EASY CHRISTMAS CRAFTS FOR KIDS ~

Wreaths and Christmas Trees

Simple fun craft projects that are easy for kids and work well for a group or party.  Adults will need to do a little work to get things ready but these holiday crafts keep kids busy and they love them.

PINE CONE TREES ~ 

Collect or buy medium size (or any size you like) pine cones (amount you will need) and spray them with glossy red and green paint.  

Make little stands (about 1"x1") out of scrap wood or dowels and glue to base of pine cones with hot glue gun.  If you don't have a saw, you can use cardboard tubes instead or even cut pieces of cardboard.  You may have to remove some pieces from the pine cone bottoms here and there to even it out.

Make or buy stars for tree tops and glue to trees with hot glue gun.  I cut up a garland of silver stars I found at the 99 Cent store which is a great place for finding craft supplies (actually decorations) especially at holiday times.  You can also make stars out of poster board and add glitter.

Search craft stores, 99 Cent stores and fabric stores for supplies and trims kids can drape and glue to their tree.  Put them out in plates and bowls for kids to choose from.  I buy the large bags (variety of sizes) of pom poms from Oriental Trading. I use them year round because kids love them. 

WREATHS ~

Buy or make wreaths.  I found a few different kinds of wreaths at the 99 Cent store (including the snowflake) and I made a few out of garland (cut and wired together) also from the 99 Cent store. 

Cut mittens (5" or so) out of white card stock for kids to decorate and hang on their wreaths along with a piece (8" or so) of thin wire to attach them together and then to the wreath.  

Cut a variety of trims (ribbons, zig zag trim etc) along with pom poms, stars and any good things you can find to glue on mittens.  Provide markers as well so kids can draw designs on their mittens if they choose, or combine with trim.

For decorations to glue on the wreath, use large size pom poms and any fun items you can find or make like stars and snowflakes.  I found the snowflake trim at the 99 Cent store and cut it apart. 

I usually put tacky glue in little cups or paper plates and provide sticks as it works better than glue bottles and tacky glue works better than school glue.

  

Twig Christmas Trees

Easy craft to do with kids, lots of creative possibilities ~ paint, decorate, add ornaments, glitter, trims, yarn, or leave natural.

Collect twigs with kids or have them do the collecting.  If none are close by you can always go to a park.  Arrange twigs in tree shapes and zap corners with a glue gun (adults should do this part) to attach.  Add cross pieces.  Cut stars out of lightweight cardboard, tag board or poster board, glue to a small twig, and then to tree top.  These trees are delicate and will need to be hung on a wall or door.  They look great in a group or row or alone.  They can be left natural or decorated.  Some ideas include paint, glitter, little tied on ornaments (such as the little cut out watercolor houses shown), trims, yarn draped on the cross pieces, loops of colored paper and anything you can think of.