11 simple Christmas crafts to do with children

11 simple Christmas crafts that the whole family can enjoy

1. Paper plate Christmas tree

We are kicking things off with paper plate Christmas trees! All you need is:

• Paper plates
• Green paint
• Sticky tape/glue
• Anything you would like to use for decorations.
• Alternatively, you can buy green colored paper plates to save having to use paint.

To make the trees, all you need to do is:

1. Bend the plate into a cone shape
2. Use glue or sticky tape to stick the sides together
3. Now you have your tree cone – go ahead and start decorating!

2. Family handprint trees

Sticking with the tree theme, here’s another simple Christmas craft you can do with your hands! All you need is:

• Green card – or use the green paint from earlier
• Scissors
• Glue or tape
• Anything you want to use for decoration.

Gather your family together and get everyone to:

1. Draw around their hands onto some green card.
2. Next, you want to cut the hands out. You should now have a range of different-sized handprints or, as we like to call them, tree branches!
3. Using some glue or tape, stick them together to form a tree shape.
4. Start with the bigger hands at the bottom, then add a smaller hand slightly on top of it. Remember to reduce the number each time. So, if you start with four hands on the bottom, the next row would be three, then two, then one. You get the idea!

3. Toilet paper reindeers

One of the easiest crafts on this list – make reindeers out of toilet paper rolls! All you need is:

• Empty toilet rolls
• Sticky tape/glue
• Pipe cleaners
• Googly eyes
• Some pens.

Once you have all that it is time to create!

1. Cut the toilet roll tubes in half
2. Stick the googly eyes near the top
3. Then using a pen create the nose and mouth
4. Next, you want to create some antlers out of the pipe cleaners by bending them into shape
5. Using some glue or tape stick the antlers to either side of the tube

4. Tin can tree

Not only is this a great simple Christmas craft, but it also helps with recycling! What you’ll need:

• Empty tin cans
• Some sanding paper (to file the sharp edges)
• Green paint
• PVA glue
• Glue/sticky tape
• Glitter
• Anything you would like to use for decorations.

Now the fun begins!

1. File down the edges of the tin cans until smooth
2. Paint the tins green
3. Once the paint has dried, use the PVA and cover the tins
4. Whilst the glue is still wet sprinkle the glitter onto the tins
5. After the glue has dried, finish the look with decorations of your choice
6. Stack them up to make a tree grab a small ball and you now have the perfect Christmas skittle game!

5. Stick trees

For this next simple Christmas craft, get yourself out in the garden! What you need is:

• Sticks from your garden, big and small
• Colored ribbon, cut to different lengths
• Sticky tape/glue

And that’s it! You can then make the trees.

1. Starting with a long length of ribbon, tie it around the stick starting from one end
2. Make sure you tie it in the middle of the ribbon, leaving two pieces at either side of the stick
3. Then make your way up the stick using a smaller piece of ribbon each time
4. To finish the decoration, use a final piece of ribbon, create a loop, and stick it to the top of the stick
5. You can now hang your decoration anywhere you want!

Optional: Use cinnamon sticks instead to add a Christmassy scent!

6. Potato stamps

Have you got potatoes that are about to go off? Time to use them up in the best way possible with this simple Christmas craft! All you need is:

• Potatoes
• Pens
• A knife (to be used by adults only)
• Paint or ink

Here is what you do:

1. Carefully cut around the star with a knife, but don’t go all the way through. Just enough to make the star shape
2. Then, using a pen, draw a shape of your choice – We think the best shape to use is a star, but choose whatever shape you like!
3. Remove the pieces around the star and you are ready to go
4. Grab some paint or ink and get to stamping!

You can make great Christmas drawings or buy some plain gift wrap and create your own Christmas wrapping paper.

7. Reindeer bags

Let’s continue with gift wrap ideas! With this simple Christmas craft, turn your plain bags into reindeer bags! What you’ll need is:

• Plain paper bags
• Glue/sticky tape
• Googly eyes
• Some red pom poms
• Pens
• Optional – sticks from the garden

Now to make the cutest bags ever!

1. Take the bag and stick the googly eyes near the top of the bag
2. Add pompoms to make the nose
3. Use the pen to draw a nose and mouth!
4. If you have chosen to add some stick antlers, glue these to the inside of the bag at either side.

You now have the best personalized reindeer gift bags!

8. Pinecone ornaments

Another simple Christmas craft that you can get stuck into with your children is making pinecone ornaments. Go for a big family walk and, on the way, collect as many pinecones as possible! Then you will need to gather the following:

• Paint
• PVA glue
• Glitter

Time to together and make some ornaments.

