Fun and festive Christmas crafts to try with your kids at home

Part of Parents' Toolkit

With Christmas fast approaching, why not get into the festive mood with some fun and easy crafts for the whole family?

Making Christmas tree decorations with your child is not only a super enjoyable way to spend time together, but will also leave you with a special memory that’s sure to grace your home each year.

Watch these three Christmas decoration tutorials and help them get into the festive spirit!

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How to make a Christmas name chain

For a personalised Christmas decoration, follow these simple steps with your child so they can make their very own name chain…

To make a Christmas name chain, you'll need:

  • Coloured card
  • Pencil
  • Safety scissors
  • Hole puncher
  • PVA glue/glue stick/tape
  • String
  • Pipe cleaners or coloured pens/pencils

Let’s get started

1. Draw circles onto pieces of card for each letter of your name

2. Cut out the circles using safety scissors

3. Hole punch the top and bottom ends of each circle

4. Cut pieces of tape

5. Tape a pipe cleaner around the edge of each circle to create a colourful frame (you could use ribbon or draw a pattern of your choice instead)

6. Cut or reshape another pipe cleaner for each letter of your name (alternatively you could draw the letters of your name using coloured pens, pencils or felt tip pens)

7. Tape or glue each pipe cleaner letter onto the centre each circle

8. Cut pieces of twine for each letter of your name (string or ribbons also work well)

9. Connect each letter of your name together by placing the string through the holes on each circle

10. Tie a knot in the the string to hold the chain together

11. Hang your name chain decoration onto your Christmas tree!

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Colourful snowflakes

Does your family love the snowy season? Have a go at making snowflake decorations with your child! This craft uses paper straws or wooden sticks, which you either buy pre-coloured, or buy plain and paint them as a family – whichever is easier! Help your child follow these simple steps…

To make some snowflake decorations, you'll need:

  • PVA glue
  • Tape
  • Wooden sticks or coloured straws
  • Pom poms
  • String

Let’s get started

1. For each snowflake, you will need 4 sticks/2 straws and 8 pom poms

2. If you are using straws, cut them in half to get 4 mini straws

3. Cut pieces of tape

4. Tape the 4 straws or 4 sticks together to create a star shape

5. Glue a pom pom in the centre of each snowflake or to each corner of the snowflake

6. Cut pieces of tape

7. Cut pieces of string

8. Tape the string as a loop to the back of your snowflake

9. Hang your snowflakes onto your Christmas tree

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Here's how to make an animal Christmas tree topper

Stars and angels are all well and good, but what if your child wants something a little more…wild? Help them make this super cool animal tree topper! There are so many animals to choose from, but in our tutorial we create a tiger, leopard and zebra.

To make an animal Christmas tree topper, you'll need:

  • Recycled yogurt tub
  • Card
  • Paint
  • Paint brushes
  • Paint palette or plate
  • Pipe cleaners
  • Pom poms
  • Googly eyes
  • Black marker pen
  • Pencil
  • Safety scissors
  • PVA glue/glue stick/tape

Let’s get started

1. Paint your yogurt pot the colour of your child's chosen animal (you may need multiple coats)

2. Draw a circle on coloured card for the animal’s face

3. Cut out your circle using safety scissors

4. Add the animal’s facial features (eyes, eyebrows, nose, mouth, ears) using pen, pom poms, pipe cleaners, and googly eyes

5. Once the paint has dried, decorate your animal’s body, perhap with stripes or spots

6. Glue your animal's face to its body

7. Tape a pipe cleaner to the base of your animal’s body

8. Put your tree topper on the top of your Christmas tree

Remember to have fun making them and enjoy spending time together. Merry Christmas!

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