44 Whimsical Christmas Crafts For Nursery

Christmas Crafts For Nursery Aged children are a wonderful way to introduce the festive spirit to little ones, offering them an opportunity to explore their creativity while celebrating the holiday season. Engaging young children in holiday-themed activities not only nurtures their artistic abilities but also helps them develop important skills such as fine motor coordination, hand-eye coordination, and problem-solving. These crafts allow kids to create something special for themselves, their families, or even as decorations for the nursery.

The beauty of Christmas crafts for nursery kids is that they are simple, safe, and fun. These activities are designed to be age-appropriate, featuring materials that are easy to handle and safe for little hands. From making ornaments and cards to creating Christmas decorations and sensory play activities, there are a variety of crafts that encourage learning, creativity, and holiday cheer.

Christmas Crafts For Nursery​

Christmas crafts for nursery-aged children are a fun way to celebrate the holiday season with creativity and joy. These simple, safe activities help young kids develop motor skills while getting into the festive spirit. From ornaments to sensory play, Christmas crafts offer endless opportunities for holiday fun!

 

Christmas Tree Crafts

Introduce your little ones to the magic of Christmas trees with these fun and easy crafts. Simple materials like paper plates and handprints can help create a festive feel for the nursery.

• Materials: Paper plates, green paint, decorations like stickers or pom-poms.
• Tip: Let kids paint and decorate the trees using their favorite colors and designs to personalize their creations.

Handprint Christmas Tree Craft

A perfect keepsake craft, this activity uses the child’s handprints to create a festive tree.

• Materials: Green paint, paper, glitter, and markers.
• Tip: Make sure to use non-toxic paint and supervise kids while creating this craft. It’s a wonderful way to preserve their tiny handprints!

Paper Plate Santa Faces

Turn simple paper plates into jolly Santa faces for a fun nursery activity.

• Materials: Paper plates, red and white paint, cotton balls, markers.
• Tip: Use cotton balls for Santa’s beard and mustache to add texture and make it more tactile for little hands.

Pinecone Christmas Tree

Nature provides the perfect base for crafting a Christmas tree with pinecones, which can be decorated to resemble a festive holiday tree.

• Materials: Pinecones, green paint, glitter, small ornaments.
• Tip: If you don’t have pinecones, you can use a small cone-shaped piece of cardboard as the base.

Christmas Salt Dough Ornaments

Salt dough is easy to make and can be molded into various shapes for tree ornaments or keepsakes.

• Materials: Flour, salt, water, cookie cutters, ribbon.
• Tip: Let the kids shape the dough themselves and add their own designs with stamps or buttons.

Fingerprint Santa Ornaments

Use fingerprints to make a personalized and adorable Santa ornament that children can hang on the tree.

• Materials: Red and white paint, paper or clay, ribbon.
• Tip: Create a “thumbprint” Santa face, then add details like eyes, a nose, and a beard.

Beaded Christmas Tree Ornaments

Beads are a fun way to add some sparkle and creativity to homemade ornaments.

• Materials: Pipe cleaners, colorful beads, glue.
• Tip: Let kids choose the beads themselves for a personalized touch and help them bend the pipe cleaner into tree shapes.

Snowflake Stamps

Using stamps to make snowflakes on paper or fabric is an easy way to create a winter wonderland effect in the nursery.

• Materials: Snowflake stamps, ink pads, construction paper.
• Tip: Combine this craft with glitter to give it a sparkling effect, just like real snow!

Christmas Card Making

Let the children create their own festive cards that can be given to family members or friends.

• Materials: Construction paper, stickers, markers, ribbons.
• Tip: Encourage the children to use different stamps and embellishments to make each card unique.

Gift Tags with Glitter

Handmade gift tags can add a special touch to presents under the tree.

• Materials: Cardstock, glitter, markers, ribbons.
• Tip: Make the tags interactive by letting kids decorate with patterns or even write their own names.

Paper Snowflakes

Create intricate snowflakes using paper folding and cutting, a simple craft that mimics the winter wonderland outside.

• Materials: White paper, scissors, glitter.
• Tip: Cut the paper into various sizes and let the kids practice their cutting skills by making small snowflakes.

Mini Christmas Stockings

These adorable stockings can be made out of felt and used as decorations or small gifts.

• Materials: Felt, glue, cotton balls, sequins.
• Tip: Add glitter or beads for extra sparkle, and let the children hang them on their desks or walls.

