HO HO HO - it’s the most wonderful time of the year and here at eatsleepdoodle, we couldn’t be more excited to dive into the festive spirit! From twinkling lights to the smell of gingerbread and the sound of jingle bells, it’s officially starting to feel like Christmas - and we’re here to sprinkle even more holiday cheer!

Whilst we’re huge Christmas lovers, we know the holidays can be a bit of a juggling act. With the kids home from school and relatives coming to stay, excitement levels are sky-high in anticipation for Christmas morning. But with the weather outside often frightful, we know that finding ways to keep kids entertained indoors can sometimes feel like a challenge fit for Santa himself! That’s why we think Holiday crafts are a total lifesaver (or should we say Christmas miracle?). 

Plus, crafting isn’t just a fun and creative way to pass the time – it’s packed with sneaky benefits that help your kids keep learning even when they’re not at school! From developing fine motor skills and recognising colors and shapes to boosting creativity and even brushing up on some maths with counting and patterns, arts and crafts are a fantastic way for kids to learn through play. You can read a bit more about the benefits of one of our favorite activities (coloring of course!) in one of our previous blogs. What’s more Christmas craft activities are a great opportunity to swap screen time for quality family time - bonus points if you pop on some iconic Christmas songs to sing along to at the same time! 

If you needed more convincing, crafts are also perfect for diving deeper into the magic of the Christmas! Whether your little elves are making their own decorations, learning about Holiday traditions and stories or creating heartfelt handmade gifts for family and friends, there are so many ways to get creative this festive season – you can even use crafts to make your gift-wrapping extra special too!

So, in the festive spirit, we’ve been searching our stockings and put together our own nice list full of fun Holiday crafts for children to make this year. From easy Christmas crafts for toddlers to how to make your own decorations, we’ve got everything you need to make this Holiday season a crafty one to remember. So, grab your glitter and glue and let’s Deck the Halls with fun and creativity!

Here's our top Christmas craft ideas to keep kids busy, happy and full of festive cheer…

 

Pinecone Christmas trees

Why not create your own Christmas tree out of a pinecone!

We love that this craft includes an outdoor adventure - on a good weather day, kids can head outside to hunt for the perfect pinecones to turn into their own adorable mini Christmas trees! Back indoors, they’ll love decorating their ‘trees’ with paints, glitter and tiny ornaments (such as rolled up tissue paper or pom poms) making each one completely unique!

Not only do these festive creations make the cutest decorations around the house, they’re also a great way for kids to learn about evergreen trees. Younger kids can discover which types of trees stay green in winter, while older kids can dive into the science behind it!
 

Clothes Peg Snowmen

 

We love this festive craft idea because it’s not only fun but also the perfect easy craft for kids of all ages! With a little paint, marker and string, kids can transform ordinary wooden clothes pegs into adorable snowmen. Best of all, these frosty friends aren’t just for show - they’re super handy as cute festive décor too! Why not try using the pegs to hang up Holiday cards on twine for some festive bunting!

 

Felt Nativity Finger Puppets 🐑⭐

If you’re looking for a kids nativity craft to do as a family, making your own felt finger puppets is a wonderful option! From shepherds and sheep to wise men and the star, kids can decorate felt to create all the key characters.  This craft is not only fun and creative but also a fantastic way to bring the story to life – once they’re finished, kids can put on their own show retelling the nativity with their handmade puppets!
 

Paper Chain Christmas Characters

Turn simple paper chains into festive characters with this easy craft idea! Using only colored paper and markers, this one is perfect for people looking for easy Christmas crafts to make with materials you likely already have at home.

By making paper chains with different colored paper, kids can create snowmen, reindeer, elves or even Santa himself! You can try making them short to hang on the wall or go all out and craft a long chain to use as a garland for some DIY Holiday décor! For extra festive fun, why not turn it into a competition to see who can make the longest paper chain!

 

Footprint Reindeer

This adorable craft is sure to spread some festive cheer! Little ones can stamp their painted foot onto a card to create the head of a reindeer, then draw or stick on some antlers, eyes and a bright red nose to bring it to life! We especially love this craft as it’s also a great sensory activity for kids too – though, be warned, it can get a little messy! These cute little reindeer also make the perfect DIY Christmas card design too!

 

Salt Dough Fingerprint Christmas Tree Ornaments

This classic craft idea is tired, tested and loved for good reason (many of us might still have our own decoration on our trees today!). Perfect for if you're wondering how to make decorations with children, this taste safe (though not very tasty!) salt dough is cheap and easy to put together and dries sturdy enough to make a whole range of different festive shapes!

We love that this tutorial uses kids fingerprints to add the baubles onto the tree for an extra special creative touch!

 

Paper Plate Christmas tree

The perfect craft to make with toddlers, this 3D paper plate Christmas tree is super easy and doesn’t take too long for short attention spans! We love that this craft tutorial has lots of ideas for decorating the trees and adapting the activity for kids at different developmental stages. Plus, they look super cute and effective when hung up!

 

Santa Stones

This craft idea is possibly one of the easiest yet most effective on this list! With a few stripes of paint, kids and adults alike can transform simple pebbles into adorable Santa Claus stones - if you can paint a straight line and use the handle of a paintbrush to make dots, you’ve got all the skills you need to create these!
From using as a place setting for Holiday dinners to hiding them around the house as part of a festive scavenger hunt, we love that this blog also includes so many fun ideas for how to use these precious pebbles!

 

DIY Shaker Card

For a craft that’s as festive as it is fun, try making your own shaker cards! These cards feature a Christmassy cutout at the front, filled with glitter or tiny festive paper shapes that shake and sparkle when moved. A bit more challenging, this craft is ideal for older children, teens or grown-ups looking to add a handmade touch to their holiday greetings. This tutorial from Craft with Mei makes it super simple to make your own!

 

DIY Felt Letters

And finally, for more ambitious crafters, why not try making these beautifully embroidered felt letters! As with the last craft, this is perfect for older children, teens and adults – though they are much simpler to make than they look!

Simply cut out the felt letters, add some decoration, then sew together and stuff with filling or tissue paper. We love these as gifts or for adding on top of presents as a unique gift tag. As a bonus: they double as lovely decorations for years to come!

 

We hope we’ve sprinkled plenty of crafty inspiration to help you and your little ones get into the festive spirit! Whether you’re making keepsakes, decorations or thoughtful handmade gifts to share with loved ones, Christmas arts and crafts are all about having fun and getting stuck in! So gather your supplies, crank up the holiday tunes and let the creativity flow!

Don’t forget you can get in touch with us on social media and share your adventures and coloring creations by using #eatsleepdoodle – we always love to see what you’re up to! You can also tag us on Instagram (@eatsleepdoodle_), Facebook (@eatsleepdoodlehq) and TikTok (@eatsleepdoodle_).