Inside: fun, easy Christmas-themed crafts for preschoolers to make at home or in the classroom
Looking for fun, simple Christmas crafts for 3 & 4 year olds? A festive handmade gift little ones can make at preschool or a keepsake ornament to hang on the Christmas tree?
In this post, we’ll share super easy and fun Christmas art projects for 3, 4 and even 5 year olds, perfect for both the classroom and at home.
From nativity scenes, snowman crafts, Christmas tree decorations and bell ornaments ideal for the early years, these cute DIY preschool holiday crafts will make the holiday season memorable!
These are FUN & SIMPLE Christmas craft activities for the early years
They should:
- keeps preschoolers engaged and entertained
- be fairly straightforward to set-up and prep
- NOT need huuuuuuuge cleanup!
However… there some super cute preschool Christmas crafts impossible to resist, despite their trickier nature and potential for more mess.
So this list is separated by difficulty/mess potential:
SIMPLER, MINIMAL MESS Christmas crafts – shouldn’t get too out of hand when it comes to mess and clean up.
TRICKIER, POTENTIALLY STICKIER ones – a bit harder to prep, finish off or much bigger mess potential
So let’s get to it – loads of simple Christmas crafts for preschoolers plus some trickier, stickier and messier ones. Pick, chose, enjoy! Merry Christmas.
If you have a 2-year-old or are just looking for even more simple Christmas craft ideas for your preschooler, check out out these cute Christmas crafts for toddlers.
Tips for doing Christmas crafts with preschoolers (or any craft for that matter)
1 – Pick crafts based on your time frame (and sanity!)
Simple wins every time, as I’ve already alluded to. This is ESPECIALLY true when you’re short on time or sanity…so KEEP IT SIMPLE!
Or try a stress-free, non crafty minimal mess activity instead. Or get those wiggles out with some gross motor activities. Or put some tunes on and try some musical games.
2 – The process of creation is more important, than the end result
It’s nice if the craft is worth keeping at the end of it all, but to a preschooler they’re just having fun, exploring, creating and experimenting…
From a learning and development point of view, the process is much more important than the finished article. Just knowing that has really helped me sit back and not be too directive.
I’m now happy if only 10% of our arts and crafts are fridge-worthy!
3 – Prep beforehand if you can and out of sight if necessary
It’s not just preschoolers that can’t help but touch, pick up and start to play with anything new and different in sight…. Prepping ahead of time and out of sight really helps.
4 – Make the craft alongside your preschooler
This helps them to see what it is they’re trying to achieve. Of course, they may well have zero intention of achieving the same thing as you, but, as per #2 above, that’s ok.
Crafting together is also a nice way to spend time together. My son loves to “build” with me and make all sorts of odd-looking buildings, trucks and other random vehicles out of toilet rolls, egg boxes, juice cartons and so on.
While my daughter loves to sit down and paint and scribble with me. We often just do said craft together – I will glue and she will stick.
Preschooler Christmas crafts: Christmas cards & ‘”artwork”
As long as your preschooler’s creations, aka “artwork” is not enormous, you can cut it out and stick on a card or just start with the card. Or take one of these card ideas as a starting point for your little one to get creative. So these two Christmas crafts for preschoolers are grouped together.
For supplies and materials for these festive crafts check out our recommended product list.
SIMPLER, MINIMAL MESS ones
Cute and easy, these christmas card crafts for preschoolers will be great to hand out to little friends during the festive season.
#1 Rudolf faces Christmas card
These Christmas cards definitely need the abstract handiwork of a preschooler or slightly older kid to produce something as cute as the ones above. They’d be easy to do on a large scale and you could simplify further by using a large round hole-punch for the eyes and nose.
#2 Simple snowman card or craft
These snowmen cards are easy enough for littler ones. I did most of the cutting for my toddler and preschooler last year and they did all the sticking. They turned out rather cute, if I do say so myself!
#3 Thumbprint Christmas lights card
Fingerpainting is such fun for little ones and by preschooler age should be fairtly containable. It’s a great sensory activity and good for fine motor control too.
So why not try this simple Christmas craft card for preschoolers with a string of finger print twinkly lights?
At 3 and 4, my two aren’t at the writing stage yet so I’ll be helping with any text. No doubt I’ll have it dictated it to me by my eldest!
#4 Cupcake liner snowflake craft
Classic fold and cut snowflake art, but for this one you use a cupcake liner. Perfect for a preschooler with good scissor control and bound to delight when the snowflake is revealed at the end. A sprinkle of glitter and it’s ready to be stuck onto the front of a Christmas card.
#5 Thumbprint robin breast Christmas cards
I love the clean and fresh look of these simple robin cards. While little ones are probably only able to help with the red thumbprint, older preschoolers or first-graders could have a go at the drawing part too.
