Are you looking for easy, last-minute Christmas crafts for kids that are fun, festive, and educational? You’re in the right place! These holiday craft ideas for toddlers and preschoolers are perfect for keeping little hands busy, encouraging creativity, and getting into the Christmas spirit — even if you’re short on time.
From DIY decorations to hands-on holiday activities, this list has something for every skill level and age. Plus, all of these crafts are screen-free, budget-friendly, and easy to prep with supplies you probably already have at home.
And if you’re looking for even more Christmas-themed activities for kids, don’t forget to check out My First Busy Book, which comes with a bonus Christmas Busy Book! It’s packed with hands-on, educational activities like building a snowman, sorting Christmas cookies by size, matching holiday characters, and more. Perfect for keeping kids entertained, learning, and creatively engaged this holiday season — and it’s available as an instant download for just $5.
Now, let’s dive into 30 fun and festive last-minute Christmas crafts for kids that your little ones will love.
1. Snowglobe painting
Let your child create their own magical winter scene with this simple snowglobe craft. Kids paint a snowy background, add a cut-out circle “globe,” and decorate it with trees, snowmen, or glittery snow. It’s an easy, creative activity that looks beautiful displayed on the wall or given as a handmade Christmas card.
2. Christmas Tree Shapes
This simple craft helps kids learn shapes while getting festive! Cut out a large green triangle for the Christmas tree and give your child lots of small, colourful triangles to use as decorations. They can glue them on like ornaments, create patterns, or build a fun geometric design. It’s a great mix of creativity and early learning.
3. Cardboard Reindeer Cut-Outs
Turn simple cardboard into adorable reindeer with this easy triangle craft! Cut a triangle shape for the reindeer’s face, glue on googly eyes, add a red pom-pom nose, and clip wooden pegs at the top for cute antlers. Kids love assembling the pieces, and the finished reindeer make perfect Christmas decorations or classroom crafts.
4. Pipe Cleaner Christmas Tree
This adorable craft is perfect for building fine motor skills! Twist green pipe cleaners into the shape of a Christmas tree, then let kids decorate them by threading colourful beads onto the branches. It’s a simple, hands-on activity that strengthens finger muscles while creating a sparkly little tree they can proudly display.
5. Hot Chocolate Cup Decorations
Draw or cut out a big mug of hot chocolate on cardboard, then let your child decorate it with fun “toppings.” White pom-poms make perfect marshmallows, a real cinnamon stick adds a cozy touch, and kids can draw or cut out tiny gingerbread cookies, candy canes, or sprinkles to glue on top. It’s a cosy, creative craft that kids love customising!
6. Egg Carton Christmas Tree
Cut an egg carton into a tree shape, paint it green, and let it dry. Then invite your child to add colourful pom-poms into the little carton sections as ornaments. It’s a brilliant way to recycle materials while giving kids a fun, tactile activity that strengthens fine motor skills and results in a cute 3D Christmas tree!
7. Santa Face Craft
Draw or cut out a big Santa face on cardboard, then let your child bring him to life with fun textures and decorations. White mini marshmallows make the perfect fluffy beard, sprinkles add colour to his hat, and kids can get creative with eyes, cheeks, and glitter. It’s a sensory-rich Christmas craft that looks adorable when finished!
8. Decorate a Hot Chocolate Mug
Cut out a hot chocolate mug shape from cardboard and let kids decorate it however they like! They can paint it, add colourful gems, stickers, glitter, or draw their own designs. It’s an open-ended Christmas craft that encourages creativity and lets little ones personalise their own festive mug.
9. Decorated Christmas Tree Cut-Out
Give kids a cardboard or paper Christmas tree cut-out and let them get creative! They can sprinkle green glitter or sprinkles for a festive texture, add googly eyes for a fun twist, and decorate with stickers, pom-poms, or drawn-on ornaments. It’s a playful, hands-on craft that’s perfect for little hands.
