*Disclaimer: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase - at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting my blog.
🎄 What We’re Using This Christmas (Amazon Favorites)
Here are a few things we’re loving and actually using this Christmas season:
🎄Kids’ Christmas Activity Book (Amazon)🎄Christmas Playdough Kit (Amazon)🎄Christmas Book Set (Amazon)🎄Easy Gingerbread House Kit (Amazon)🎄Washable Christmas Stampers (Amazon)🎄Christmas Fun Game (Amazon)🎄Kids’ Christmas Craft Set (Amazon) If you’re anything like me, December sneaks up fast — one moment you’re sipping fall drinks and the next you're dodging toy commercials and trying to keep your little ones busy without adding chaos to the house. And if you’re homeschooling or teaching preschool/kindergarten, you probably feel that pressure even more. You want the season to feel magical… but also manageable.
That’s exactly why I put together these 15 Christmas art projects for preschool and kindergarten — all low-prep, age-appropriate, budget-friendly, and actually fun. These are the types of art activities that don’t require perfection, fancy supplies, or an hour of setup. Just simple hands-on projects that help your kids create, explore, calm their bodies, and enjoy the excitement of the holidays.
And the best part?
Every activity helps solve a common December struggle:
✔️ keeping kids engaged when energy is high
✔️ encouraging creativity without overwhelm
✔️ giving them something productive to do while YOU wrap gifts, prep dinner, or work
✔️ using supplies you already have at home or in the classroom
✔️ building fine-motor skills in a festive, meaningful way
Let’s dive into these cozy, joyful Christmas art activities your preschoolers and kindergarteners will absolutely love.
1. Puffy Snow Paint Art
Kids LOVE this because it looks like actual snow. Mix equal parts shaving cream + white glue and hand them paintbrushes. They can create snowmen, snowy trees, or winter landscapes. When it dries, it’s puffy and soft!
Why it works:
It boosts fine-motor control and sensory exploration while feeling magical.
2. Fingerprint Christmas Lights
Draw a simple line with a black marker (like a string of lights). Then let your child press their fingers in paint and stamp “bulbs” along the line.
You can also turn this into a name craft—write your child’s name in curvy lines and let them decorate along the letters.
SEO tip included naturally: Perfect as a low-prep Christmas craft for preschool!
3. Paper Plate Santa
Every parent and teacher knows the magic of paper plate crafts. For this one, kids paint the plate peach, glue cotton balls for the beard, and add construction-paper hats and googly eyes.
Why this solves a problem:
It keeps little hands busy for a longer stretch of time and requires almost no setup.
4. Torn-Paper Christmas Trees
Give kids green paper and let them tear it instead of cutting. Then they glue the torn pieces onto a triangle template to make a Christmas tree.
Why it’s amazing:
Tearing paper strengthens hand muscles — a must for early writing skills.
5. Salt-Painted Snowflakes
Draw snowflakes with white glue on dark paper. Sprinkle salt over the glue, then let your child drop watercolor or food coloring onto the salt. It spreads beautifully like magic.
This one feels like art + science combined.
6. Cookie-Cutter Stamped Art
Use Christmas cookie cutters (trees, stars, gingerbread men) as stamps. Dip them in washable paint and press them on paper.
Perfect for:
-
toddlers
-
preschool
-
quick art centers
-
classroom parties
7. Nativity Silhouette Art
Tape down a circle or rectangle as the background glow. Kids paint over it with dark blues. Remove the tape and add simple black silhouettes (Mary, Joseph, baby Jesus, a star).
Why this is meaningful:
It keeps the focus on the heart of Christmas in a gentle, child-friendly way.
8. Tissue Paper Stained-Glass Ornaments
Cut contact paper into ornament shapes. Kids stick tissue paper pieces all over it and seal with another layer of contact paper. Hang on a window for a “stained-glass” glow.
Why it works:
Kids get to be creative but contained in a small, easy-to-clean space.
9. Playdough Gingerbread People
Use brown playdough and gingerbread cookie cutters. Add buttons, beads, googly eyes, sequins — whatever you have.
This doubles as a sensory activity AND an art project.
Great for:
Energy-filled December mornings when kids need something hands-on.
