The holiday season is a wonderful time for crafting and activities that can engage children of all ages. There’s something magical about creating and participating in holiday-themed projects. Here’s a list of seasonal craft activities to help jumpstart your holiday plans. Give some of them a try and make some holiday moments with your kids that you will all remember for years to come.
Infants
Holiday Sensory Bags: Fill clear, sealable bags with safe, colorful items like red and green glitter, water beads, or soft holiday-themed objects. Tape the bags shut and let infants explore the textures and colors.
Handprint Ornaments: Make a keepsake by creating handprint ornaments. Use non-toxic paint to make a handprint on a safe surface like a ceramic tile or ornament.
Jingle Bell Shakers: Securely tape jingle bells to a baby-friendly handle or toy. The sounds will be delightful for little ones as they shake it.
Toddlers and Preschoolers
Simple Wreath Making: Create a simple wreath using a paper plate with the center cut out. Toddlers can glue on pre-cut shapes, pom-poms, or tissue paper.
Holiday Play Dough: Mix up some red and green homemade play dough. Add holiday scents like peppermint or ginger for an extra sensory experience.
Felt Christmas Tree: Create a felt Christmas tree and felt ornaments that toddlers can ‘decorate’. This is great for fine motor skills and is endlessly entertaining.
Pine Cone Christmas Trees: Decorate pine cones with paint and glitter to create mini Christmas trees. Add a string for hanging or display them on a table.
Paper Snowflakes: Fold and cut paper to make unique snowflakes. This is great for practicing scissor skills.
Salt Dough Ornaments: Mix flour, salt, and water to make salt dough. Children can cut out shapes with cookie cutters and paint them after baking.
School-Aged Children
DIY Holiday Cards: Provide card stock, markers, stickers, and glitter. Older children can write messages and create intricate designs.
Beaded Snowflakes: Use pipe cleaners and beads to create sparkling snowflakes. This activity is excellent for developing fine motor skills and pattern recognition.
Gingerbread Houses: Build gingerbread houses using either homemade or store-bought kits. This activity is great for creativity and can be as simple or complex as desired.
Holiday Baking: Engage older kids in baking and decorating holiday cookies or treats. They can follow recipes and get creative with decorations.
Homemade Gifts: Encourage them to make gifts, such as beaded jewelry, knitted scarves, or painted picture frames.
Advanced Craft Projects: Offer more complex projects like creating holiday wreaths with fresh materials or sewing holiday-themed decorations.
The holiday season is the perfect time to bond over crafts and activities, and there’s something special about handmade decorations and gifts. Of course, this is just a list of suggestions. Something to get your creative juices flowing for the holidays. Take some of these ideas, do a quick Google search for them, paired with the age group of your children, and you will find a wealth of instructions and helpful videos to guide you as you prepare for some hands on fun with your children during the break. Just remember to enjoy the process and embrace the festive spirit!