FOR ALL AGES
At Kidadl we pride ourselves on offering families original ideas to make the most of time spent together at home or out and about, wherever you are in the world. We strive to recommend the very best things that are suggested by our community and are things we would do ourselves - our aim is to be the trusted friend to parents.
We try our very best, but cannot guarantee perfection. We will always aim to give you accurate information at the date of publication - however, information does change, so it’s important you do your own research, double-check and make the decision that is right for your family.
Kidadl provides inspiration to entertain and educate your children. We recognise that not all activities and ideas are appropriate and suitable for all children and families or in all circumstances. Our recommended activities are based on age but these are a guide. We recommend that these ideas are used as inspiration, that ideas are undertaken with appropriate adult supervision, and that each adult uses their own discretion and knowledge of their children to consider the safety and suitability.
Kidadl cannot accept liability for the execution of these ideas, and parental supervision is advised at all times, as safety is paramount. Anyone using the information provided by Kidadl does so at their own risk and we can not accept liability if things go wrong.
Do you know what makes a home look more festive than Christmas decorations? MORE Christmas decorations. The whole family comes together during Christmas to prepare for the day and celebrate. Sharing responsibility for decorating the house is also part of it. Many magazines and websites can teach you how to craft your own Christmas decor at home. But replicating what you learn can often be a bit complicated. Here are 20 simple ways to make homemade Christmas decorations with your kid. You can craft all the items using stuff you probably have already or can easily source. But first, a musical interlude:
Alternative Christmas Tree: Find and clean 10-12 long twigs from a nearby woodland or park. Bend them slightly at one end to give a curled shape. Take a vase (or, better yet, a jam jar) and make a base of soil and gravel. Now you can pierce the twigs inside and hang decorations from the curled ends. Using twigs of different lengths will give your alternative Christmas tree more height. You must also be mindful of the weight of decorations you hang on weak twigs. Once Christmas ends, you can reuse the twigs for other festivities (for example, you can hang paper Easter eggs or Valentine's hearts).
Angel For The Tree: Cut out a small circle from the center of a paper plate. Curl the plate into the shape of a cone. Now you can draw and cut out shapes of wings and a head from paper and stick them on the cone. Your homemade angel is ready to sit atop your Christmas tree.
Door Tops: The top of a door frame is a common unused space perfect for Christmas decorations. A simple option is to tape some tinsel along the woodwork. Explore your creativity to make shapes or letters from tinsels. A white door frame would make the perfect base for depicting a snow scene on the door frame. You can also make snowflakes out of paper or draw other Christmas characters. A decorated door top can be the perfect Christmas welcome for guests.
Fan Trees: Got some green paper? Fold the paper back and forth into thin strips to make a fan. Tape up one end, and you have a pretty green triangle. Now you have a homemade fan tree to decorate and make a miniature Christmas tree.
Foil Icicles: Preschoolers might enjoy applying this trick during Christmas. All you need is some tin foil. Cut pieces of the foil and scrunch them into thin icicle shapes. You can use cotton thread to hang these foil icicles on a Christmas tree or mantelpiece. You can also add a coat of glue and glitter for extra shine.
Lolly Stick Tree: Take three lolly sticks and paint them green. Now glue them by the ends to make a triangle. You have the frame of a Christmas tree that you can cover with some green yarn or tinsel. You can also add other ornamentations like stars and circles. You can also change the shape while gluing the lolly sticks to make Santa hats.
Old Gift Wrap: You can wallpaper a toy house with old gift wraps. You can also cut thin wrapper strips to add details to your Christmas decorations. Gift wraps can also work as a colorful covering for the base of your homemade Christmas tree.
Origami Robin: Make a paper version of the seasonal bird with these simple folding instructions.
Origami Stars: Origami Stars are easily made from a specific type of paper. Your child might also be interested in trying other techniques to craft stars.
Paper Chains: Making paper chains with your kid is among the easiest craft projects for Christmas. It is as simple as looping strips of colored paper around one another. Paper chains can decorate almost any part of your home.
Pine Cones: You might find decent pine cones in some parks or woodland. Use snow spray, white paint, or tinsel and glue to decorate the tops of the cones. Place them on shelves and surfaces as simple decorations.
Play-Doh Nativity: You can spend an hour or two creating a nativity scene using Play-Doh or any modeling clay. Shred some yellow tissue paper to make straw for the stable floor.
Pom-Pom Baubles: Make a pom-pom by wrapping yarn around cardboard discs. It is one of the simplest crafts that children learn. You can hang these baubles on your Christmas tree or paste them on gifts.
Mini-Reindeer Antlers: Twist thin brown pipes around a rod-shaped object to make antlers for a reindeer. You can also shape jute rope into reindeer antlers or use small branches of herbs and shrubs.
Rudolph-Up Your Home: Get a sheet of circular, red color stickers from any craft shop. You can cut the stickers into little reindeer noses and stick them on pictures and photos around the house. It could be a book cover or a framed family photograph. Avoid pasting any stickers directly on an image. Yes, there is no crafting method involved. However, it can be a fun engagement for kids who love Santa's reindeer.
Santa Hats For Toys: Santa Hats are a kind of Christmas fashion statement. People of all ages enjoy flaunting a Santa hat during this festive day. So why not make Santa Hats for your kid's toys? There are multiple ways to do it. You can use felt and cotton wool. Making paper cut-outs is also very easy. A parent could also take some time to knit tiny hats. Your kid's toys will easily blend in with your Christmas-themed decor with similar small ornamentations.
Snowflakes: Another simple crafting technique is making snowflakes as Christmas decorations. Get a square piece of paper and fold it into a triangle. Fold the paper again to make a smaller triangle. Now fold a third of the triangle's sides by bending its corners. After snipping off any overhanging ends, you have a tightly folded triangle. You can cut nibbles out of the triangle wherever you like. Unfold the paper and marvel at the pattern of your snowflake. Many step-by-step guides are available online with video and pictorial demonstrations.
Tiny Stockings: You can make stockings during Christmas and, in turn, teach your child how to sew. It can be an enjoyable pastime for parents and a learning experience for a child. Simply cut out two L-shaped pieces of cloth with rounded corners. Explain the process to your child as you sew the edges together. Ultimately, your kid will have a brand-new stocking for Christmas gifts and treats.
Toilet Roll Santa: Get a toilet roll tube and cover it with cotton wool. Tape red paper around the tube to make a stand-up Santa doll. You can also craft other characters like a toilet roll snowman, elf, or reindeer.
Read The Disclaimer
At Kidadl we pride ourselves on offering families original ideas to make the most of time spent together at home or out and about, wherever you are in the world. We strive to recommend the very best things that are suggested by our community and are things we would do ourselves - our aim is to be the trusted friend to parents.
We try our very best, but cannot guarantee perfection. We will always aim to give you accurate information at the date of publication - however, information does change, so it’s important you do your own research, double-check and make the decision that is right for your family.
Kidadl provides inspiration to entertain and educate your children. We recognise that not all activities and ideas are appropriate and suitable for all children and families or in all circumstances. Our recommended activities are based on age but these are a guide. We recommend that these ideas are used as inspiration, that ideas are undertaken with appropriate adult supervision, and that each adult uses their own discretion and knowledge of their children to consider the safety and suitability.
Kidadl cannot accept liability for the execution of these ideas, and parental supervision is advised at all times, as safety is paramount. Anyone using the information provided by Kidadl does so at their own risk and we can not accept liability if things go wrong.
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