10. Candy Cane Name Craft
Write your child’s name in long candy-cane stripes. Kids glue red and white paper strips to cover the letters.
Skill-building:
Letter recognition + cutting + gluing + patterning.
11. Foil Christmas Tree Art
Give kids a piece of aluminum foil and let them finger-paint over it. The metallic shine underneath gives it a magical Christmas look — perfect for ornaments or cards.
Pro tip:
Use tempera paint for the best result.
12. Painted Pine Cones
If you have kids who need to move — send them outside to collect pine cones. Then bring them in to paint white “snow tips,” glitter touches, or full-color pine cone ornaments.
Why this helps:
It blends nature, movement, and art — a win for high-energy kids.
13. Pom-Pom Christmas Tree Craft
Cut a triangle tree shape from cardstock. Kids dip pom-poms in paint and stamp them around the tree, or glue pom-poms as ornaments.
What this teaches:
Grip strength, fine motor skills, and creativity.
14. Christmas Shape Collage
Give your child a tray of pre-cut Christmas shapes (stars, trees, stockings, ornaments). They create their own collage scene.
This is fantastic for younger preschoolers or mixed ages.
15. Reindeer Handprint Art
Trace your child’s hands as antlers and their foot as the reindeer face. Add eyes, a red nose, and a big smile.
This is a keepsake craft parents LOVE to save — perfect for gifts!
Why parents adore this:
It freezes their tiny hands and feet in time during a season filled with memories.
Why Christmas Art Projects Matter (The Problem These Solve)
December is BUSY. Kids feel it. Parents feel it. Teachers feel it.
What our little ones often need most this time of year is structure, calm, creativity, and connection. And Christmas art projects check every single box.
Here’s the honest truth most people don’t talk about:
When kids don’t have purposeful activities in December, the chaos increases.
More meltdowns. More restlessness. More boredom. More stress.
But when you give them simple, festive art ideas like the ones above, everything shifts.
🎨 They focus better
🎄 They get excited in a productive way
🧠 They build skills without pressure
✨ They feel included in the magic
💛 You feel less overwhelmed
These activities aren’t “just crafts.”
They’re tools that help your home or classroom feel calmer, happier, and more connected.
How to Make Christmas Art Time Feel Stress-Free
If you want December to feel less chaotic, here are a few simple tips that changed everything for us:
1. Create a Christmas Art Basket
Fill it with:
Pull it out anytime kids need a quick activity.
2. Choose LOW-prep over Pinterest-perfect
Your kids don’t need perfect crafts — they need opportunities to create.
3. Keep cleanup simple
Use a:
-
dollar-store tablecloth
-
tray
-
washable supplies
Your sanity will thank you.
4. Let go of perfection
The best Christmas art projects are the messy, original ones kids make with joy.
How These Crafts Fit Into Homeschooling or Classroom Learning
These activities are perfect for:
✔️ Morning time
✔️ Art centers
✔️ Quiet time
✔️ Early finishers
✔️ Holiday parties
✔️ December unit studies
✔️ Fine-motor practice
✔️ Independent work time
And because they’re low-prep, they help YOU stay consistent during the busiest month of the year.
Final Thoughts: Make December Feel Magical Again
If you’ve felt overwhelmed, behind, or stressed about December—please hear this:
You don’t need to do it all.
You just need a few simple, joyful activities that help your little ones create and connect.
These 15 Christmas art projects for preschool and kindergarten are easy, fun, and stress-free. And most importantly—they help bring joy back into your home or classroom.
If you try even one of these, you’ll feel that shift.
Your kids will too.
If you want even more simple Christmas activities, homeschool printables, or learning ideas to make the season magical, make sure to explore my other posts.
Your support helps me keep creating helpful content for your home and homeschool.
Leave a Comment
What Christmas art project are you trying first?
I’d love to hear—drop a comment below and let’s share ideas together!
🎁 Explore More Christmas Favorites!
Related Posts You Might Enjoy:
Thank you for reading my blog! Stay tuned for more tips, resources, and printable materials to help make your homeschooling experience enjoyable and effective. Check out my store for a variety of educational products and printables to assist you on your homeschooling journey.
Nancy at Cleverly Kindred ❤️
Comments
Post a Comment