If you’re searching for easy Christmas crafts for toddlers, look no further. If there’s one thing I’ve learned as a mom, it’s this: Christmas crafts don’t have to be complicated to be magical. In fact, most of the cutest crafts my son and I have ever made took less than ten minutes—and usually came together with whatever I already had lying around the house. And honestly, keeping a toddler entertained for ten whole minutes during the holiday season should count as its own Christmas miracle.
So today, I want to share 20 easy Christmas crafts for toddlers that you can whip up quickly, even on the busiest December days. These are perfect for when you want to do something festive but don’t want to deal with glitter explosions, 47-step tutorials, or anything involving hot glue burns (ask me how I know).
These crafts are:
Fast
Cheap
Toddler-safe
Mess-minimal (or at least mess-manageable)
And honestly… just really cute
Let’s jump in!
Related: 150+ Christmas Blog Post Ideas to Boost your Traffic
1. Paper Plate Santa
I think every toddler craft list has to start with the classic paper plate Santa. It’s practically a rite of passage.
What we use:
Paper plate
Cotton balls
Red construction paper hat
Googly eyes
Glue stick
I let my toddler smear glue all over the plate (he loves that part), then he sticks cotton balls everywhere to make Santa’s beard. The end result is always slightly chaotic, but that somehow makes it even better.
2. Handprint Christmas Trees
I’m a total sucker for handprint crafts. They’re sweet, sentimental, and perfect for grandparents.
What we do:
I paint my toddler’s hand green (which immediately turns into sensory play) and stamp it onto cardstock. Then we add fingerprint “ornaments.” It takes maybe three minutes… unless you have a child who insists on painting the dog too.
3. Toddler-Friendly Cinnamon “Ornaments” (No Baking!)
I found this shortcut last year and now I swear by it. Instead of making legit cinnamon dough ornaments, I just use cinnamon sticks.
My toddler wraps little strips of paper or ribbon around them, tapes on tiny pom-poms, and suddenly they look homemade and adorable. Plus—they smell like heaven.
4. Pom-Pom Christmas Trees
Next up on our list of easy Christmas crafts for toddlers: Pom-Pom Christmas Trees. This one is almost too easy, but toddlers LOVE it.
How we do it:
Cut a triangle out of green paper
Let your toddler glue pom-poms all over it
That’s literally it. I’ve made like ten of these because my toddler treats them like holiday currency.
5. Pipe Cleaner Candy Canes
This is one of those crafts where you get a two-for-one deal: a craft and a fine-motor activity.
We twist:
Red pipe cleaners
White pipe cleaners
Then we bend them into candy cane shapes. Toddlers love the twisting motion, and I love that it keeps them busy for a few blessed minutes.
6. Sticker Christmas Wreaths
If I ever become president, my platform will be stickers solve everything.
I cut a ring shape out of green cardstock, set it on the table with a pile of Christmas stickers, and let my toddler go wild. The result is the most chaotic little wreath ever—and I treasure every one.
7. Ribbon Scrap Ornaments
You know that giant box of leftover ribbon scraps you swear you’re going to use someday? Today is that day.
I cut ribbon into short pieces, and my toddler glues them onto a circle of cardboard. It ends up looking surprisingly fancy, like something you’d find in a little boutique.
8. Cotton Ball Snowman
This is one of our favorites because toddlers LOVE the tactile feel of cotton balls.
How we make it:
I draw three circles stacked like a snowman. My toddler plasters cotton balls everywhere. We glue on a paper hat, googly eyes, and a carrot nose.
The snowman always ends up lopsided and chubby, and it’s perfect.
9. Christmas Tree Dot Art
Sometimes I just need a craft where my toddler can’t destroy the house. This one is practically mess-proof.
I draw a simple Christmas tree outline and hand him dot markers. He fills it in however he wants, and the end result always looks festive and cute.
10. Reindeer Footprint Keepsake
This one always makes me laugh because toddler feet are surprisingly hard to wrangle.
I paint the bottom of his foot brown and stamp it on paper. Then we draw antlers and add a red nose. It’s adorable every single time.
