Holidays provide the perfect opportunity for children to tap into their creativity while spending quality time with family. Whether it’s a winter break, summer vacation, or festive holiday season, crafting and engaging in fun activities can keep kids entertained and stimulated. In this article, we’ll explore 10 fun and simple craft and activity ideas for kids that will not only foster their creativity but also add a festive touch to any celebration.
1. DIY Holiday Cards
One of the simplest and most meaningful crafts and activities for kids during the holidays is making homemade cards. Whether it’s for Christmas, Hanukkah, New Year’s, or Thanksgiving, crafting personalized cards allows children to express their creativity while spreading joy to family and friends.
Materials Needed:
- Colored paper or card stock
- Crayons, markers, or colored pencils
- Stickers, glitter, and stamps
- Scissors and glue
Instructions:
- Fold the paper in half to create a card.
- Let kids decorate the front with festive drawings, stickers, or glitter.
- Inside, encourage them to write holiday wishes or draw pictures for loved ones.
This simple craft helps kids practice fine motor skills and creative expression while making personalized, thoughtful gifts.
2. Ornament Decorating
A fun and festive holiday craft and activity for kids is decorating ornaments for the Christmas tree or for giving as gifts. This activity allows kids to personalize their decorations, and the ornaments become lasting keepsakes.
Materials Needed:
- Plain glass or wooden ornaments
- Acrylic paint or markers
- Glitter, beads, or sequins
- Ribbon or string for hanging
Instructions:
- Let children paint or color the ornaments with holiday designs such as snowflakes, stars, or Christmas trees.
- Add some sparkle with glitter, beads, or sequins.
- Attach a ribbon for hanging once the ornament is dry.
Not only will kids love seeing their creations on the tree, but these ornaments can also be treasured for years to come.
3. Gingerbread House Decorating
A classic holiday activity that kids adore is building and decorating gingerbread houses. This edible craft is both fun and tasty, making it a perfect family holiday tradition.
Materials Needed:
- Gingerbread house kit or graham crackers
- Icing for "glue"
- Candy, chocolate chips, sprinkles, and marshmallows
Instructions:
- Help kids assemble the walls and roof of the gingerbread house using icing as glue.
- Let them get creative with candy decorations—gumdrops for windows, chocolate for the door, and marshmallow snowmen.
This delicious craft keeps kids busy while encouraging imaginative thinking and teamwork.
4. Holiday-Themed Paper Snowflakes
Making paper snowflakes is a simple yet magical craft activity that adds a touch of winter wonder to your home. Kids love cutting out different shapes and seeing how their snowflakes turn out.
Materials Needed:
- White or colored paper
- Scissors
- Markers or glitter glue (optional)
Instructions:
- Fold a square piece of paper in half diagonally to make a triangle.
- Fold the triangle in half again.
- Cut small shapes along the edges of the folded paper.
- Unfold to reveal a unique snowflake design.
Children can hang their snowflakes on the windows, create garlands, or add glitter for a festive touch.
5. Holiday Baking Fun
Another great holiday activity for kids is baking! Whether it’s cookies, cupcakes, or pies, letting kids participate in holiday baking gets them involved in holiday preparations and teaches them valuable skills.
Materials Needed:
- Sugar cookie dough or cake mix
- Cookie cutters in holiday shapes (stars, snowmen, etc.)
- Sprinkles, frosting, and food coloring
Instructions:
- Help kids roll out the dough and use cookie cutters to make fun holiday shapes.
- Once baked, let them decorate their cookies with colorful frosting and sprinkles.
This activity is perfect for kids of all ages, allowing them to unleash their creativity while enjoying a sweet treat.
6. DIY Festive Wreaths
Creating homemade holiday wreaths is a delightful craft and activity that kids can do to help decorate the house or classroom. Whether you opt for a Christmas wreath or a Thanksgiving-themed one, this project can be adjusted to fit any holiday.
Materials Needed:
- Paper plates or foam wreath bases
- Green paint or paper leaves
- Glue, glitter, and ribbons
- Optional: pinecones, berries, or ornaments
Instructions:
- Cut out the center of a paper plate or use a foam wreath base.
- Let kids paint it green or glue on paper leaves.
- Decorate with ribbons, glitter, or small ornaments.
Children can proudly hang their wreaths on the front door or gift them to friends and family.
7. Handprint Holiday Art
Turn your child’s handprints into a festive piece of art with this simple and fun craft. Handprint art is a great way to create personal keepsakes while keeping kids busy.
Materials Needed:
- Washable paint (green, red, brown, white, etc.)
- Paper or canvas
- Paintbrushes
- Googly eyes, markers, and glitter for decorating
Instructions:
- Paint your child’s hand with washable paint and press it onto paper or canvas.
- Turn their handprints into holiday images: green handprints can become Christmas trees, brown handprints can be reindeer, and white ones can be snowmen.
Kids will love seeing their hands transformed into holiday characters, and parents will cherish these unique holiday memories.
8. Holiday Storytime and Puppet Show
For a more interactive holiday activity, why not encourage kids to create their own holiday puppet show? This is a great way for them to develop storytelling skills and use their imagination.
Materials Needed:
- Paper bags, socks, or old gloves for puppets
- Googly eyes, yarn, felt, and markers for decorating
- A cardboard box or a sheet for the puppet stage
Instructions:
- Have kids create puppets from paper bags, socks, or old gloves, decorating them with googly eyes, yarn, and markers.
- Once their puppets are ready, they can put on a holiday-themed puppet show, telling their own stories or reenacting favorite holiday tales.
This activity combines creativity, storytelling, and performance, making it an all-around holiday hit.
9. Holiday Bingo
If you’re looking for a more structured holiday activity, try a game of holiday-themed Bingo. It’s fun, easy to set up, and can be customized for any holiday.
Materials Needed:
- Bingo cards with holiday-themed images (e.g., Christmas trees, presents, snowflakes)
- Small markers such as candies, buttons, or coins
- A hat or bowl with holiday symbols to call out
Instructions:
- Create Bingo cards using images of common holiday symbols.
- Call out the images, and have the kids place markers on their cards when they have a match.
- The first one to get five in a row wins a small holiday prize.
Bingo is an excellent game for keeping kids engaged during family gatherings or parties.
10. Holiday Scavenger Hunt
A holiday scavenger hunt is an exciting activity that gets kids moving and exploring while searching for festive items. You can organize it indoors or outdoors, depending on the weather.
Materials Needed:
- A list of holiday-related items (e.g., candy canes, snowflakes, reindeer decorations)
- Small prizes for winners
- Clues or hints (optional)
Instructions:
- Hide holiday-themed items around the house or yard.
- Give the kids a list of items to find.
- The first one to find all the items wins a small holiday treat.
This interactive activity encourages problem-solving and teamwork while making holiday celebrations even more exciting.
Conclusion
These 10 craft and activity ideas for kids are not only fun and engaging but also foster creativity, teamwork, and skill-building. Whether it’s making DIY cards, baking festive treats, or putting on a puppet show, these holiday crafts and activities will keep kids entertained and help them create memories that last a lifetime.