Cinema essay

10 Santa Crafts for Kids

There’s no more delightful way to embrace the holiday spirit than by crafting festive decor—especially when the whole family can join in the fun. This Christmas, center your creative projects around the jolliest icon of the season: Santa Claus. Using paint, paper, and recycled materials, you can bring Santa’s signature features to life—from his fluffy white beard and vibrant red coat to his rosy, cheerful cheeks. Most Santa-themed crafts are simple and straightforward, so even the most novice crafters (and the tiniest hands) can tackle them with ease in one cozy afternoon. No matter how you and your little ones picture Santa Claus this Christmas, these 10 creative, kid-friendly ideas are sure to spark joy and creativity.

Lainey

Desk writer

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1. Newspaper Santa Art

Raid your recycling bin for a few sheets of newsprint to make a textured, multi-media Santa face. Pro tip: Create this cheerful Santa on a piece of sturdy cardstock or cardboard—it’ll hold up far better to multiple layers of paint and glue.

2. Hand Print Santa Ornament

This fun craft is a double win: kids get to whip up homemade play dough first, then mold and paint it into an adorable keepsake ornament. Years from now, your kids will love comparing their grown-up hands to the tiny prints preserved in the dough. A quick reminder: even though the play dough is made from flour and salt, it’s not safe to eat—so keep a close eye on little crafters.

3. Strawberry Santa Pops

Bring craft time into the kitchen with these cute, edible Santa pops. Simple white icing works perfectly as glue for a sprinkle beard and Santa’s facial features, so no fancy ingredients are required. Best of all, these clever snacks include fresh strawberries, so you can feel good about sneaking a bit of fruit into your kids’ holiday treat lineup.

4. Craft Stick Santa

Grab those classic kid’s art supplies—craft sticks—to build a durable Santa Claus decoration. This craft is tough enough to survive years of packing and unpacking, making it a homemade keepsake you can pull out and enjoy every holiday season.

5. Popcorn Santa

After stringing up plenty of popcorn garland for the tree, repurpose the leftover popped kernels to make Santa’s fluffy, textured beard. Don’t forget to add a pair of big googly eyes to finish off this easy, adorable artwork. Want this decoration to last for years? Give it a light spray of clear sealant to keep the popcorn from crumbling.

6. Starfish Santa Craft

Turn a vacation souvenir (or a store-bought starfish) into a festive Christmas decoration with just a quick coat of paint. Attach a loop of fishing line to the top, and this charming tabletop piece becomes a one-of-a-kind Christmas tree ornament you can enjoy for many holidays to come.

7. Paper Plate Santa

This no-fuss kids’ craft couldn’t be simpler. Break out the non-toxic paint and construction paper, then let your little ones unleash their creativity to make a Santa-themed masterpiece. If they need a bit of inspiration, grab a stack of holiday picture books and encourage them to recreate their favorite Santa illustrations.

8. Santa Slime

Whip up a big batch of fluffy, squishy slime for a holiday-themed project that kids will love making and playing with. Use food-safe dye to color the slime a classic Santa red, and add a drop or two of cinnamon essential oil for a warm, festive scent.

9. Santa Corner Bookmark

Encourage your kids to keep up their reading habits even during the school holiday break with a set of homemade, festive bookmarks. These Santa corner bookmarks are perfect for marking pages in a cozy Christmas novel, or adding a little holiday cheer to mandatory reading assignments.

10. Paper Plate Santa Face

Put a couple of paper plates to good use by crafting this simple Santa face art. It’s a fantastic project for little ones looking to practice their fine motor skills—cutting out simple shapes from paper is a great way to sharpen their scissor abilities.

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