10. Decorate a Gingerbread Man
Give kids a cardboard or paper gingerbread man cut-out and let them have fun adding decorations! They can use markers, stickers, pom-poms, or glitter to create buttons, a face, and festive outfits. It’s a simple, creative craft that encourages imagination and fine motor skills while celebrating the holiday season.
11. Lollipop Stick Gingerbread House
Kids can build their very own gingerbread house using lollipop sticks! First, paint the sticks brown to look like gingerbread, then glue them together to create walls and a roof. Once assembled, they can decorate with pom-poms, glitter, or drawn-on candy details. This hands-on craft is perfect for developing creativity, patience, and fine motor skills while making a festive holiday decoration.
12. Lollipop Stick Snowflakes
Create sparkling winter magic with lollipop stick snowflakes! Kids can glue sticks into a snowflake shape, paint them blue, and then decorate with glitter, gems, or sequins. It’s a fun, hands-on craft that encourages creativity and fine motor skills, and the finished snowflakes make beautiful holiday decorations for windows or walls.
13. Lollipop Stick Christmas Tree
Kids can make a simple and festive Christmas tree using lollipop sticks! Arrange the sticks in a triangular tree shape, glue them together, and let children decorate with paint, glitter, pom-poms, or tiny stickers. It’s a hands-on craft that’s perfect for developing creativity and fine motor skills while adding a charming homemade decoration to your holiday decor.
14. Handprint Christmas Wreath
Create a festive wreath using your child’s handprints! Trace and cut out several hand shapes from green paper or cardboard, then layer them in a circle to form a wreath. Finish it off with a bright bow at the top. It’s a fun, personalised Christmas craft that makes a perfect keepsake or decoration for your home.
15. Lollipop Stick Christmas Trucks
Make a festive keepsake with lollipop stick trucks! Paint the sticks red to form the truck body, create wheels from black pipe cleaners shaped into circles, and add a photo and handprint of your child in the back. This personalised Christmas craft is perfect for hanging on the tree or gifting to family members, and it combines creativity with a treasured memory.
16. Hand-Painted Christmas Baubles
Let kids get creative with hand-painted baubles! Using plain baubles or cut-outs from cardboard, they can paint different patterns like stripes, dots, swirls, or festive designs. It’s a fun, open-ended craft that encourages creativity, fine motor skills, and results in beautiful personalised decorations for the Christmas tree.
17. Handprint Rudolphs
Create adorable Rudolphs using your child’s handprints! Trace their hand on paper or cardboard, paint it brown, and turn it into Rudolph by adding googly eyes, a red pom-pom nose, and antlers. It’s a fun, personalised Christmas craft that makes perfect keepsakes or holiday decorations.
18. Cupcake Liner Christmas Trees
Turn green cupcake liners into festive Christmas trees! Fold three liners of different sizes and stack them to create a layered tree shape. Kids can decorate with pom-poms, stickers, glitter, or markers to add ornaments and details. It’s a simple, hands-on craft that’s perfect for little hands and makes charming holiday decorations.
19. DIY Christmas Jumpers
Let kids design their own festive Christmas jumpers! Using paper cut-outs or cardboard shapes, they can decorate with paint, glitter, sequins, stickers, or any craft supplies you have on hand. It’s a fun, creative activity that encourages self-expression and results in colourful, personalised holiday artwork.
20. Handprint Christmas Tree Cards
Create personalised Christmas cards using your child’s handprints! Paint their hand green and press it onto card stock to form a tree shape. Once dry, kids can decorate with stickers, pom-poms, glitter, or drawn-on ornaments. It’s a fun, creative craft that doubles as a heartfelt holiday card for friends and family.
21. Decorate a Gingerbread House Cut-Out
Give kids a cardboard or paper gingerbread house cut-out and let them decorate it however they like! They can use paint, pom-poms, glitter, stickers, or markers to create candy, icing, and festive details. It’s a fun, hands-on Christmas craft that encourages creativity and results in a colourful holiday decoration.
22. Handprint Christmas Baubles
Create festive baubles using your child’s handprints! Paint their hand, press it onto a round bauble (plastic or cardboard), and decorate with glitter, paint, or stickers. This personalised Christmas craft turns each bauble into a unique keepsake for your tree.
