12 Fun & Festive Holiday Craft Ideas for Kids

Crafting Your Way Through the Holidays! 🎨🎄

The holiday season is the perfect excuse to get crafty with your kids! Whether you’re filling up those chilly afternoons or creating one-of-a-kind decorations for your home, holiday crafts offer a fun and creative way to make memories together. Plus, let’s face it—crafting is an excellent way to keep those little hands busy while adding some festive cheer to your space.

From quick, easy projects to keep them entertained on a busy day, to weekend-long masterpieces, we’ve got a list of kid-friendly holiday crafts that are simple, fun, and perfect for the season. Gather the glitter, glue, and giggles—it’s time to turn your home into a winter wonderland of creativity!

Easy Crafts for Busy Days (15–30 minutes)

Paper Plate Snowman

• Supplies Needed: Paper plates, glue, colored paper, buttons, markers, cotton balls
• Approximate Time: 15–20 minutes
• How-To: Start by gluing two paper plates together—one for the snowman’s head, one for the body. Let the kids cut out scarves, hats, and arms from colored paper, then glue them on. Use markers to draw on the face, and don’t forget to add a button nose and eyes!
• Playful Tip: Turn it into a fashion show by giving each snowman a different style! See who can create the most stylish snowman with accessories like glittery scarves or fancy hats.

Holiday-Themed Handprint Cards

• Supplies Needed: Construction paper, paint, markers, glitter
• Approximate Time: 20–25 minutes
• How-To: Get the kids to dip their hands in paint and press them onto a card to make festive designs like a Christmas tree, reindeer, or Santa’s beard. Once the paint dries, use markers to add extra details like stars or faces. Sprinkle a little glitter for that holiday sparkle.
• Playful Tip: Let your kids personalize these cards for family and friends—it’s the perfect way to spread some handmade holiday cheer!

Pom-Pom Ornaments

• Supplies Needed: Yarn, scissors, cardboard, glue, string, beads (optional)
• Approximate Time: 25–30 minutes
• How-To: Help your kids make pom-poms by wrapping yarn around a piece of cardboard, tying it off in the middle, and snipping the loops to fluff it out. Attach a string to hang the pom-pom on the tree, and let them add beads or buttons for extra decoration.
• Playful Tip: Have a "Pom-Pom Decorating Contest" to see who can make the fluffiest, most colorful ornament. Bonus points for adding a funny face or googly eyes!

Get Creative with Recycled Materials (30–45 minutes)

Toilet Paper Roll Reindeer

• Supplies Needed: Toilet paper rolls, googly eyes, pipe cleaners, glue, red pom-poms, brown paint or markers
• Approximate Time: 30–35 minutes
• How-To: Paint or color the toilet paper rolls brown, then glue on googly eyes and a red pom-pom for Rudolph’s nose. Twist pipe cleaners into antlers and glue them to the inside of the roll. You’ve got yourself a festive little reindeer ready for adventure!
• Playful Tip: Create a whole team of reindeer and have your own holiday parade! Name each one and make them gallop around the house delivering "presents."

Egg Carton Snowflakes

• Supplies Needed: Egg cartons, scissors, white and blue paint, glitter, string, glue
• Approximate Time: 35–40 minutes
• How-To: Cut out individual sections from an egg carton and trim them into snowflake-like shapes. Paint them white or blue, then sprinkle with glitter while the paint is still wet. Once dry, attach a string to hang them up as DIY holiday decorations.
• Playful Tip: Have a "snowflake race" to see who can create the most unique design. Hang them up all around the house for an indoor snowstorm!

Cereal Box Gingerbread Houses

• Supplies Needed: Empty cereal boxes, colored paper, glue, markers, stickers, candy decorations (optional)
• Approximate Time: 40–45 minutes
• How-To: Cut and fold empty cereal boxes into gingerbread house shapes. Let the kids "frost" the house using white paper and glue, then decorate with colorful paper, markers, and stickers. If you’re feeling fancy, add candy-like decorations (just don’t eat them!).
• Playful Tip: Challenge the whole family to make a gingerbread village, each with its own personality—one can be Santa’s workshop, another an elf cottage! It’s a fun twist on the classic gingerbread house, minus the sugar rush.

