DIY Christmas Card Ideas for Children
December is here, Christmas is coming and the festive excitement is officially beginning! The Christmas lights are twinkling, the decorations are starting to appear and little ones everywhere are counting down the days until the big day.
So, why not get them into the Christmas spirit with a lovely homemade activity?
Making Christmas cards is a wonderfully simple way for children to get creative while making something thoughtful for the people they love. Grandparents, godparents, friends, teachers and family members will all be delighted to receive a card made by little hands. And let's face it, there's something rather special about opening the post at Christmas and finding a homemade card covered in glitter, paint and a few wonderfully wonky fingerprints!
We've put together five easy and fun Christmas card ideas that children can make at home. You don't need lots of fancy craft supplies — just a few bits and pieces, plenty of imagination and perhaps a festive soundtrack playing in the background.
1) Paper Strips Christmas Tree
We love a Christmas craft that’s simple enough for little hands to enjoy, and this cheerful paper strips Christmas tree is just the thing! It’s colourful, easy to set up and makes a lovely homemade Christmas card for grandparents, family and friends. You don’t need many supplies either. All you need are some strips of green paper in different lengths for the branches, a little piece of brown paper for the tree trunk, and a gold star sticker to pop on top. Then comes the really fun part — decorating the tree with colourful painted baubles using cotton buds (q-tips).
Start by cutting your green paper into strips of different lengths. You can make the strips gradually shorter as you work towards the top of the tree. This is a lovely little opportunity for toddlers to practise using scissors, with an adult helping wherever needed. Cut a small rectangle from the brown paper for the trunk and arrange your green strips on the card, starting with the longest strip at the bottom and working upwards to the shortest one. Leave a little space between each strip so you can see the shape of the tree. Once you’re happy with your tree, glue everything in place. Add the little brown trunk underneath and finish it off with a shiny gold star sticker at the top. Now for the best bit — decorating! Put a few colours of paint onto a plate or paint palette and let your little one dip a cotton bud into the paint before dotting colourful baubles all over the tree. Leave the paint to dry and your Christmas tree card is ready to send!
For the original step-by-step instructions, see the tutorial from Made to be a Momma.
2) Footprint Gingerbread Man
Looking for a fun Christmas card craft that little ones will love? This adorable footprint gingerbread man is a brilliant festive activity for children of all ages — and the finished card makes a wonderfully personal keepsake for grandparents, family and friends. The best thing about this craft is that it’s wonderfully simple, with lots of room for little ones to get creative. All you need is some brown paint, white card and a few everyday items from around the house to bring your gingerbread man to life!
Start by painting the bottom of your child’s foot with brown paint, then carefully press their foot onto a piece of white card to create the gingerbread man’s body. Lift their foot straight up to reveal your footprint and leave the paint to dry. Once the footprint is dry, it’s time to add the arms. Place a lolly stick onto the card and draw around it to create the shape of each arm. Fill the arms in with brown paint so that they join the body and your gingerbread man starts to take shape. Dip the end of a straw into your paint and use it to stamp on the gingerbread man’s eyes, rosy cheeks and colourful buttons. When everything is dry, use a black pen or felt tip to add a happy little mouth. You can also draw wavy lines around the arms and legs to look like the icing decorations on a traditional gingerbread man. And there you have it — a very sweet little footprint gingerbread man, ready to become a Christmas card!
For more crafty inspiration and lots of lovely ideas to make with little ones, check out Lulu Make on Instagram.
3) Paper Loops Christmas Tree
We love a clever Christmas craft that looks impressive but is actually super simple to make — and this paper loops Christmas tree is just the ticket! It’s colourful, completely mess-free and makes a gorgeous homemade Christmas card that will look lovely sitting proudly on the mantelpiece. This is a brilliant project for kids of all ages, too. Younger children can have fun making and sticking down the paper loops, while older children can get creative with the decorations and add their own festive touches.
Start with a piece of blue card for the background. This will give your Christmas tree a lovely wintry sky to sit against. Next, cut a piece of white card into a wiggly snow shape and glue it along the bottom of the blue card. Cut a small rectangle from the brown card and stick it onto the snow to make the tree trunk. Now it’s time to make your tree - cut the green card into lots of strips. Take each strip and gently bend it into a loop, then glue or stick the ends together. Make a whole collection of loops in different sizes, then arrange your green loops on the card, starting with the biggest ones at the bottom and working upwards. Stick each loop down, layering them to create a lovely full and bushy Christmas tree. Now for the best bit — decorating! Add colourful pom poms to the tree as baubles and sprinkle on some little snowflakes to give your card an extra dose of Christmas magic. You could even add a sparkly star to the top if you have one in your craft box.
For the full step-by-step guide, head over to Made to be a Momma.
4) Paper Roll Snowman
We love a Christmas craft that’s simple, sweet and doesn’t involve quite so much mess — and this paper roll snowman ticks all the boxes! It’s a brilliant little project for younger children and a great way to turn an empty paper roll into a cute festive decoration. With just a few basic craft supplies, little ones can create their very own snowy scene. And we think the finished snowman makes a rather lovely homemade Christmas card, too. Pop it on the windowsill or mantelpiece and it’s sure to bring a smile to anyone who sees it!
Start by laying your piece of brown card flat. This will be the snowy background for your little snowman. Dip the end of your paper roll into some white paint, making sure you get a nice, even coating. Carefully press it onto the brown card to make a large white circle, then repeat just above it to create your snowman’s head and body. Once your snowman is dry, use the white paint and a small paintbrush to add a snowy ground underneath him. You can also add lots of little white dots to the brown background to create falling snowflakes. Now it’s time to bring your snowman to life - use felt tips to draw on two eyes, a happy smile and any other details you fancy. You could add a little carrot nose, rosy cheeks or even some stick arms. Glue on two buttons for his coat and make him a cosy festive hat from the red felt. A little blob of glue and a fluffy white pom pom on top will finish it off perfectly!
5) Handprint Snowmen
We’re big fans of Christmas crafts that double up as precious keepsakes, and these adorable handprint snowmen are just the thing! They’re wonderfully simple to make, lots of fun for little ones, and make a lovely homemade Christmas card that you can treasure long after the festive season is over. All you need is some brown card, white paint and a handful of colourful felt tips.
Start by paint your child’s hand with a nice, even layer of white paint, making sure you cover their palm and all of their fingers. Carefully press their hand onto the brown card, keeping their fingers spread out. Gently lift their hand away to reveal your snowmen! Each finger becomes a tiny snowman, so you’ll have a whole little gang of festive friends ready to decorate. Once dry, let your little one — with a helping hand if needed — transform each snowman into a festive character with some felt tips. Draw on little hats, carrot noses, coal eyes and buttons, cosy scarves and stick arms. Add some falling snow around them, too, or draw a snowy ground underneath their feet. Once all the decorating is finished, your handprint snowmen are ready to turn into a beautiful Christmas card. Add a festive message underneath and give it to grandparents, family or friends — we’re sure it will be a treasured surprise.
This brilliant idea comes from artist Gemma Mallinson.
