When chilly weather and snowy days keep kids indoors, finding simple and delightful activities can brighten up the holiday season. For mothers of young children—especially stay-at-home or part-time working moms aged 25–40—these moments are perfect for sharing creativity, making memories, and keeping little hands busy. Crafts that are safe, easy to set up, and festive offer more than just fun; they create meaningful experiences that bond families, decorate homes with personal touches, and nurture values like gratitude and imagination. The following collection of Christmas crafts fits perfectly into this need, offering approachable projects that kids will love and moms will appreciate.
Pom-Pom Snowman Stackers
Tools Needed: White pom-poms (various sizes), black marker, orange felt or paper, glue, small buttons or beads, glue dots.
Building a snowman indoors doesn’t have to be cold. Pom-pom snowman stackers are cute, soft, and fun for kids to assemble. Start with three white pom-poms in small, medium, and large sizes. Glue them on top of each other to form the body. Use buttons or beads for eyes and buttons down the front. Cut a small triangle from orange felt or paper to create the nose and add with glue. Finish with a drawn or glued hat and scarf made from scraps. This craft helps develop fine motor skills and is perfect for quick, mess-free holiday fun.
Paper Cup Snowmen
Tools Needed: White paper cups, markers, construction paper, glue, cotton balls, googly eyes.
Transform simple white cups into friendly snowmen that can brighten any room. Have children decorate the cups with markers to add faces, scarves, and buttons. Cut small construction paper hats or mittens and glue them on. Adding cotton balls around the cups gives a fluffy snowy effect. Kids enjoy stacking these snowmen or arranging them on shelves. This craft is straightforward, requires minimal supplies, and allows for plenty of personalization, making it ideal for at-home or classroom settings.
- Related post 30 Easy DIY Christmas Decorations for Outside
Yarn-Wrapped Star Ornaments
Tools Needed: Cardboard, yarn in holiday colors, glue, scissors, string for hanging.
Stars bring sparkle to any Christmas decoration. Cut star shapes from cardboard, then let kids wrap yarn around them, securing ends with glue. Using red, green, white, or gold yarn adds festive colors. Add a loop of string at the top for hanging. This craft encourages hand-eye coordination and creativity. The result is a charming ornament perfect for windows or tree branches. Moms who enjoy decorating their home with personalized touches will find this craft especially rewarding.
Pinecone Christmas Trees
Tools Needed: Pinecones, green paint, small pom-poms or beads, glue, glitter.
Nature meets craft with pinecone Christmas trees. Begin by painting pinecones green to mimic tree branches. After drying, children can glue on tiny pom-poms or beads as ornaments. Sprinkle a little glitter on top for a frosty effect. These small trees make great decorations for mantels or tables and provide tactile sensory fun for kids. This project is safe, easy to set up, and works well even with minimal adult supervision.
- Related post 25 Inspiring Ideas for Rustic Christmas Decorations That Will Transform Your Home Into a Winter Wonderland
Q-Tip Snowflake Art
Tools Needed: Q-tips, glue, blue or black construction paper, white paint or glitter.
Create delicate snowflakes using Q-tips as spokes. Arrange them in snowflake patterns on dark paper, securing each intersection with glue. For extra sparkle, add white paint or glitter. This simple craft combines fine motor work with holiday cheer and fits well in any space where kids need a quiet, focused activity. Mothers can enjoy how easily this project comes together with everyday items.
- Related post 23 Stunning Rustic Farmhouse Christmas Tree Decor Ideas to Make Your Holiday Extra Cozy
Pipe Cleaner Reindeer Antlers
Tools Needed: Brown pipe cleaners, headbands, googly eyes, red pom-poms, glue.
Turn kids into festive reindeer with homemade antlers. Twist brown pipe cleaners into antler shapes and attach them to a plain headband. Add googly eyes and glue a red pom-pom to create a Rudolph nose. This craft is a hit during holiday parties or playtime, promoting imaginative play and family photos. It’s quick to make and easy to customize for kids of all ages.
Cotton Ball Polar Bears on Blue Paper
Tools Needed: Cotton balls, blue construction paper, black markers, glue.
Bring winter wildlife inside with cotton ball polar bears. Glue cotton balls to form the body and head on blue paper representing ice or water. Use markers to add eyes, nose, and mouth details. This craft encourages creativity and storytelling about arctic animals. Moms can use it to introduce simple lessons about nature during the holidays.
Paper Straw Candy Canes
Tools Needed: Red and white paper straws, scissors, glue.
Candy canes are holiday classics, and paper straws make creating them safe and fun. Cut straws into smaller segments and glue them side-by-side in a candy cane shape. Kids can arrange the pieces in a curve to mimic the real treat. This craft is easy to set up and store, perfect for last-minute decorating or classroom projects.
Tissue Paper Christmas Lights
Tools Needed: Tissue paper in various colors, black construction paper, glue.
Kids can make festive Christmas lights by cutting small squares of colorful tissue paper and gluing them onto black paper to resemble a string of lights. Overlapping the tissue squares creates a stained-glass effect. This bright, simple craft adds cheerful holiday spirit to windows or walls and is easy to customize.
Foam Snowman Puppets
Tools Needed: Foam sheets (white, black, orange), glue, googly eyes, popsicle sticks, markers.
Foam sheets cut into circles become adorable snowmen faces. Add googly eyes, a carrot-shaped nose, and a mouth with markers. Glue the foam faces onto popsicle sticks for puppets that encourage storytelling and play. This craft engages kids while strengthening their fine motor skills.
