas-ornaments-ms/.  I Plan on making the Festive Paper Pines for my soon-to-be sister-in-law.

A warning: DO NOT MAKE THE CANDY GLASS ORNAMENTS!  I did this last year, and the ornaments got sticky before I was even able to give them away.  They messed up gifts, and it was horrible.

 

 

Applesauce Ornaments

(I had a lot of fun making these last year, and I plan to make more this year.  Hopefully Evan will be big enough to help me.  These look so cute, and they smell so nice.  These take up to three days to dry)

 

Things you need:

• ½ cup of cinnamon
• ½ cup of applesauce
• Bowl
• Wax paper
• Cookie cutters
• Straw
• Ribbon
• Rolling pin (optional)
• Wire rack (optional)

 

Mix the applesauce and cinnamon together.  It will become very stiff.  Roll into a boll and place on the wax paper.  You can either flatten it with your hand or use another sheet of wax paper and a rolling pin.  Flatten to ¼ to 1/8 of an inch.  (The thicker it is the longer it takes to dry, but it’s hardier.)  Using the cookie cutters, cut out shapes.  Use the straw to make a hole for the ribbon.  If you have a wire rack, place the ornaments there as they will dry quicker, or you can leave them on some wax paper.  They will turn a lighter brown as they dry.  String with ribbon, and tie the ribbon.

 

 

Contact Paper Ornaments

(The boys and I did these yesterday.  We tried glitter and confetti, but those did not work out.  The boys had fun.  Sean really liked putting the paper down.   If you have any of the dyed coffee filters left over {See craft section if you have no idea what I’m talking about}, they look great as collage strips.)

 

Things you need:

• Clear contact paper
• Cookie cutters
• Marker
• Scissors
• Colored tissue paper or other nice paper
• Hole punch
• Ribbon
• Markers, glitter glue (optional)

 

Trace the cookie cutter shapes on the contact paper.  Cut the tissue paper into squares or shapes.  Allow the child to place the paper on the sticky contact paper.  When the child is done decorating, seal the artwork with another piece of contact paper.  Cut out the shape.  Punch a hole in the top.  If you wish, the child can decorate the top of the ornament.  String a piece of ribbon through the hole, and tie the ribbon.

 

 

Handprint Hot Plates

(We did this the other day.  We used ink because it shows the detail of the handprint, but you can use washable paint {That would come off easier than the washable ink}.  Don’t forget to write the child’s name and date.  Or if your child can write his or her name, let he or she do it.  I got the idea from here:

http://stepbystepcc.com/toddlercrafts.html.)

 

Things you need:

• Ceramic tile 6×6
• Washable ink or washable paint
• Sealer or enamel spray
• Magic marker
• Felt feet (optional)

 

Paint the child’s hand with ink or paint.  Place the child’s hand on the tile.  Allow for the handprint to dry.  Write the child’s name on the tile.  Seal the time.  You can put felt feet on the bottom of the tile to protect it.

 

 

Handprint Dish Towels

(These were really cute.  And any excuse to get their hands wet is good enough for the boys.  I thought these matched well with the tiles.  And I can’t find the site I got this from, but I’ll keep looking.)

 

Things you need:

• White dish towels
• Fabric paint
• Paper plate or pie tin

 

Wash the dish towels.  Paint the child’s hand with the fabric paint or dip the child’s hand into the paint on the plate.  Place the child’s hand on the dish towel.  You can do both hands or make a boarder.  Write the name and date.  Allow the towels to dry.