Keep scrolling! We’ve got 10 more easy Christmas crafts for toddlers left!
11. Toilet Paper Roll Christmas Trees
I save toilet paper rolls like a gremlin during the holidays because these little trees always turn out cute.
We do this:
Paint or color the roll green
Add sticker ornaments
Glue a star on top
Sometimes my toddler decides the tree is actually a megaphone. I just go with it.
12. Yarn-Wrapped Stars
I cut out a cardboard star and poke holes around the edges. My toddler threads yarn through the holes, and suddenly it looks like rustic farmhouse décor. Pinterest would be proud.
13. Easy Toddler Ornaments With Scrapbook Paper
I love this one because it feels like a “real” ornament but requires almost no effort.
What we do:
Cut scrapbook paper shapes (trees, stars, ornaments)
Let the toddler decorate with stickers, crayons, or washi tape
Punch a hole and tie a ribbon
And boom—instant ornament.
14. Bubble Wrap Painted Snowflakes
If you’ve never let your toddler paint with bubble wrap, you are missing out.
We dip bubble wrap into white paint and stamp it onto blue paper. It creates the cutest snow texture. I cut it into snowflakes afterward, and they look so pretty hung on a window.
15. No-Sew Sock Snowman
Okay, this one takes maybe nine minutes but feels like a craft mom moment.
How we make it:
Fill a white sock with rice (or cotton balls if you prefer mess-free)
Tie into two sections
Add eyes and buttons with glue
These always turn out goofy-looking, and I kind of love that.
16. Nativity Silhouette Craft
This one is sweet, simple, and a great way to introduce the nativity story to toddlers.
I print a silhouette of Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus, and my toddler glues yellow tissue paper behind it to make it look like glowing light. It’s beautiful on a window.
17. Fingerprint Christmas Lights
I draw a wiggly line across paper and add little bulb shapes. My toddler uses different colored fingerprints to fill them in. It’s simple but looks so cheerful.
18. Snowy Pinecones
This one involves nature, crafting, and minimal mess… which is basically the trifecta.
We do this:
Collect pinecones from outside
Brush on white paint (or fake snow)
Add glitter only if I’m emotionally prepared
They make cute table décor or mantle decorations.
19. Christmas Play-Dough Tray
Not exactly a “craft,” but toddlers treat it like one.
I set out:
Red and green play-dough
Cookie cutters
Buttons
Pom-poms
Little Christmas trinkets
My toddler will sit quietly and make “cookies,” “trees,” and “snowballs” until the play-dough inevitably ends up on the dog.
20. The 3-Minute Christmas Card
Round out our list of easy Christmas crafts for toddlers is a super quick Christmas card. I swear this might be the easiest craft on the entire list.
I fold cardstock in half, slap a pre-cut Christmas tree shape on it, and let my toddler decorate with crayons and stickers. Suddenly we have the cutest homemade card ever.
Tips to Make Toddler Christmas Crafts Stress-Free
Over the last few years, I’ve learned a few sanity-saving tricks that make crafting with toddlers way easier. If you’re a parent, grandparent, or babysitter trying to survive the craft chaos—here’s what I do:
1. Prep before they sit down
If I let my toddler “help” me prep the craft, the supplies magically vanish, and we end up crafting absolutely nothing.
2. Keep a craft bin
I swear by having a little bin filled with:
Paper plates
Popsicle sticks
Scrap paper
Pom-poms
Pipe cleaners
Stickers
It makes last-minute crafting so much easier.
3. Use washable everything
If it’s not washable, it’s banned from my house during December.
4. Embrace imperfect crafts
Toddler crafts are supposed to look like a toddler made them. I remind myself of this constantly.
5. Save a few crafts for keepsakes
Trust me—those handprints will mean more in a few years than you realize.
Why I Love Quick Christmas Crafts
Honestly, doing these little easy Christmas crafts for toddlers isn’t just about keeping my toddler busy (although that is a HUGE perk). It’s about:
creating memories
being present
slowing down (even if only for ten minutes)
and giving him little traditions he’ll hopefully remember
Plus, there’s something special about looking around your house and seeing it decorated with tiny, glue-covered masterpieces.