Fun and Easy Christmas Crafts for Preschoolers

Christmas Crafts for Preschoolers are a joyful way to celebrate the season while keeping little hands busy and minds engaged. These fun, festive activities spark excitement in young children and allow them to explore holiday themes through creativity. Whether it’s making a paper Santa or decorating a mini tree, the experience becomes even more magical when shared with preschoolers.

Christmas Crafts for Preschoolers

Christmas Crafts for Preschoolers are fun, easy activities that spark creativity and holiday joy. These simple and safe projects help little ones develop fine motor skills while celebrating the festive season.

Paper Plate Santa

This adorable craft turns a simple paper plate into Santa’s jolly face. Preschoolers love working with cotton balls and colors, making this an ideal holiday activity. It’s a great way to encourage creativity and build fine motor skills.

• Give each child a paper plate as the base.

• Let them paint the center of the plate pink or peach for Santa’s face.

• Provide cotton balls to glue around the top and bottom for Santa’s beard and hat trim.

• Use red paper or felt for the hat and a small cotton ball for the tip.

• Add googly eyes and a red pom-pom or crayon dot for the nose.

Handprint Reindeer

Using their own handprints, kids can make cute reindeer art to take home. It’s a fun, personalized project that parents will love as a keepsake. The craft also helps children recognize shapes and use glue safely.

• Trace both hands on brown paper and cut them out—these will be the antlers.

• Cut an oval or circle for the reindeer’s head.

• Glue the handprints to the top of the head as antlers.

• Add googly eyes and a red pom-pom for the nose to make Rudolph.

• Let kids decorate with glitter or stickers if they’d like.

Popsicle Stick Christmas Tree

Kids can transform simple craft sticks into sparkly little trees. It’s a hands-on activity that teaches shape recognition and allows room for personal creativity. Plus, they’re perfect for hanging as ornaments.

• Glue three popsicle sticks in a triangle shape to form the tree.

• Paint the sticks green and let them dry.

• Decorate with sequins, beads, glitter, or small stickers.

• Glue a small paper star to the top.

• Add a loop of yarn at the back to turn it into an ornament.

Cotton Ball Snowman

Preschoolers will enjoy creating a soft and fluffy snowman using cotton balls. This craft encourages sensory play while teaching kids about winter symbols. It’s simple enough for even the youngest artists.

• Draw or print out a basic snowman outline on cardstock.

• Give kids a bowl of cotton balls and non-toxic glue.

• Let them glue cotton balls inside the snowman outline to “build” the body.

• Add buttons, paper hats, and drawn-on faces using markers.

• Optional: Use felt scraps for scarves or tiny twigs for arms.

Recycled Card Ornaments

This eco-friendly craft reuses old Christmas cards to make beautiful hanging ornaments. It’s a great way to teach preschoolers about recycling while creating something festive.

• Cut old Christmas cards into shapes like circles, stars, or hearts.

• Let the kids decorate the shapes with glitter, stickers, or ribbon.

• Punch a hole at the top and tie a string through it.

• Hang on the tree or give as handmade gifts.

• Use safety scissors and adult supervision for cutting.

Christmas Tree Handprint Art

This festive keepsake turns handprints into a Christmas tree design. It’s a lovely memory-making activity and a great way to celebrate holiday traditions through art.

• Have kids dip their hands in green paint and stamp them in a triangle pattern on paper.

• Stamp smaller handprints on top for a layered tree look.

• Let them decorate the “tree” with fingerprint ornaments or stickers.

• Add a yellow paper star at the top.

• Write the child’s name and year at the bottom as a keepsake.

Pom-Pom Candy Canes

This craft involves stringing red and white pom-poms onto pipe cleaners to create candy cane shapes. It’s perfect for improving fine motor skills and pattern recognition.

• Give each child a red or white pipe cleaner.

• Let them alternate red and white pom-poms while stringing.

• When filled, curve the top to look like a candy cane.

• Glue the pom-poms in place if needed.

• Hang them on a mini tree or display board.

Felt Christmas Stockings

Let preschoolers design their own mini stockings using felt and decorations. This craft introduces textile work and gives them a chance to personalize something special.

• Provide each child with a pre-cut felt stocking shape.

• Let them glue on felt shapes, buttons, or small pom-poms.

• Use fabric glue or a glue stick for easy application.

• Allow them to add their name using glitter glue or stickers.

• Add a ribbon loop at the top to hang it up.

Paper Chain Garland

Making paper chains is a classic preschool craft that teaches patterning and coordination. It’s festive and can be used to decorate classrooms or homes.

• Cut strips of red, green, and white paper.

• Help kids glue or tape the first strip into a loop.