DIY Christmas Wreath

A perfect craft to adorn the walls of the nursery, this craft involves children making their own wreath from easy-to-handle materials.

• Materials: Paper plates, green construction paper, red ribbons, glue.
• Tip: Encourage kids to add their personal touch with colored paper and additional decorative items like pom-poms.

Toilet Paper Roll Reindeer

Upcycle toilet paper rolls into adorable reindeer characters for a cute holiday craft.

• Materials: Toilet paper rolls, brown paint, googly eyes, pipe cleaners.
• Tip: Use a small bit of red paint on the nose to make Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer!

Bottle Cap Christmas Tree

Recycle bottle caps into a Christmas tree design, perfect for learning about reusing materials.

• Materials: Bottle caps, glue, markers, glitter.
• Tip: Arrange the bottle caps in a tree shape on a piece of cardboard or a wooden board for durability.

Egg Carton Santa

Transform an old egg carton into a cute Santa’s face by painting and decorating.

• Materials: Egg cartons, red paint, cotton balls, markers.
• Tip: Cut the egg carton in half for smaller pieces, and let the kids fill in Santa’s face with cotton for his beard.

Reindeer Sandwiches

For a fun food craft, create reindeer-shaped sandwiches that kids can eat after they’re made.

• Materials: Bread, nut butter, pretzels, raisins.
• Tip: Use small cookie cutters for the sandwich shape, and let kids decorate their reindeer with different snacks!

Christmas Tree Fruit Snack

This fun craft lets children assemble their own edible Christmas tree using fruit.

• Materials: Green grapes, strawberries, cheese, toothpicks.
• Tip: Arrange the fruit into a tree shape on a plate, adding a piece of cheese for the “star” at the top.

Christmas Sensory Bin

A sensory bin filled with winter-themed items can engage children while they explore textures and materials.

• Materials: Fake snow, small ornaments, Christmas figurines.
• Tip: Add small holiday trinkets like bells or figurines for added interest and to stimulate the senses.

Shaving Cream Snow Play

Create an indoor “snow” play experience using shaving cream for a fun sensory activity.

• Materials: Shaving cream, glitter, bowls.
• Tip: Add a little peppermint extract for a seasonal scent, and let kids explore the texture and feel of “snow” in their hands.

DIY Christmas Puzzle

Help little ones make their own Christmas-themed puzzles from foam or cardboard.

• Materials: Foam or cardboard, Christmas images, scissors.
• Tip: Cut the foam into puzzle pieces for kids to reassemble into a festive scene like Santa’s sleigh or a snowman.

Pom-Pom Snowman

A simple, fun way to craft a snowman using soft pom-poms as the base.

• Materials: White pom-poms, glue, black buttons, orange paper for the nose.
• Tip: Let the children stack the pom-poms themselves to form a snowman, adding eyes, a nose, and buttons to decorate.

Christmas Garland

Create a cheerful Christmas garland that can be used to decorate the nursery.

• Materials: Paper, scissors, glue, glitter.
• Tip: Make several shapes, such as stars, trees, and hearts, to create a colorful and festive garland.

Snowman in a Jar

Turn an empty jar into a snowman with cotton balls, and small accessories.

• Materials: Glass jar, cotton balls, buttons, ribbon.
• Tip: This can also be used as a gift or a festive decoration for the nursery.

Candy Cane Stamps

Make candy cane stamps by dipping in paint, making prints for cards or decorations.

• Materials: Candy canes, red paint, paper.
• Tip: Let the kids dip the candy canes in the paint and stamp them on paper for a fun and simple design.

Christmas Tree Collage

Create a Christmas tree by gluing on various materials like buttons, fabric, or paper scraps.

• Materials: Green paper, fabric, buttons, glue.
• Tip: Allow children to choose their own materials to glue to the tree to create a one-of-a-kind holiday decoration.

Candy Cane Reindeer

Use candy canes to make reindeer with fun decorations for a sweet holiday craft.

• Materials: Candy canes, googly eyes, pipe cleaners.
• Tip: Attach the pipe cleaners to the candy canes to create antlers, and add the googly eyes to complete the reindeer look.

Christmas Collage Art

Let children explore their creativity by making a large Christmas collage using various materials.

• Materials: Paper, fabric, buttons, glitter, glue.
• Tip: Encourage the kids to explore different textures and colors to create their own festive masterpiece.

Christmas Tree Button Art

Create a tree shape using colorful buttons for a tactile and visually engaging art project.

