Christmas Crafts for Kids

As a child, no holiday fills you with more wonder and excitement than Christmas. There is so much fun in the decorating, the celebrating, the love and, of course, the gifts. Part of the fun is creating special Christmas crafts with children that turn into a tradition for years to come.

Edible crafts

The smells of Christmas include cocoa, pine trees and, of course, gingerbread cookies. A fun way to craft with your kids while simultaneously getting all your Christmas cooking done is to do some edible crafts. Cookies make for a fun decorating project. Use your favorite sugar cookie or gingerbread cookie recipe, and choose the cut-outs you like best for the holiday. Alternatively, let your kids pick the ones they want to decorate the most. After you finish baking the cookies and allowing them to cool, set each child up with a "decorating station" consisting of a paper plate, squeezeable colored frosting, a paint brush and decorative toppings like jimmies, Christmas trees and whatever else you can find. If you have edible glitter, include it as well. It makes great "snow."

Snowflakes and wreaths

Are you looking to add a child's touch to your Christmas decorations? Try making some handprint wreaths. Get out your favorite green construction paper; have your kids trace outlines of their hands, and cut them out carefully. Glue them together in a circle, and add a red ribbon; you have a simple homemade wreath. You can add some "snow" to your wreath as well simply by cutting out paper snowflakes. Grab some white construction paper (or printer paper), and fold a piece in half. You can cut it into a circle if you like, or just leave it as a rectangle. Cut out shapes in whatever design you like, and then unfold the paper. Remember, two snowflakes are never alike; therefore, no matter what it looks like, you have an awesome snowflake.

Christmas is a fun time to craft with kids, and the possibilities are seemingly endless. You can turn your home into a veritable winter wonderland with just the fun things you make with your kids, and the time spent together is priceless.