Easy Kids Holiday Crafts for Not-So-Crafty Parents

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Have you ever found yourself sifting through Pinterest for holiday crafts for kids and envisioned your version of each being, well, an epic fail? You’re not alone. Just looking at some of those DIYs is intimidating enough to make parents want to throw in the towel. Luckily, we’ve rounded up 10 fun hands-on crafts for the holiday season that even non-crafty guardians can confidently re-create with their kiddos. When school is out during winter break, of course you’re excited to spend quality time with the kids. So having an afternoon full of fun winter crafts to make together is the perfect way to set down the tech and reconnect.

Depending on the holiday your family celebrates, your winter crafts could look a bit different! That’s why we included DIY craft projects for everyone, from winter snowflake ornaments and candy cane marshmallow pops to pinecone Christmas trees, paper plate Kwanzaa kinaras, clothespin Hanukkah menorahs, and more. And the best part? Many of these simple holiday crafts can be made up of household items that you might already have laying around. Lay down some newspaper, break out the craft supplies, and let’s get started!

These snowflakes look more elevated than your traditional construction paper versions, but they’re just as easy to make. Follow these simple instructions from A Dab of Glue Will Do—the hardest part for adults might be deciding which jigsaw puzzle from your collection to sacrifice to the cause. 

You might not have any wooden clothespins hanging around these days, but grab a pack at your local craft store and glue them together to make a cute, inexpensive Christmas tree. Perfect for preschool-aged kids and beyond, this project from Our Kid Things encourages them get creative and spread some holiday cheer!

As soon as the temperature falls, there’s nothing better than piping hot cocoa. Want to make yours even sweeter? These decadent candy cane marshmallows from Mom Foodie—to be dipped, swirled, and hung from your mug—are easy to put together with your children. Take away the cocoa and they also make great party favors or classroom treats!

Whether you gather a pile of pinecones from a nature walk or a craft store, this adorable Christmas tree craft from Adventures of Mel will keep your kids busy for hours. It’s a great way to add holiday cheer to your existing decor or turn into an ornament to hang on your tree.

If you have little ones who love to literally get their hands dirty, then your family will love these handprint menorahs from Crayola. They take only very basic crafting skills to create—seriously, they’re foolproof!—and are so cute that your family will want to keep them as keepsakes for years to come.

The coolest thing about this Christmas countdown chain from Our Family Lifestyle is that you can customize it to count down the days to any holiday that your family celebrates this time of year. It’s also something for kids to look forward to each morning as the holiday fun approaches.

During Kwanzaa, use a paper plate, card stock, and glitter glue to make this kinara from Crafting a Fun Life. It’s a great way to help kids understand the meaning of the season—and the construction paper flames pose zero fire hazards!

We all know that making your own holiday wreath can save you money, but sometimes that’s an easier-said-than-done situation. Not in this case! This Christmas bow wreath from Design Improvised has just three items in its supply list (straw wreath form, gift bows, and hot glue) and can be reused year after year.

This clothespin menorah from Happy Hooligans is so easy that even your toddler can get in on the fun. Once the paint on the clothespins has dried, you can use this new craft to act out the traditional lighting of the menorah without using actual fire.

What fun is a craft if you can’t share it with friends? This jarred cookies for Santa from Saving Dollars and Sense is a great gift and it’s easy to put together. Your older kids can help measure out the ingredients, while the younger ones can scoop them in the jars. Before you know it, your little elves will be hard at work assembling their thoughtful gifts.