1. Paint them with different Christmassy colours
2. Cover in PVA glue once the paint has dried
3. Add the glitter all over the glue whilst it is still wet to make them sparkle.
4. Leave to dry.

You now have the perfect Christmas decoration that you can place anywhere you like. You could even glue some string to them to make them easier to hang!

9. Paper plate Santa Claus

For this simple Christmas craft, you’ll need:

• paper plates
• some red card
• cotton wool balls
• and some pens.

Time to make!

1. Starting with the red card, cut out a triangle shape
2. Next, glue it to the edge of the plate
3. Then you want to add a cotton wool ball to the end, and now you have Santa’s hat
4. Next, you want to draw some eyes and a nose just underneath the hat. Or you could use some googly eyes and a pompom to make them.
5. To make Santa’s beard, use the cotton wool balls and start sticking them around the bottom of the plate. Keep doing this until you have a nice full fluffy beard!

And there you have it – Santa Claus!

10. Handprint wreaths

A simple Christmas craft using your hands! Very much like the Christmas tree hand craft. Only this time, instead of sticking them together to make a tree, you make a wreath! All you need is:

• Green card
• Scissors
• Pompoms
• Stick tape/glue
• Ribbon
• And your hands!

Time to get crafting:

1. Using the green card, carefully draw around your hands and cut out the shape.
2. You’ll need to repeat this step, so you have a lot! You want the hands to be the same size if you can.
3. Then start sticking them together to make a circle shape with the fingers pointing out.
4. Next, you want to take some pompoms and stick a couple around the wreath to make them look like berries.
5. Finish it off by adding some looped ribbon at the top.

Your wreath is now ready to hang up!

11. Christmas stockings

This simple Christmas craft is not only great fun but a good learning opportunity! What you will need:

• Plain white paper
• Pens
• Scissors
• Hole punch (optional)
• Green and red string/wool
• Anything you would like to use for decorations.

To make the stockings, simply:

1. draw some simple Christmas stocking shapes on the paper
2. Carefully cut the shapes out, a
3. then make little holes around the edges of the stocking. But don’t go along the top of the stocking. You’ll need a hole punch or some scissors for this step!
4. Then get your children to decorate the stockings however they like!
5. using the wool or string, starting from one side and making your way round to the other, thread the string through the holes. Use this opportunity to teach your children different ways to thread as you are doing it.
6. Tie a knot in the string or wool at either end and cut the excess off.

You now have a lovely, decorated stocking to hang anywhere you like!

Let’s recap…

So, you now have at your disposal 11 simple Christmas crafts that you and the whole family can enjoy!

These are:

1. Paper plate Christmas tree
2. Family handprint trees
3. Toilet roll paper reindeers
4. Tin can tree
5. Stick trees
6. Potato stamps
7. Reindeer bags
8. Pinecone ornaments
9. Paper plate Santa Claus
10. Hand print wreaths
11. Christmas stockings.

So, which Christmas craft will you try first?

The Santa Academy app – coming in 2022!

Coming Christmas 2022, the Santa Academy app is filled with festive fun for everyone to enjoy. No matter who you are (or how old you are), you’ll find something for you at Santa Academy!

Christmas is an extremely busy time for Santa, and he needs help getting ready for the big day. At Santa Academy, you’ll learn how to assist Santa and everyone on Lacus Island as they prepare for Christmas. And what better way to learn than with Elves, Fairies and Reindeer?

Enroll into Elf Ed, Reindeer Recruit or Fairy Fellow for 24 days of festive fun. Each day during advent, you can unlock the secrets of Christmas by helping the Elves, Reindeers and Fairies. You’ll make important decisions, like which sleigh Santa should use on Christmas Eve. Or who should win Employee of the Month at the Elf Station.

You can download the app from 1^st November 2022. School starts 1^st December 2022.

Santa Academy – The Novel

This year, our author, Jill, will be releasing her first novel through the Hudson Publishing Company. The novel will feature many of the lovable and hilarious characters many of you are now familiar with. You and your kids will love reading along to uncover the origins of Christmas. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to stay up to date with news and releases!

Find more fun, festive tips and ideas, such as:

• Easy Christmas crafts for kids
• Christmas printables
• Things to do near you for Christmas
• Christmas activity book ideas
• Christmas art ideas
• Christmas party ideas for kids
• Tips for helping kids to read
• Christmas baking for kids
• Christmas countdown ideas for your family
• Christmas writing ideas
• And many more!