#6 Button and washi tape snowmen cards
These snowmen cards mainly require a bit of cutting and sticking which will be right up my two preschooler’s street. A simple scribble mouth completes this easy Christmas craft for preschoolers.
TRICKIER, POTENTIALLY STICKIER ones
These preschool Christmas card crafts are just as cute but may be a little trickier or stickier!
#7 Snowmen handprint Christmas craft or card
This Christmas craft for preschoolers is a bit more challenging, perfect for budding little artists. They’ll love drawing their snowmen faces and clothing onto their white handprint artwork.
Make sure you have some non-toxic paint to hand, like this Crayola tempera paint.
#8 Marbled Christmas card
Paper marbling is not for tiny tots of 1 and 2 – trust me, I’ve tried. Let’s just say there was more shaving foam paint over my 2-year-old than on the paper. But now at 3 and 4 I reckon I’m willing to give this a go again. A fun Christmas craft for preschoolers? Watch this space, but I reckon so!
#9 Puffy paint snowman snowglobe card
This puffy paint Christmas craft is a good test of fine motor for a preschooler and even an older child and aren’t these ones turn just so cute?
#10 Painted noodle Christmas craft
A list of Christmas crafts for preschoolers wouldn’t be complete without some dried painted pasta would it? Young kids will definitely have fun painting and then designing their colorful Christmas trees with this one.
#11 Hand & footprint Rudolf card or craft
Brown paint and a preschooler (who can restrain themselves from smooshing their painted hand or foot all over the paper for a few seconds) is all you need for this one.
How hard can that be?! Luckily I’ve found with my two that by age 3 and 4 that hand and footprint crafts come a lot easier.
Check out these handprint birthday card ideas for someone special.
40+ easy activities handpicked for busy moms of kids aged 2 to 6 years – because Christmas needn’t be chaotic or cost a fortune!
Help your kids write Santa a letter and receive a reply
Love getting crafty with your kids?
Here are some more ideas for you to bookmark:
- 35 Simple Monkey Crafts for Preschoolers
- 15 I Like Myself Activities for Preschoolers {Free Worksheet}
- 50 Fun Transportation Crafts for Toddlers
- 31 Cute Cat Crafts for Little Kids
- 40 Easy Dinosaur Crafts For Preschoolers
Christmas tree ornaments to make with preschoolers
Making Christmas tree ornaments is a fun craft for kids of all ages and a Christmas tradition we enjoy. They make great keepsakes and gifts for family and friends.
Note the operative word, “can” – they may not all turn out as pictured and remember, that’s ok!
For supplies and materials for these festive crafts check out our recommended product list.
Below is a selection of ornaments, most suitable for preschoolers aged 3-5 years old. For more ideas, check out: 47 Easy Christmas ornaments To Make With Kids
SIMPLER, MINIMAL MESS ones
Start with these Christmas ornament crafts with your preschooler for an easy life!
#12 Snowflake pipe cleaner ornaments
A mess-free Christmas craft and decoration for preschoolers but still quite a test for little fingers to twist into a snowflake shape. Let’s see how far we get with this one. 
#13 Fill & stick snowman Christmas tree ornaments
Styrofoam balls, snowman stickers and clear plastic bauble make for a fun Christmas activity and craft for preschoolers. (Just be careful of little ones still keen on stuffing small things into their mouth.)
#14 Pipe cleaner Christmas tree ornaments
A simple and effective Christmas ornament and craft for preschoolers with some threading practice; my daughter is going to love this one.
15. Popsicle-stick snowflake ornaments
These ones are just so pretty! A fun and festive preschooler Christmas craft for little ones that love a bit of sparkle. So that’s all of them, right?
#16 Paper straw Christmas ornament and craft
A simple and cute Christmas craft for preschoolers which incorporates an element of learning; to cut festive straws, of decreasing length.
So this will involve a bit of measuring – my 4-year-old wannabe builder’s favorite thing at the moment. Buy some pre-painted craft sticks if you want to skip the painting part.
TRICKIER, POTENTIALLY STICKIER ones
If you don’t mind gettint out the glue, get stuck in to these preschool Christmas ornament crafts.
#17 Craft stick Christmas tree craft & ornament
I love this sweet Christmas tree craft for preschoolers. A little bit of learning and skill involved in the yarn wrapping and then some pompom sticking to finish.
#18 Decoupaged star ornaments
Some polystyrene stars, modge podge, tissue paper and glitter are the starting ingredient for these homemade Christmas ornaments. One for an older kid to do alone or a little one to help you with.