• Materials: Buttons, green paper, glue.
• Tip: Help children glue the buttons in a triangular shape to form a Christmas tree, adding decorations with more buttons.

These Christmas crafts are perfect for sparking creativity, holiday spirit, and learning for little ones in the nursery. Each craft is designed to be fun, simple, and safe while engaging children in hands-on activities that they can proudly show off this holiday season!

Fun Food Crafts for the Holiday Season

Food crafts are a fantastic way to combine creativity and tasty treats, making them perfect for young children during the Christmas season. These fun food projects are easy to make, visually engaging, and can be a delicious addition to holiday celebrations. Food crafts not only encourage children to get involved in the kitchen but also help improve fine motor skills and give them an opportunity to try new, healthy snacks. Below are two fun and festive food crafts that are perfect for nursery-aged kids.

Christmas Tree Fruit Snack

This is a fun and healthy way to create a festive tree shape using fruit, perfect for little hands to assemble and enjoy!

• Materials Needed:
  • Green grapes
  • Strawberries
  • Cheese (cut into small cubes or slices)
  • Toothpicks
• How to Create a Tree-Shaped Fruit Snack:
  • Start by cutting the strawberries into halves or quarters to represent the “tree trunk” and “branches.”
  • Arrange the green grapes on a plate to create the tree shape. You can stack the grapes in rows, getting smaller toward the top to resemble a tree.
  • Use toothpicks to secure the fruit pieces in place, especially the grapes.
  • Add cheese cubes or slices at the top for a “star” or “tree topper.”
  • Optionally, sprinkle some edible glitter or mini marshmallows on the tree for an extra festive touch.
• Tip: Let kids help by arranging the fruit on their own, which adds to the fun and excitement while also improving their motor skills.

Reindeer Sandwiches

Turn a simple sandwich into a jolly reindeer! This craft is both fun to make and delicious to eat.

• Materials Needed:
  • Bread (preferably whole wheat or white)
  • Nut butter (peanut butter, almond butter, or sunflower butter)
  • Pretzels (for the reindeer antlers)
  • Raisins (for the eyes and nose)
• How to Create Fun Reindeer-Shaped Sandwiches:
  • Start by spreading the nut butter evenly on a slice of bread. You can also use cream cheese or any spread the child prefers.
  • Use a cookie cutter or a knife to shape the bread into a round or oval shape, mimicking the reindeer’s face.
  • Break two pretzels in half and attach them to the top of the bread for antlers.
  • Use raisins for the reindeer’s eyes and a larger raisin (or cherry) for the nose to make it extra fun.
  • Optionally, you can cut out small pieces of fruit or use additional snacks to decorate the reindeer’s face, like a mouth or extra details.
• Tip: If you’re concerned about allergies, make sure to use nut-free alternatives, like sunflower seed butter or safe spreads, and consider using dried fruit or other snacks for the eyes and nose.

These fun food crafts will not only get kids excited about eating healthy but also provide them with hands-on opportunities to celebrate the season through creative activities.

Christmas Crafts For Nursery Sensory Play Activities

Sensory play is a wonderful way for young children to explore the world around them through their senses. During the Christmas season, sensory activities are perfect for sparking creativity, improving fine motor skills, and providing a hands-on way to enjoy the holiday spirit. These sensory play activities are designed to be engaging, fun, and easy for nursery-aged children. Here are two festive sensory play ideas to bring joy and wonder to your holiday season.

Christmas Sensory Bin

A sensory bin is a fantastic way for children to dive into a world of textures, colors, and holiday-themed fun. It’s perfect for fostering independent play while also allowing children to explore their creativity.

• Materials Needed:
  • Fake snow (or cotton balls)
  • Small Christmas ornaments (miniature trees, stars, or bells)
  • Christmas figurines (Santa, reindeer, snowmen, etc.)
  • Plastic or wooden scoops (optional for added fun)
  • A large container or bin to hold everything
• How to Set Up a Sensory Play Bin:
  • Begin by filling the bottom of the bin with fake snow or cotton balls. This will act as the “snowy” base for your sensory bin.
  • Add small Christmas ornaments like tiny Christmas trees, stars, or bells. These can be plastic or fabric items that are safe for young children.
  • Place Christmas figurines such as Santa, reindeer, or snowmen throughout the bin to create a winter wonderland scene.
  • Encourage the children to explore the materials by digging through the snow, moving the figurines around, and examining the different textures of the ornaments.
  • If you’d like to add extra textures, consider including soft fabric pieces (like felt) or small pom-poms that resemble presents or gift wraps.
• Tip: For added sensory exploration, you can add a few drops of essential oils (such as cinnamon or pine) to give the bin a festive, aromatic experience.

