Really Simple Christmas Crafts For Young Children
If you’re looking for advanced planning ideas for easy Christmas crafts to do with children, look no further. My first tip? Step away from Pinterest or you will completely over estimate what is achievable for a toddler. Don’t expect a really young child to be interested in taking part in every step of the activity. Measuring the ingredients, making the dough, adding the colouring, rolling it out, cutting out shapes, baking / drying. These all require quite a bit of concentration, just one of these activities is a lot at that age. But trust me, you can spread these activities over a couple of days and get a lot of mileage from them!
Be sure to strap your child into a high chair before beginning and wear old clothes before painting. Bath time is of course your follow-on activity, and possibly scrubbing paint off the walls and ceilings whilst they nap. Or you could just do the activity sitting in the bath!
Finger painting
Finger painting is of course super easy! It’s much less stress than trying to manhandle a wilful toddler to make neat hand and footprints. The key is to choose two colours that mix well together and make a third colour. E,g red and yellow (orange), blue and pink (purple) but not red and green (yuk). You can make cards, wrapping paper or even a canvas for grandparents with minimum effort for you and maximum fun for your child.
Christmas Collage
You can cut two pieces of contrasting Christmas fabric into inch squares and make a collage together on plain paper with PVA glue. Then turn this into cards or cut out into Christmas decorations.
Fabric Painting
Painting on fabric bags or t-shirts is another tried and tested recommendation. Be sure to prepare first by cutting a piece of cardboard to size and putting it inside whatever you are decorating. It holds it stiff which is much easier to work with and prevents colour running through to the other side. Aldi sell plain cotton tote bags that look great and can be easily decorated for really simple Christmas crafts.
Chocolate Bark
Another favourite is to melt posh chocolate and put it in a piping bag. When cool enough for little hands let them loose with a big sheet of grease proof paper to make lots of blobs and squiggles. Then scatter sprinkles and mini marshmallows all over, let cool and break into pieces, pop into cellophane bags and tie with pretty ribbons.
Play Doh
Home made play doh is a great rainy day really simple Christmas crafts. You can hide objects inside, like smooth stones, Lego, a crayon or coins. We make it Christmassy with peppermint essence and glittery colours.
These are all tried and tested, easy low key crafts that are absolute minimum effort. The less frustratingly difficult it is for the child the longer they’ll keep at it!
