The holiday season has this way of sneaking up on you. One minute you’re planning Thanksgiving, and the next, the kids are out of school and you’ve got two weeks to fill. Between all the shopping, cooking, and running around, it can be hard to slow down and actually be present with your children. That’s where crafts come in.
Doing crafts together isn’t just a way to pass the time. Studies consistently show that hands-on creative activities help children build fine motor skills, practice problem-solving, and feel a real sense of pride and ownership over what they make. More than that, working on something side by side creates the kind of quiet, connected moments that kids remember long after the holidays are over.
The 11 ideas below are all genuinely easy — no craft-store expertise required. Most use supplies you already have at home, and all of them are designed to work for a wide range of ages, from toddlers to tweens.
1. Handprint Ornaments
This one is a classic for a reason. All you need is air-dry clay or salt dough, a rolling pin, and a cookie cutter (or just your hands). Press your child’s hand into the flattened dough, cut out the shape, use a straw to poke a hole at the top, and let it dry. Once it’s hardened, kids can paint it, add glitter, or write their name and the year on the back.
These make the most heartwarming keepsakes. When your child is grown, you’ll still have that tiny handprint to look back on.
What you need: Salt dough (flour, salt, water) or air-dry clay, rolling pin, paint, markers, ribbon for hanging.
2. Paper Chain Garland
Paper chains are one of the simplest crafts you can do with small children, and they look genuinely festive draped across a mantle or doorway. Cut strips of red, green, white, or gold construction paper, loop one into a circle, secure it with a staple or glue stick, and thread the next one through before closing it. Repeat until you’ve got a garland as long as you want.
Older kids can get creative by drawing small holiday patterns — stars, snowflakes, trees — on each strip before linking them together.
What you need: Construction paper, scissors, a stapler or glue stick.
3. Salt Dough Ornaments
Salt dough is one of the most versatile craft materials out there, and the recipe couldn’t be simpler: two cups of flour, one cup of salt, and one cup of water, mixed until smooth. Roll it out, cut shapes with cookie cutters, poke a hole for hanging, and bake at 200°F for two to three hours until completely hardened.
Once cooled, kids can paint them with acrylics, add glitter glue, press in beads before baking, or stamp textures into the dough using leaves, fabric, or their fingertips. The finished ornaments are non-toxic, sturdy, and hold up well over time — which makes them great for gifting to grandparents and teachers.
What you need: Flour, salt, water, cookie cutters, paint, glitter, ribbon.
4. Popsicle Stick Christmas Trees
Popsicle sticks might be the most underrated craft supply in existence. Arrange five or six sticks side by side in the shape of a triangle — wider at the bottom, narrower at the top — and glue them together with a horizontal stick across the back for stability. Once dry, kids paint the triangle green, add a brown stick at the base for the trunk, and decorate with tiny pom-poms as ornaments, a star sticker at the top, and glitter for snow.
These make adorable little decorations that kids can set on windowsills or wrap up as gifts.
What you need: Popsicle sticks, green and brown paint, glue, pom-poms, stickers, glitter.
5. Pinecone Gnomes
If you’ve got pinecones in the yard, this one is genuinely satisfying to make. Spray paint the pinecone white or leave it natural. Hot glue a small wooden bead or a ball of felt on top for the head. Then cut a cone shape from felt — any color your child picks — and glue it on as the hat. A small pom-pom or cotton ball tucked just below the hat becomes the gnome’s nose, and that’s basically it. No face needed; gnomes are mysterious like that.
This is a great one for older kids who can handle a low-temp glue gun with supervision.
What you need: Pinecones, felt, small wooden beads or felt balls, pom-poms, hot glue gun, spray paint (optional).
6. Fingerprint Holiday Cards
Forget store-bought cards this year. Give your kids a stamp pad or a small dish of washable paint and let them press their fingertips onto cardstock to create designs — a row of fingerprint lights on a string, fingerprint snowmen, fingerprint reindeer with drawn-on antlers. Once dry, they add details with markers and write a message inside.
Grandparents especially love these. A handmade card with a child’s fingerprints on it is something worth keeping in a drawer for years.
What you need: Cardstock, washable paint or ink pads, markers.
7. Clothespin Reindeer Ornaments
These are one of the simplest ornaments you can make, and they’re practical too — they can actually be used to clip things together on gift bags, cards, or the tree. Use a marker to draw the reindeer’s legs and hooves on a wooden clothespin. Twist a brown pipe cleaner into antlers and hot glue it to the top. Add two googly eyes, a red pom-pom nose, and a tiny ribbon scarf. Loop a piece of string through for hanging.
Kids love that the finished product looks like an actual thing, not just abstract art. It’s one of those crafts where even a 5-year-old can produce something they’re genuinely proud of.
What you need: Wooden clothespins, brown pipe cleaners, googly eyes, red pom-poms, ribbon, marker, hot glue.
8. Paper Plate Christmas Trees
Paper plates are another underrated base for crafts. Cut a paper plate into a triangle shape (the tree) and a small square (the trunk). Kids paint the triangle green and the square brown, then go wild decorating with glitter glue, buttons, stickers, or small foam shapes as ornaments. The finished trees can be hung on bedroom doors, walls, the fridge, or windows.