23. Handprint Snowman Snowglobes
Make festive keepsakes with handprint snowman snowglobes! Cut out a snow globe shape from blue paper, add your child’s handprint, and decorate each finger to look like a little snowman. Finish by adding their name and the year at the bottom. It’s a personalised, creative craft that makes a perfect holiday decoration or gift.
24. Car Christmas Tree Footprint Craft
Turn your child’s footprint into a festive Christmas tree! Paint their foot green and make a print on paper, then cut out a red car shape. Use string or drawn-on details to “tie” the footprint tree to the top of the car. It’s a fun, creative holiday craft that makes a charming keepsake for the season.
25. Christmas Sensory Box
Create a magical Christmas sensory experience with a festive red-and-green rice bin filled with Christmas-themed toys! Add mini ornaments, jingle bells, cookie cutters, tiny presents, and little figurines for scooping, pouring, and imaginative play. This sensory box is perfect for toddlers and preschoolers—helping them explore colours, textures, and fine motor skills while keeping them happily entertained during the busy holiday season.
26. Decorating Christmas Stockings
Let kids design their own festive stockings with this simple cut-out craft! Provide paper or cardboard stocking shapes and a tray of fun materials—stickers, sequins, pom poms, paints, glitter glue, or even cotton wool for the trim. Children can personalise their stockings however they like, making each one unique and full of holiday charm. It’s an easy, creative Christmas craft that also doubles as adorable décor.
27. Blue & White Winter Wonderland Sensory Table
Transform your sensory table into a magical winter wonderland with calming blue and white materials. Use items like blue rice, white cotton “snow,” clear and blue gems, snowflake confetti, scoops, and winter-themed figurines (penguins, polar bears, snowmen). Kids can dig, scoop, pour, sort, and create their own chilly scenes—perfect for imaginative play and fine motor development. This icy sensory setup brings all the winter magic without the cold!
28. Santa Handprint Salt Dough Ornaments
Create the sweetest keepsake with these Santa handprint salt dough ornaments! Mix up a simple salt dough, press your child’s hand into it, and bake until firm. Once cooled, paint the handprint so the fingers become Santa’s hat and beard, and the palm becomes his face. Add a ribbon for hanging, and you’ve got an adorable, personalised Christmas tree ornament you’ll treasure year after year. Perfect for gifting to grandparents too!
29. Hot Cocoa Sensory Box
Create a cosy winter setup with two sensory boxes inspired by hot chocolate! Fill one bin with fragrant coffee beans and the other with fluffy marshmallows. Add candy canes, cups, scoops, and little containers so kids can “mix,” scoop, and pretend to make their own hot cocoa creations. This simple yet magical setup engages the senses, supports fine motor play, and keeps little ones happily entertained during the festive season.
30. Snowman Jar Fill Sensory Box
Set up a fun and festive sensory box featuring jars decorated as adorable snowmen! Add marshmallows or white foam puffs to the bin, along with scoops, tongs, and spoons. Kids can “feed” or “fill” the snowmen by transferring the marshmallows into each jar. It’s a brilliant activity for fine motor skills, hand–eye coordination, and imaginative play—plus the snowman jars make the setup extra cute and engaging for little ones.
There you have it — 30 last-minute Christmas crafts for kids that are fun, easy, and perfect for little hands! From handprint snowmen to lollipop stick trees, these holiday activities for toddlers and preschoolers are a great way to encourage creativity, build fine motor skills, and enjoy some festive, screen-free fun together.
If you want even more Christmas-themed activities for kids, don’t forget about My First Busy Book, which comes with a bonus Christmas Busy Book! Packed with hands-on, educational activities like building a snowman, sorting Christmas cookies by size, and matching holiday characters, it’s perfect for keeping kids entertained, learning, and creatively engaged this holiday season. Plus, it’s an instant download, so you can start using it today without any stress.
🎁 Grab your copy of My First Busy Book with the bonus Christmas Busy Book and give your child hours of festive fun and learning this Christmas!