• Loop the next strip through and glue—continue until long enough.

• Let them follow color patterns as they work.

• Hang the finished garland along walls or tables.

Fingerprint Christmas Lights

This fun and easy art project uses finger painting to create a string of colorful holiday lights. It’s great for sensory play and creative expression.

• Draw a wavy black line across a white sheet of paper.

• Add small black squares for “bulb bases” along the line.

• Let kids dip their fingers in paint and press them above each square.

• Use different colors for each light.

• Display their artwork as a festive wall decoration.

Cinnamon Stick Trees

These cute mini trees smell just like Christmas! Kids will enjoy building and decorating them while using natural materials safely.

• Give each child a cinnamon stick as the tree trunk.

• Cut strips of green felt or ribbon in different lengths.

• Help them glue the strips across the stick from longest to shortest.

• Add a paper or felt star at the top.

• Use glue dots or tacky glue for best results.

Glitter Pinecones

Add some sparkle to your holiday with glittery pinecones. This craft is a sensory delight and perfect for exploring textures.

• Collect pinecones during a nature walk or buy some.

• Give each child a pinecone and a small dish of glue.

• Let them brush glue onto the edges of the pinecone scales.

• Sprinkle glitter over the glue-covered parts.

• Set aside to dry and display as ornaments or table décor.

Jingle Bell Bracelets

A jingly bracelet is both a craft and a fun music toy! Kids can shake them to holiday songs after making them.

• Provide pipe cleaners and small jingle bells.

• Let the child thread 3–5 bells onto the pipe cleaner.

• Twist the ends to form a secure bracelet.

• Decorate with beads or pom-poms if desired.

• Supervise closely with small parts for safety.

Christmas Wreath Collage

This craft lets kids design their own wreath using a variety of textured materials. It’s creative and teaches the concept of circles and holiday symbolism.

• Cut a large green circle with the center removed (like a donut).

• Provide items like tissue paper, buttons, pom-poms, and ribbon.

• Let kids glue their decorations onto the wreath base.

• Add a red bow at the bottom or top.

• Hang them on classroom doors or bulletin boards.

Starry Night Ornament

Preschoolers can create a star-themed ornament using dark paper and glitter. This project introduces them to night sky themes in a fun holiday setting.

• Give each child a black or navy cardstock circle.

• Let them paint or glue on gold and silver stars.

• Use glitter glue to add twinkling effects.

• Punch a hole at the top and string a ribbon through.

• These look beautiful hung in windows or on trees.

Edible Crafts

Edible crafts are a delightful way to combine creative play and tasty treats. Preschoolers love working with colorful ingredients, and these holiday-themed snacks are both safe and fun to make. These crafts encourage hands-on learning, spark imagination, and end with a yummy reward they’ll be proud to eat.

Marshmallow Snowmen

Building Marshmallow Snowmen is a simple and festive edible craft that preschoolers will love. This no-bake activity is safe, sweet, and perfect for little hands.

• Give each child 2–3 large marshmallows to stack into a snowman shape.

• Use pretzel sticks to connect the marshmallows and as arms.

• Let them press in chocolate chips for eyes and buttons.

• Use an orange sprinkle or candy for the nose.

• Optionally, add fruit leather scarves or mini hats made of candies.

Decorate Sugar Cookies

Decorating sugar cookies is a timeless holiday activity. It lets preschoolers explore colors, textures, and creativity while making tasty treats to enjoy or share.

• Provide plain sugar cookies in holiday shapes (like stars, trees, or bells).

• Set out bowls of colorful frosting, sprinkles, and small candies.

• Give each child a small plate and a plastic spoon or spreader.

• Let them decorate freely with their favorite colors and toppings.

• Encourage them to name their cookies and show off their designs before eating or packing them to take home.

FAQ

What are some easy Christmas crafts for preschoolers?

Easy Christmas crafts include Paper Plate Santas, Handprint Reindeer, Popsicle Stick Trees, and Cotton Ball Snowmen. These activities use simple materials like paper, glue, and paint and are perfect for young children.

Are these crafts safe for preschoolers?

Yes, all the suggested crafts are designed with preschool safety in mind. They use non-toxic glue, child-safe scissors (with adult supervision), and soft, age-appropriate materials.

What skills do kids develop through Christmas crafting?

Christmas crafts help preschoolers develop fine motor skills, creativity, color recognition, and hand-eye coordination. They also build confidence as children complete their own holiday-themed creations.

How long do these crafts usually take?

Most crafts take between 15 to 30 minutes, depending on the complexity and the child’s pace. You can keep things flexible and adjust the steps based on your group’s attention span.