#19 Salt dough Christmas ornaments
My pick of all the Christmas ornaments we did last year. Fun to make and so easy to decorate – just stick-on stars, modge podge and glitter. Not only did my two loved making these, they also loved giving them as gifts; they were so proud of their creations!
Plenty more Christmas tree arts and crafts here.
#20 Glitter star craft
Got a glitter loving preschooler at home? Me too. This “Sparkle Station” from Crayola is new to me and now another fun craft sitting in my Amazon shopping basket.
My daughter is going to love it. As will her older cousins… (Quickly adds another 2 to the basket…) Follow the tutorial here to see how you can use the sparkle station to make the star decoration pictured.
#21 Clay pot snowman ornament
Preschoolers are going to love dressing this snowman up, how cute is he?
#22 Chalkboard Christmas tree ornament
Possibly for the older preschooler or first grader who is able to draw something that resembles something. But even a squiggle with the date and your little one’s name would be a sweet keepsake.
For more ways to decorate the tree using natural materials, try these nature-inspired ornaments.
#22 Color-in 3d paper Christmas ornament (free templates)
A little coloring followed by cutting, folding, and assembling – and you have a cute 3D Christmas ornament. It’s a fun Christmas craft for preschoolers that they’ll take pride in making.
But, if they’re not in the mood for coloring, there’s a ready-to-print colored Christmas ornament template you can use. Follow the link above and print the ornament templates for free.
Other Toddler Christmas crafts & decor
Paper plate crafts, Santa crafts, Rudolf crafts, all hopefully cute enough to decorate your home, this chunk of Christmas crafts for preschoolers has a bit of everything.
For supplies and materials for these festive crafts check out our recommended product list.
SIMPLER, MINIMAL MESS ones
#23 Nativity scene craft
A sweet Christmas craft that can help teach your preschooler the story of the birth of Jesus and remind them that Christmas isn’t just about presents! Worth a try anyway. For the free printable click the link above.
Plenty more nativity crafts here.
#24 Foil art Christmas trees
I never knew foil art existed until I came across this pretty Christmas tree craft; ideal for preschoolers that love to get creative will coloring. Simply grab some cardboard, cut to your desired shape, wrap in tin foil and let your little one go to town with sharpies.
#25 Santa’s binoculars Christmas craft
Something else that seems to fascinate toddlers and preschoolers alike is looking through cardboard tubes. Along with singing or shouting down them!
So these Santa binoculars are sure to be a winner. Combine this with a festive scavenger hunt and there’s hours of entertainment to be had.
#26 Button Christmas tree craft
Old buttons at the ready….(or if you don’t have, pick up some of these cheap crafting buttons) Here’s a dead easy button Christmas tree to add to the simple section of this list of Christmas crafts for preschoolers.
40+ easy activities handpicked for busy moms of kids aged 2 to 6 years – because Christmas needn’t be chaotic or cost a fortune!
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Help your kids write Santa a letter and receive a reply
#27 Folder paper reindeer craft
Another reindeer Christmas craft, this one could officially be called origami. Fear not, the paper folding really is very simple. Such a cute Christmas craft for preschoolers that could also be turned into a gift tag or tree ornament.
#28 Paper plate Santa face craft
My preschoolers loved pretending to be Santa with this Christmas craft. The simplest props can send them into far off make-believe land for several hours…mmm, time for a coffee or 5…
#29 Easy leaf Christmas trees
Another rustic Christmas craft for more subtle festive decor, decorating these leaf trees will be a good test of fine motor control for a preschooler.
#30 Toilet paper roll Grinch craft
The list would not be complete without a craft made from a toilet paper roll! Here’s a cheeky Grinch, for the cutest preschool Christmas made from a tp roll.
For the free printable and instructions, click on the link above.
#31 Paper plate Christmas tree craft
I think this is my favorite Christmas tree craft for preschoolers so far – simple, cute and a few different parts to the process with lots of learning involved.
#32 Paper plate Christmas wreath craft
A simple cutting and coloring exercise in this easy Christmas wreath craft. Gotta love a mess-free craft too.
#33 Mistletoes artwork
These mistletoes will make a beautifully festive keepsake. A Christmas craft that is definitely more for mom and dad than said preschooler.
#34 Santa hat and mask
I’m sure we’re all sick of hearing about masks, buying masks, washing masks and of course remembering to take them everywhere…. But this is a fun Santa mask and hat! It’s one of 8 activities in the Christmas craft pack – click through to place your order (not an affiliate link).
#35 Christmas tree paper craft
A quick and easy Christmas craft for preschoolers that could also work well as a festive pencil topper. Simply cut, fold, punch and thread.
#36 Craft stick Santa craft
An easy craft stick Santa Christmas craft that preschoolers are sure to love. I can see this one on the mantlepiece this Christmas.
