Winter is here and with it, the holiday season. With outdoor activities curtailed thanks to the pandemic, DIY holiday crafts are the perfect way to keep kids entertained. With a bit of creativity and craft items, there are a plethora of crafts you can indulge in with your children.
Some simple and fun ideas for DIY holiday decor include:
Holiday wreaths
Who said wreaths should only go on the front door? This year, involve the kids in making their very own custom holiday wreaths to hand on their room door. All you really need to buy are some readymade wraths at your local craft store. Many come already painted in several colors, so you can pick the best one for your project.
There is no limit to what you can use to make your custom wreaths. Use candy canes and lollipops, balloons, tissue paper, sparkly or metallic paper, or even multi-colored felt strips. Depending on how old your children are, they might need some assistance with scissors or hot glue. But even a 2-year-old would be happy to pick out the colors and be your assistant!
Custom advent calendars
You can buy dozens of different advent calendars online but why not make your own? In addition to the usual candy or toys, you can fill the little boxes with coupons to redeem for your children. Want some ideas for coupons?
- An evening of baking and decorating cookies
- A cookie before dinner
- 2 bedtime stories instead of one
- One hour of exclusive time with their favorite hobby
- A cup of hot chocolate
Table decorations
Even if you don’t have a large family gathering, you might be planning a festive dinner or two. If the kids are not old enough to help with the factual cooking or baking, they can help you make DIY table decorations or place cards. Help them draw or write their names and that of family members on craft paper for custom place cards. Or how about using paper plates and popsicle sticks to make cute snowmen? The possibilities are endless and you probably have all the materials you need somewhere in the house.
Tree ornaments
DIY tree ornaments are the best holiday tradition and will serve as a great memory years after the kids grow up. One easy DIY tree ornament is to make them out of popsicle sticks. All you need are some popsicle sticks, some paint, glitter, glue, and twine.
First, get your children to paint a bunch of sticks in their favorite colors. Next, assemble them in a snowflake shape by using a drop of hot glue in the center and attaching twine behind the last one. Then use some glue to stick glitter, rhinestones, sparkly gems, and tiny pom-poms to make dazzling tree ornaments. Grandparents may even appreciate them as gifts!
You can also make glittery snowmen, cute Santas, or anything else winter/holiday themed ornaments. Try to make fun reindeer with cinnamon sticks or mini trees with green string.
Party hats
Whether or not your kids are able to stay awake for New Year’s Eve, they can still join the fun with DIY party hats. Get some plain hats from your local store and then let them go crazy with paints, pens, pom poms, glitter, shiny paper strips, or whatever else you can get your hands on. They will love decorating the hats and you can show them pictures of everyone wearing them the next day!
DIY Christmas tree
Why not help the kids make their own mini tree just like the big one in the living room? You can make them out of paper plates painted green, strips of felt arranged like a tree, or even out of old cans! Just make sure there are no sharp edges and be sure to help them out with scissors or hot glue when needed. But the sky’s the limit when it comes to making their very own Christmas tree. They can also make a custom tree with building blocks or other construction materials like craft paper.
Snow globes
Snow globes are pretty fun to make at home, even if they seem complex at first glance. All you need are a hollow plastic ornament, a picture, or a tiny toy/animal model to put inside along with some glitter. Insert the picture upside down into the hollow ornament, add the glitter and seal the opening. And there you have it, a custom globe that works well as decor or even a gift for close family members.
If you want to mimic a real snow globe much more closely, use small glass jars instead of plastic ornaments. Baby food jars are great for this. After gluing the toy to the bottom of the jar, fill it about ¾ of the way with water. Add a squirt of glycerin and very fine glitter. Seal the lid with hot glue and you’re all set!