Creative Christmas: Kids Crafting Cheerful Cards

Christmas is a time for giving, and what better way to show your love and appreciation than with a handmade card? Making Christmas cards is a fun and creative activity for kids, and it's a wonderful way to teach them about expressing their feelings and celebrating the season. From cute Santa Claus cards to glittery snowflakes, there are endless possibilities for crafting festive greetings. So, gather your art supplies and get ready to spread some holiday cheer with these easy DIY Christmas card ideas!

Potato stamp Christmas bauble cards

Materials:

• Red and green paint
• Potatoes
• Cardstock or construction paper
• Paintbrushes
• Glitter, sequins, or other small decorations (optional)

Instructions:

• Cut the potatoes in half. You will need one potato for each colour you plan to use.
• Using a paintbrush, coat the cut surface of a potato with paint.
• Stamp the painted potato onto a piece of cardstock or construction paper. You can cut the paper into card-sized pieces in advance, or cut them out later.
• Repeat the process, creating different colours and shapes of baubles.
• If desired, decorate the baubles with glitter, sequins, or other small craft items.
• Fold the card in half and write a festive message inside!

Tips:

• For younger children, pre-cut the potatoes into simple shapes like circles or triangles. Older kids can try more complex shapes like stars.
• If you want to create a 3D effect, try using different shades of the same colour and layering the stamps.
• Add extra holiday cheer by gluing on small craft items like pom-poms, sequins, or ribbons.
• Get creative with your colours! Try using non-traditional colours like pink, blue, or purple for a unique twist.
• For an extra special touch, add a personal photo or a hand-drawn design to the inside of the card.

Variations:

• Instead of baubles, use the potato stamps to create a jolly snowman or a festive wreath.
• Try using other vegetables like carrots or sweet potatoes for different shapes and sizes.
• Experiment with different types of paint, such as glitter paint or puffy paint, for a textured effect.
• Cut out the stamped baubles and glue them onto a card, creating a 3D effect.

Get ready to spread some holiday cheer with these fun and creative Christmas cards!

Paint chip Christmas tree cards

Materials:

• Paint chips in various colours, including green and brown.
• Cardstock paper in white and dark colours (e.g. dark blue).
• Rhinestones, sequins, or other sparkly decorations.
• Star stickers or star-shaped paper cut-outs.
• Glue or double-sided tape.
• Scissors.
• Pencil.

Instructions:

• Start by cutting out different sizes of triangles from the paint chips. Try to avoid the words on the chips, but you can always overlap the triangles to hide any writing. You can make the trees all green or use a variety of colours for a vibrant forest.
• Prepare the card base by folding a sheet of cardstock in half. You can use blank premade cards or cut cardstock to the desired size and fold it. Dark-coloured cardstock can make the trees and stars stand out, but don't forget to add a piece of white paper inside the card for your message.
• Attach the paint chip triangles to the card using glue or double-sided tape. Overlapping the triangles will create a dimensional tree effect.
• Add a star to the top of each tree. You can use star stickers or cut out stars from yellow or gold paper.
• Decorate the trees with rhinestones, sequins, or other sparkly stickers. These can represent stars or snow—use your imagination!
• If desired, add some extra sparkle by gluing on silver or gold rhinestones.
• Write a festive message inside the card. If you're using dark cardstock, you may want to use a silver or gold pen for a special touch.

These paint chip Christmas tree cards are a wonderful way to involve kids in the holiday preparations. They can be as simple or creative as the child desires, and they're an excellent way to use up leftover paint chips. So gather your supplies, put on some festive music, and get crafting!

Handprint Christmas cards

Step 1:

Paint your child's palm with green paint. You can use a paintbrush to do this, making sure to cover their palm evenly.

Step 2:

Turn their hand over and help them press it firmly into the centre of a blank card. Carefully peel their hand away to reveal the handprint.

Step 3:

Using yellow paint, paint a star on the Handprint Elements Template and cut it out. You can also add some colourful fingerprint 'Christmas lights' to the card and the handprint tree.

Step 4:

Cut out the star and attach it to the top of the handprint. You can also add other decorations, such as glitter or stickers, to make it even more festive.

Step 5:

Fold the card in half and open it up to write a special Christmas message inside.

You can also make handprint reindeer and Santa cards by following similar steps. For a reindeer card, paint the palm of your child's hand brown and follow the same process. Add googly eyes and a red pom-pom nose to complete the reindeer. For a Santa card, trace your child's handprint with a pencil and fill in the palm with flesh-coloured paint. The thumb and above can be painted red, like Santa's hat. Cut out the handprint and glue it to the centre of the card, adding cotton wool to the unpainted fingers for a fluffy beard.

These handprint Christmas cards are a fun and easy way to involve kids in the holiday celebrations and create special memories.

DIY light-up cards

Making DIY light-up cards is a fun way for kids to learn about circuits and electronics. This project uses inexpensive supplies, so it's a great activity for a large group. The steps below will guide you through creating a simple light-up card.

Materials

• Card stock (2 sheets per card)
• Scotch tape
• Mini glue dots
• 1/4" copper tape
• LEDs (2 or 3 per card)
• Metal brads (for the on/off switch)
• Coin cell battery
• Markers and decorations for your card

Steps:

• Design: Start by sketching your design for the front of the card. Decide where you want the LEDs to be placed and mark the location of the battery. Keep in mind that you will need to push on this spot to make the card light up.
• Copper Tape and Battery: Cut 2 lengths of copper tape and apply them to your card according to your sketch. Use mini glue dots to attach the battery over the copper tape, ensuring the bottom makes contact.
• Add LEDs: Choose your LEDs and bend the legs flat. Place them on the copper tape and use a small piece of copper tape to complete the circuit. If the LED doesn't light up, spin it 180 degrees to switch the legs' polarity.
• Secure LEDs: When the LED lights up, secure it to the card by cutting a small piece of copper tape and sticking it to a piece of scotch tape. Lay this over the LED leg and press to secure all the legs.
• Create a Switch: You can use a pressure switch or a metal brad to create an on/off switch. For the pressure switch, tape the end of the copper tape over the battery, leaving the other end loose. For the metal brad, cut a small strip of card stock, poke the brad legs through, and bend them flat. Place the head of the brad on the copper tape, ensuring one leg can move outside the card to touch the battery.
• Front of the Card: Take the second piece of card stock, mark and poke holes for the LEDs, then decorate. Place this over the inner card and secure all edges except where the switch is. Add a small label to indicate the on/off switch and where to press to trigger the LED.

Now your light-up card is ready to be gifted!

Crayon resist art Christmas cards

To get started, you will need some card stock or blank cards, crayons, and watercolour paints. Fold your card stock in half to create a card, then use a white crayon to draw a picture or write a festive message on the front. You can draw Christmas trees, snowmen, reindeer, or any other festive design you like! Press hard enough with the crayon to leave a solid waxy coating on the paper.

Now for the fun part: it's time to add some colour! Dip a paintbrush into your watercolour paints and brush it across your drawing or message. You can use one colour or work in blocks of different colours. Watch as the paint resists the waxy parts of the paper, creating a cool effect.

If you want to get even more creative, try experimenting with different types of crayons and paints. You can use coloured crayons instead of traditional white crayons to create a visual texture with the wax. You can also try using oil pastels, chalk pastels, or even Sharpie brushes for a unique look.

Once your cards are dry, they're ready to be mailed to your friends and family. They will surely appreciate the time and creativity that went into making these one-of-a-kind Christmas cards!

Frequently asked questions