Craft Stick Sleighs
Tools Needed: Craft sticks, glue, paint, small pom-poms or buttons.
Build mini sleighs by gluing craft sticks side-by-side to form a base and attaching cross sticks for structure. Paint and decorate with pom-poms or buttons. This hands-on craft inspires creativity and can become part of holiday displays or imaginative play scenes.
Paper Cone Christmas Trees with Dot Paint
Tools Needed: Green construction paper, paint, cotton swabs.
Roll green paper into cones and secure with glue. Kids use cotton swabs to add dot decorations with paint, creating ornaments or snow on their trees. This craft is simple, colorful, and perfect for little hands.
Handprint Wreaths
Tools Needed: Green construction paper, scissors, glue, red paper for berries.
Trace children’s hands multiple times on green paper and cut them out. Arrange and glue handprints in a circle to form a wreath shape. Add small red paper circles as berries. This craft turns tiny hands into holiday décor that parents treasure.
Cupcake Liner Snowflakes
Tools Needed: White cupcake liners, scissors, glue.
Flatten cupcake liners and cut simple shapes to mimic snowflakes. Layer and glue them for a three-dimensional look. This is an easy and inexpensive craft that fills the room with a wintry vibe.
Button Snowmen
Tools Needed: White buttons of various sizes, glue, black and orange markers, construction paper.
Arrange buttons on paper to form snowmen bodies. Draw faces and details with markers. This craft combines pattern recognition and fine motor practice while producing charming holiday art.
Felt Stocking Ornaments (No Sewing)
Tools Needed: Felt sheets, scissors, glue, decorative stickers or small pom-poms.
Cut felt into stocking shapes. Let kids decorate by gluing on stickers, pom-poms, or other craft supplies. No sewing needed, so it’s quick and easy, suitable for kids who want instant gratification.
Paper Plate Christmas Angels
Tools Needed: Paper plates, cotton balls, glue, markers, construction paper.
Fold or cut paper plates to create angel wings and bodies. Add cotton ball halos and decorate faces with markers. These angels make sweet tree decorations or window art.
Paper Chain Garland with Holiday Colors
Tools Needed: Red, green, and white paper strips, glue or tape.
Create long paper chains by looping and securing paper strips. Kids can count or pattern the colors. It’s a simple craft that instantly adds festive cheer to any room.
Pipe Cleaner Candy Cane Bracelets
Tools Needed: Red and white pipe cleaners.
Twist red and white pipe cleaners together to form candy cane stripes and shape into bracelets. This quick craft becomes wearable holiday cheer and encourages dexterity.
Paper Doily Snow Globes
Tools Needed: Paper doilies, construction paper, glue, cotton balls, markers.
Cut paper doilies into half-circles and glue onto colored paper to form snow globes. Add cotton balls as snow and draw winter scenes inside. This is a gentle craft that inspires creativity.
Pom-Pom Reindeer Faces
Tools Needed: Brown pom-poms, googly eyes, red pom-poms, pipe cleaners, glue.
Create reindeer faces by gluing brown pom-poms as heads, adding googly eyes, and red pom-pom noses. Twist pipe cleaners for antlers and attach. Kids enjoy making these friendly faces for holiday displays.
Salt Dough Star Ornaments
Tools Needed: Salt dough (flour, salt, water), cookie cutters, paint, ribbon.
Mix flour, salt, and water to make salt dough. Roll out and cut star shapes with cookie cutters. Bake until hard, then paint and add ribbon loops. This craft can take more time but produces keepsakes.
Paper Leaf Christmas Tree Collage
Tools Needed: Colored paper, scissors, glue.
Cut paper into leaf shapes in different greens and glue them layered onto a tree shape drawn on paper. This simple collage promotes color recognition and layering skills.
Toilet Paper Roll Santa Claus
Tools Needed: Toilet paper rolls, red and white paper, cotton balls, markers, glue.
Wrap rolls with red paper, add white paper trim, and glue cotton balls for beard and hat trim. Draw eyes and nose to make Santa faces. This craft is fun and easy for young children.
Paper Bag Gift Sack Puppets
Tools Needed: Brown paper bags,
construction paper, markers, glue, googly eyes.
Decorate paper bags with holiday faces and accessories to create puppets. Kids can use them for play or storytelling, making this craft interactive.
Marker and Watercolor Snow Scenes
Tools Needed: Watercolor paper, watercolors, markers.
Kids paint simple snowy backgrounds with watercolors and add details like trees, snowflakes, or animals with markers. This activity blends art techniques and allows personal expression.
Craft Stick Snowflake Decorations
Tools Needed: Craft sticks, glue, paint, glitter.
Glue craft sticks in snowflake shapes, then paint and add glitter for sparkle. These decorations are easy to make and add festive charm anywhere.
Simple Origami Christmas Trees
Tools Needed: Green origami paper or square paper, markers, glue.
Fold paper into basic tree shapes and decorate with marker dots or stickers. Origami helps kids practice following steps and creates neat decorations.
Pom-Pom Garland Stringing
Tools Needed: Small pom-poms, string or yarn, needle or tape.
String pom-poms onto yarn to create colorful garlands. This activity is great for fine motor skills and produces cheerful decorations.
Glitter Glue Snowy Pine Trees
Tools Needed: Construction paper, glitter glue.
Draw pine tree shapes and decorate with glitter glue for a snowy look. This craft combines drawing with sensory play and brightens up any space.