Snow Play with Shaving Cream

This snow play activity is a delightful and squishy experience that mimics the texture of snow, while still being safe for young children to touch, squish, and explore.

• Materials Needed:
  • Shaving cream (unscented or lightly scented)
  • Glitter (silver or white for extra sparkle)
  • Bowls or containers for the shaving cream and glitter
  • Small toys or figurines for play (optional)
• Step-by-Step Instructions to Make a “Snow” Sensory Play Experience:
  • Start by filling a large bowl or shallow container with a generous amount of shaving cream. The texture should feel soft and light, similar to snow.
  • Sprinkle a little bit of glitter over the top of the shaving cream to give it a magical, snowy shimmer.
  • Optional: Add small plastic snowflakes, figurines, or Christmas-themed items (like mini trees or toy sleds) to enhance the winter theme.
  • Let the children explore the “snow” by using their hands, scooping, and squishing the shaving cream. Encourage them to make snowballs, spread the cream, or create “snowmen” out of the materials.
  • The glitter will add a touch of holiday magic, making the sensory play even more engaging.
• Tip: Shaving cream is easy to clean up and doesn’t leave a mess, but it’s always good to place a plastic mat or towel underneath the play area to catch any excess. Also, if you’re concerned about the shaving cream being in contact with sensitive skin, you can choose an organic or sensitive skin version.

These Christmas sensory play activities are perfect for encouraging exploration, creativity, and a hands-on way for little ones to experience the holiday season. Whether they’re digging through a snowy sensory bin or creating their own “snow” scenes, these activities are sure to be a hit with young children.

FAQ

What are some simple Christmas crafts for nursery-aged children?

For nursery-aged children, simple Christmas crafts such as paper plate Santa faces, handprint Christmas trees, or foam ornament decorations are perfect. These crafts require minimal materials, easy steps, and offer a hands-on experience for children. They help foster creativity and fine motor skills while providing a festive way to celebrate the season. Using child-safe scissors, glue sticks, and colorful paper or foam sheets can make these crafts both fun and safe for young hands.

• Easy-to-follow steps and basic materials
• Safe for younger children
• Promotes creativity and fine motor skills

How can I make Christmas crafts safe for young children?

To ensure safety during Christmas craft activities, it’s important to use non-toxic materials and supervise the children closely. Opt for child-safe glue sticks, washable paints, and safety scissors designed for small hands. Avoid small parts or decorations that could be a choking hazard, and make sure that any decorations used, like glitter or beads, are securely attached to the craft projects.

• Use non-toxic and washable materials
• Choose age-appropriate craft tools
• Avoid small, removable parts that could pose choking hazards

What are some Christmas crafts that promote sensory play for nursery children?

Christmas crafts like sensory bins filled with fake snow, or snow play using shaving cream, provide a tactile experience that stimulates a child’s senses. These activities help children explore textures, shapes, and colors, while also encouraging imaginative play. Sensory activities, like “making snowmen” from cotton balls or using playdough to mold Christmas shapes, help develop fine motor skills and encourage creativity.

• Engages multiple senses (touch, sight, smell)
• Supports fine motor skill development
• Encourages imaginative and creative play

Can Christmas crafts be educational for nursery-aged children?

Yes, Christmas crafts can be both fun and educational. Activities like counting pom-poms to make a Christmas tree, identifying colors in ornament decorations, or sorting holiday-themed items help children learn numbers, colors, and shapes. Crafts also help with following instructions, improving hand-eye coordination, and even understanding the concepts of sharing and teamwork when crafting in groups.

• Teaches counting, colors, and shapes
• Develops coordination and fine motor skills
• Encourages following instructions and social interaction

How can I adapt Christmas Crafts For Nursery for different age groups?

To adapt Christmas crafts for different age groups, simplify the tasks for younger children and provide more intricate activities for older ones. For example, younger children can focus on sticking shapes onto paper, while older kids can cut out shapes and assemble more complex decorations. Using larger pieces of paper, simple shapes, and non-precise tasks like finger painting or stamp printing works well for toddlers. Older children can enjoy activities such as making paper garlands or creating more detailed ornament crafts.

• Simplify tasks for younger children with larger pieces and simple gluing
• Provide more intricate tasks for older children, like cutting and detailed assembly
• Tailor the level of complexity based on developmental skills