Christmas Crafts for Kids Using Printable Coloring Pages

A coloring page is half a craft already. Add scissors, glue and a bit of string and it becomes a decoration your child will be proud to hang up. These crafts work for ages 3 to 10, with tips to make each one easier or harder.

What you need

• Printed pages. Thicker paper or card stock (120–160 gsm) works best for decorations.
• Crayons, markers or watercolors
• Child-safe scissors, glue stick, a hole punch
• Ribbon, string or wool
• Optional: glitter glue, cotton wool, buttons, stickers

Lay down an old sheet or newspaper and set up a "craft station" before you start. Pre-cut shapes for very young children so they can focus on decorating.

1. Hanging ornaments

Print an ornament, star or tree from our Christmas pages or a Big & Simple page.

1. Color the picture, then color a second copy.
2. Glue the two copies back to back so the ornament looks good from both sides.
3. Cut around the outline, leaving a little white border.
4. Punch a hole at the top and thread a ribbon.

Two layers make it sturdy enough to last for years. Write the year and your child's name on the back.

2. Paper garland

Color five or six small pictures (stars, bells, candy canes, gingerbread friends), cut them out and tape them along a length of string. Hang it across a window or doorway. For little ones, pre-cut the shapes and let them focus on coloring.

Make it harder: create a repeating pattern, such as star, bell, star, bell, and challenge older kids to continue it.

3. Greeting cards

Our greeting cards are designed to fold in half. The front is at the bottom of the page, and the inside message area is printed upside down at the top, so it reads correctly once folded. Color, fold along the dotted line, and write a message inside. See homemade cards for more card ideas.

4. Gift tags

Shrink a page to 25% in your printer settings and print four on one sheet. Cut them out, punch a hole and tie them to presents. Children love writing "To" and "From" themselves.

5. Stained-glass window art

Color a page with markers, then rub a little cooking oil on the back with a cotton ball. The paper turns translucent and glows when taped to a window. (Do this on a tray, and wipe off any extra oil.)

6. Advent calendar

Print 24 small pages, number them, and fold each into a little envelope. Open one a day and color it. Pair it with our list of 30 Christmas activities.

7. Snowman sock (no-sew)

Fill a white sock with rice, tie it off with elastic bands to make a head and body, and add a fabric scarf, button eyes and a paper hat. Color a snowman page first as a design plan.

8. Paper plate wreath

Cut the middle out of a paper plate. Glue on torn green paper, colored holly leaves and red pom-pom berries. Add a ribbon bow.

9. Salt dough ornaments

Shape salt dough with cookie cutters, bake slowly, then paint. Handprint ornaments make wonderful keepsakes.

10. Christmas tree collage

Draw a big triangle tree on paper and fill it with torn green paper, then add sticker or paper "baubles." Count the baubles together for a bit of math.

Tips by age

• Ages 3–4: pre-cut shapes, chunky crayons, glue stick only. Focus on coloring and sticking.
• Ages 5–7: let them cut along big outlines, add glitter glue and write their own tags.
• Ages 8+: try detailed mandalas as ornaments, design their own on grid drawing pages, or make a whole garland pattern.

Making crafts last

• Print on card stock, or glue colored pages onto cereal-box card.
• Laminate with clear sticky-back plastic.
• Store flat in a labelled envelope with the year on it. Looking back at old ornaments is a lovely family tradition.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Too many steps at once. Break crafts into short sessions: color today, cut and hang tomorrow.
• Glitter everywhere. Use glitter glue instead of loose glitter.
• Doing it for them. Wonky ornaments are the best ones.

Frequently asked questions

What's the best paper for printed ornaments?

Card stock or thicker printer paper (120–160 gsm). If you only have regular paper, glue it onto card from a cereal box.

How can toddlers join in?

Give them a Big & Simple page, chunky crayons and stickers. A grown-up can do the cutting.

Can these crafts work for other winter holidays?

Yes. Swap in Hanukkah, winter or Diwali pages for a different celebration.

A Christmas craft calendar

• Week 1: paper chain countdown and snowflakes.
• Week 2: salt dough ornaments and gift tags.
• Week 3: Christmas cards and a paper garland.
• Week 4: stained-glass window art and wrapping paper.

Spreading crafts across December keeps things calm and gives decorations time to build up.