Weekend Craft Adventures (1 hour or more)

DIY Felt Holiday Stockings

• Supplies Needed: Felt fabric, scissors, glue, ribbon, markers, glitter, buttons, needle & thread (optional)
• Approximate Time: 1–1.5 hours
• How-To: Cut out stocking shapes from felt and glue or sew them together. Let the kids decorate their stockings with ribbons, buttons, glitter, and anything else festive! For an extra touch, add each child’s name at the top with a marker or glue-on letters.
• Playful Tip: Turn this into a "Stocking Decorating Party" by inviting friends over! Each person can create their own one-of-a-kind stocking to hang by the fireplace, and you can even fill them with small treats afterward.

Holiday Wreaths Made with Nature Finds

• Supplies Needed: Twigs, leaves, pinecones, berries, glue, cardboard (for a base), ribbon
• Approximate Time: 1 hour
• How-To: Head outside for a nature scavenger hunt and gather pinecones, twigs, and leaves. Use these to decorate a circular cardboard base, attaching everything with glue. Add a festive ribbon at the top for hanging. You can paint the pinecones or add glitter for a little extra holiday sparkle.
• Playful Tip: Encourage the kids to each design their own wreath and have a friendly competition to see who finds the coolest natural materials. This doubles as a fun outdoor activity and a craft!

Painted Pinecone Christmas Trees

• Supplies Needed: Pinecones, green and white paint, glitter, small pom-poms or beads, glue
• Approximate Time: 1–1.5 hours
• How-To: Collect pinecones and paint them green to resemble mini Christmas trees. Once dry, glue on small pom-poms, beads, or buttons as ornaments. Add a dusting of white paint or glitter for "snow." Display them as a holiday centerpiece or decoration.
• Playful Tip: Make a whole forest of pinecone trees! You can even "plant" them in tiny pots or cups filled with cotton for a snow-covered ground effect. Have your kids set up a little Christmas tree village!

Keepsake Crafts for the Memories (45 minutes – 1 hour)

Salt Dough Ornaments

• Supplies Needed: Flour, salt, water, cookie cutters, rolling pin, paint, ribbon, glitter (optional)
• Approximate Time: 1 hour (plus drying time)
• How-To: Mix flour, salt, and water to create a dough. Roll it out and use cookie cutters to make holiday shapes like stars, trees, or reindeer. Use a straw to poke a hole at the top for hanging. Bake the ornaments, then let the kids paint and decorate them however they like. Once dry, tie on a ribbon to hang them from the tree.
• Playful Tip: Let each child create a personalized ornament with their name and the year! These make perfect keepsakes and can be saved for years to come, turning into a fun holiday tradition.

Handprint Holiday Canvas

• Supplies Needed: Blank canvas or sturdy paper, paint, markers, glitter
• Approximate Time: 45 minutes – 1 hour
• How-To: Dip your kids’ hands in holiday-colored paint and press them onto the canvas to make festive shapes like Christmas trees by stacking green hand prints on top of one another to form a tree shape. You can also have your child paint a funny reindeer and use their hand prints for the antlers. Use markers or glitter to add extra details, and let them get creative with their handprint designs.
• Playful Tip: This is the perfect craft to create an annual family holiday art piece. Watch how those little hands grow each year while building a collection of unique holiday memories!

Photo Frame Tree Ornaments

• Supplies Needed: Cardboard or wood frame (small), paint, glue, ribbon, family photos, glitter, stickers
• Approximate Time: 45 minutes
• How-To: Decorate small cardboard or wooden photo frames with paint, glitter, and stickers. Let the kids pick out favorite family photos to place inside, then attach a ribbon to the top for hanging. These personalized ornaments will add a warm, sentimental touch to your tree.
• Playful Tip: Have the kids turn this into a "family tree" project! Each ornament can represent a different family member, complete with silly decorations and personal touches for a tree full of memories and laughter.

Conclusion: Craft Your Way to a Festive Holiday Season

With these creative, kid-friendly holiday crafts, you’re not just making cute decorations—you’re building lasting memories, teaching valuable skills, and sharing moments filled with laughter and fun. From speedy projects for busy days to longer craft sessions that fill chilly weekends, these ideas will keep little hands busy and imaginations soaring. Plus, by using everyday materials and adding playful twists, you'll enjoy stress-free crafting that’s easy on your budget.

So, gather your supplies, invite your little elves, and let the holiday crafting adventures begin! You'll soon have a home filled with handmade joy, all while spending quality time together. Now that’s the true magic of the holiday season!