Christmas Paper Crafts For Kids

• Make a collage background   
• Tracing shapes and outlines  
• Scissor cutting paper crafts
• Kirigami
• Christmas cutting practice printables
• More Christmas pages

For your convenience, I have linked to products on Amazon (marked ^#Ad) that are similar to the ones I use myself - I may receive a small commission if you purchase something through these links, which helps support this site. However, you are under no obligation to purchase anything!

Make A Collage Background For Any Christmas Picture

supplies needed

Collage background

Have your child tear or snip paper strips into small pieces and then use the pieces to collage the background of a regular coloring picture.

For the picture above, we used jumbo popsicle sticks (craft sticks)^#Ad to create an outline of a stable, and then pasted our snipped paper all around the picture. Looks stunning, and is really encouraging for kids who struggle with coloring or making neat pictures.

Strips of Paper

Tearing Paper

Snipping Paper

Why is this a good activity?

• tearing paper with the tripod fingers helps your child to isolate the use of the fingers that are needed for pencil control. Show your child how to position the thumbs together on the paper (as above) to make tearing easy.
• snipping paper can help a young child learn to master the art of opening and closing scissors. If your child struggles with this, try some of my scissor cutting tips and techniques.
• your child is using bilateral coordination when both hands are working together to tear or snip. Eye-hand coordination is used to paste the paper collage.

Tip:

• Cut the paper strips ahead of time to make it easier for your child, or have an older sibling cut the strips.
• Get a free printable nativity scene here, or get my fine motor Christmas activity pack here!
  

View My Fine Motor Christmas Activity Pages!

Back to Top

Tracing Shapes and Outlines

Make a simple shape template from a cereal carton or thick card-stock and have your child trace around it onto various papers. Wrapping paper and sheet music can make a pretty addition to regular colored card-stock. You can download a free printable shape template here.

Layered decorations are perfect Christmas paper crafts for kids! We used different sizes of stars and circles to make these cute layered paper crafts. We pasted them onto Christmas cards and used them for gift tags and tree decorations.

Tracing Around A Star Template

Cutting Out

Piles of Stars

Gift Tags and Cards

Why is this a good activity?

• Tracing around a template or stencil requires your child to use both hands together in a coordinated way. One hand is doing most of the work, while the other is assisting. This is an important component of writing skills in the classroom.
• Tracing around a template requires your child's eyes to guide the hand in staying on the outline of the template. This is called visual-motor coordination, which is very important in handwriting.
• Getting all the way around the template will require your child to plan how to move the hands without bumping the template, and may also involve some crossing of the midline.

Tips:

• Use simple shapes (circles and squares) for younger kids
• Thicker templates can be easier to work with
• Regular paper is more forgiving than thin wrapping paper
• Tracing on the back of the patterned paper means the pencil "skid" marks won't show on the finished product
• If you like the idea, but your child struggles with the tracing aspect, then trace the shape yourself and just have your child cut the shapes out.
  

Back to Top

Christmas Scissor Cutting Crafts

If the stars suggested above are too tricky for your child to cut out, try some of these simpler, scissor cutting Christmas paper crafts for kids!

Straight lines are easiest for kids to start with, then they can progress to simple shapes like circles and triangles. Click on each image below to get instructions and free templates for each activity!

Cut straight lines to make an eternity wreath

Cut circles to make paper angels

Cut triangles to make a tree

Why is scissor cutting a good activity?

• Cutting out with scissors can strengthen your child's hands. If your child holds the scissors correctly, then cutting can also help get the tripod fingers working well together for better pencil control
  
  
• Scissor cutting requires that both hands work together in a coordinated way to keep the scissors cutting on the line and around the corners. If your child struggles with this, read my page on bilateral coordination for some info and tips.

Get these activities in my Christmas Scissor Printables!

• Your child will also be using some visual-motor coordination skills as the eyes guide the hands to stay on the lines.

Tips:

• Wide lines are easier for kids to stay on than narrow ones
• Use scissors that are the right size for your child's hands, and if your child is a leftie, the scissors should be special left-handed ones.
• Read more of my scissor cutting tips!
• If your child's fine motor skills are poor, then try some of these free fine motor Christmas activity ideas
  

Back to Top

Kirigami Christmas Paper Crafts for Kids

Kirigami is the art of folding and cutting paper. We have probably all made zillions of paper snowflakes in our childhood :-)

Check out this printable resource which includes kirigami snowflakes and paper chains, or check out the Kirigami for Kids webpage for additional ideas.

Kirigami snowflakes for Christmas

Why Is Kirigami a Good Christmas Activity To Build Skills?

• Folding paper accurately requires eye hand coordination, careful planning and following instructions.
• Children also need to use just the right amount of force to create folds and manipulate the paper without tearing.
• Gives additional scissor cutting practice with a lovely end product!

Back to Top

Christmas Paper Craft & Cutting Printables!

Over 17 different paper crafts for kids - printable download!

A variety of fun, simple paper crafts and cutting activities suitable for kids from preschool to early elementary.

Over 17 different paper crafts (over 40 possible templates) with photographed instructions.

View My Printable Christmas Paper Craft Cutting Templates!

Thanks for visiting my page! Please do share with others if you found it helpful!

I truly hope you and your child have fun with these easy Christmas paper crafts for kids!

Back to Top

If this page was helpful, please share it with your friends!

More Christmas Pages

Christmas Gift Ideas

Free Christmas Word Searches

Baking at Christmas

Preschool Christmas Activities

Free Printables!

South Africans - please check out the special OT Mom payment option for ZAR!

Didn't find what you were looking for? Try a search of my site!