#37 Pipe cleaner Christmas trees
I reckon these little pipe cleaner trees would look very festive on the table over Christmas. It’s a case of wrapping green pipe cleaners around a simple carboard cone (could be tricky for a preschooler but I reckon worth a try), then removing the cone and sticking on pompoms.
#38 Craft stick Rudolfs
This time it’s reindeer faces made from craft sticks. A cute and simple Christmas craft for preschoolers to get stuck into.
Love free printables?
Here are some specially for the festive season:
- 10 {Free & Editable} Santa’s Nice List Certificate Printables
- 7 Free Christmas Light Scavenger Hunt Printable PDFs for Kids
- 30 FREE Printable Christmas Bingo Cards {5 Festive Sets}
TRICKIER, POTENTIALLY STICKIER ones
Here are the final few Christmas crafts for preschoolers – well worth a little bit more difficulty for the cuteness!
#39 Santa handprint craft
Cutting out your preschoolers’ handprints to use as Santa’s beard is the trickiest part to this one. Check the post for a free printable of the other components you need for this sweet preschooler Christmas craft.
#40 Fluffy snowman craft
Paper cups make up the body of this cute fluffy snowman. For the nose, eyes, hat and mittens etc, click through for the free printable.
#41 Fork painted Christmas tree craft
Using a fork to paint with makes for a very effective fir tree. Then it’s just a case of decorating with sequins and a star for the top. Sweet Christmas tree craft for the paint-loving preschooler.
#42 Rustic snowman craft
I love the rustic nature of this snowman Christmas craft; very festive, I nice change from the typical Christmas bling.
#43 Puffy paint snowman artwork
More puffy paint, this time on a much larger scale. This Christmas craft for preschoolers should definitely be fridge-worthy! Totally love it.
#44 Penguin painting
This Christmas craft is for the older preschooler or first-grader who’s handy with a paintbrush. I think it’s a bit beyond either of my two but maybe one for next year.
#45 Help make & decorate a Christmas gift box
These gift boxes are incredibly simple to make – taking less than 10 minutes from start to finish. Little ones can get involved either stamping or printing the cardboard before constructing the box or by decorating once the box is complete. For more decorating ideas, check out 15 Simple And Stunning Gift Box Decoration Ideas.
#46 Snowman snow globe
This Christmas craft is sure to be a hit with preschoolers; it’s effectively a toy at the end of the crafting process. So although it’s one of the more time-consuming crafts, it should be well worth it. Another, “watch this space”!
#47 Paper plate Christmas tree craft
A slightly more complicated paper plate Christmas tree craft for preschoolers which turns into this 3d gem. Your little one will probably need help to start off on this one.
#48 Handprint snowmen saltdough craft
Another handprint snowmen craft idea, this time in salt dough. You may need to help with the decorating and finishing off, but wouldn’t this make the perfect odds and ends plate?
Love handprint crafts?
Try these free handprint templates:
- Adorable Valentine’s Day Handprint Craft (Free Templates)
- Cute Free Fall Handprint Craft Templates
- Free Father’s Day Handprint Craft Templates
#49 Miniature Christmas village
Festive craft paper and old Christmas cards are the basis for this craft – perfect for the preschooler that loves to build, it’ll suit my 4 year old to a tee.
#50 No-sew sock snowman
A cute snowman decoration or perhaps even a festive doorstop. A fun Christmas craft for my 3 year old for sure – only problem is, she’s going to want several. Thank goodness they’re no-sew!
#51 Paper plate Santa craft for toddlers and preschoolers
Here’s a fun Santa craft made from a craft-cupboard staple: the paper plate! Sure to keep a Santa-loving preschooler busy for a while, they’re going to love ordering their helpers around and getting ready for the big trip around the world to deliver all the presents.
40+ easy activities handpicked for busy moms of kids aged 2 to 6 years – because Christmas needn’t be chaotic or cost a fortune!
Help your kids write Santa a letter and receive a reply
Which Christmas craft will you try with your preschooler first?
Phew, what a list. Any favorites? Let me know in the comments.
Happy Christmas crafting!
Looking for more Christmas arts and activities for your littles? Take a look at these:
- 43 easy-peasy Christmas activities for little kids
- 50 Christmas sensory activities for preschoolers
- Santas real mailing address with free printable
For more easy activities to keep your little ones busy indoors and out check out:
- 49 Simple & fun outdoor activities for preschoolers
- 21 Fun Dinosaur Sensory Activities
- 27 Easy Wet & Dry Messy Play Ideas
- 100 Best Fun Children’s Birthday Party Activities & Games
- 15 Best Sensory Bin Tables for Toddlers {+Sensory Table Ideas}