This is a particularly good option for toddlers and preschoolers — the large surface is easy to work on, the materials are cheap, and there’s a lot of room for creativity without the pressure of precision.
What you need: Paper plates, paint, glitter glue, buttons, stickers, string for hanging.
9. Cinnamon Ornaments
These smell incredible, and they’re easier to make than you’d think. Mix one cup of applesauce with one and a quarter cups of ground cinnamon until a dough forms. Roll it out to about a quarter inch thick and cut out shapes with cookie cutters. Poke a hole for hanging and allow to air dry for two to three days, or dry in the oven at 200°F for about two hours.
The scent alone makes these worth making. Hang them on the tree or place them in a bowl, and they’ll perfume the whole room for weeks.
What you need: Ground cinnamon, applesauce, cookie cutters, ribbon, a straw for making the hole.
10. Beaded Snowflake Ornaments
This one works best for kids around 6 and up who have the patience and coordination for threading beads. Pick up simple wire snowflake forms at any craft store. Kids thread assorted beads onto each wire arm until it’s covered, then fold the wire end over to hold them in place. Tie a ribbon through the center for hanging.
Beyond being one of the prettier ornaments you can make at home, this activity is also a great workout for fine motor skills. Kids who love detailed work will happily spend an afternoon on this one.
What you need: Wire snowflake forms, assorted beads, ribbon, needle-nose pliers (for adults to cut wire).
11. Sock Snowmen
Fill a white sock with rice or fiberfill stuffing to form the body. Tie off sections with string or small hair ties to shape the head and torso. From there, add button eyes, a ribbon scarf, and a small hat cut from felt or a baby sock. Kids can draw on a face with a fabric marker or glue on small felt features.
These are soft, squishy, and completely charming as shelf or windowsill decorations. They’re also one of the few crafts that doesn’t require paint, glue, or any drying time — which makes them perfect for a rainy afternoon when you want something low-stress.
What you need: White socks, rice or fiberfill stuffing, string or hair ties, buttons, ribbon, felt, fabric marker.
The Best Part Is the Making, Not the Finished Product
If there’s one thing worth remembering as you sit down to craft with your kids, it’s that the point isn’t the result. Your child’s paper chain doesn’t need to be evenly spaced. The salt dough ornament doesn’t need to look like the picture. What matters is the time spent together — hands covered in paint, glitter everywhere, laughing at the ones that didn’t quite work out.
These crafts give kids the chance to make something real, something they can hold up and say “I made that.” And they give you a chance to step away from the to-do list for an hour and just be there with them. Years from now, neither of you will remember whether the ornaments were perfect. You’ll remember making them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What age are these holiday crafts appropriate for?
A: Most of these crafts work for kids ages 3 and up with some adult help. Projects involving hot glue guns, wire, or small beads are better suited for children 6 and older. Simpler options like paper chains, fingerprint cards, and handprint ornaments are great starting points for toddlers and preschoolers.
Q: What if I don’t have all the materials?
A: Most of these crafts use very basic supplies — construction paper, paint, glue, and household items like socks or clothespins. You don’t need a fully stocked craft room. A trip to the dollar store will cover most of what you need for several projects.
Q: Can kids make these as gifts for family members?
A: Absolutely. Handprint ornaments, fingerprint holiday cards, cinnamon ornaments, beaded snowflakes, and sock snowmen all make wonderful handmade gifts that grandparents, teachers, and family friends genuinely treasure.
Q: How do I make salt dough?
A: Combine two cups of all-purpose flour, one cup of salt, and one cup of water. Mix until a smooth dough forms. If it’s too sticky, add a little more flour. Roll it out and use cookie cutters to cut shapes, then bake at 200°F for two to three hours until completely hard and dry.
Q: Are these crafts messy?
A: Some of them are — anything involving paint or glitter will require a little cleanup. Cover your work surface with newspaper or a plastic tablecloth beforehand, and use washable paint for younger kids to make things easier on yourself.
Q: How long do these crafts take to complete?
A: Most take between 30 minutes and an hour of active crafting time. Projects like salt dough or cinnamon ornaments require additional drying time (a few hours to a couple of days), so plan ahead if you want them ready to hang or gift within a day.
Q: Can older kids and younger kids do these crafts together?
A: Yes, and that’s actually one of the best things about this list. Many of these crafts can be adjusted by difficulty — a 4-year-old can paint the salt dough while a 10-year-old adds detailed designs. Older kids often enjoy helping younger siblings, and it keeps everyone at the table engaged.
Q: What’s the easiest craft for very young children (2–3 years old)?
A: Paper chains and fingerprint cards are the most toddler-friendly options on this list. They require minimal fine motor precision, use safe materials, and produce a satisfying result quickly — which matters a lot when working with little ones who have short attention spans.
Q: Do handmade ornaments hold up year after year?
A: Salt dough ornaments, cinnamon ornaments, and beaded snowflakes all hold up well over multiple years when stored carefully. Write your child’s name and the year on the back of each one — they become meaningful keepsakes that you’ll genuinely want to bring out every holiday season.
