This holiday season, help your kids make some fun and easy Christmas crafts! If it’s a cold snowy day or your kids want something fun to do, these fun crafts will be sure to please them.

Salt Dough Ornaments

Decorate your artificial Christmas tree with a touch of homemade cheer. Help the kids make their very own Christmas ornaments, fun to make and they will last for years to come. With the supplies costing you a few pounds, it is budget-friendly and kid approved. Idea courtesy of Kirstie Allsopp.

What you need:

  • Salt
  • Water
  • Flour
  • Olive oil
  • Rolling pin
  • Pastry Christmas cutters
  • Paint
  • A pinny — this craft can get messy!

To make salt dough, remember this: Half, half, whole. Use half a cup of salt and half a cup of water with a whole cup of flour. Put the salt and flour into a bowl, then add the water slowly to the dry mix. After kneading for 10 minutes it should become a soft, pliant ball. If it’s too sticky just add more flour. If it’s too dry add a tad bit more water. Now, roll out your dough and cut it into shapes using  your pastry cutters. If it starts to dry out when you’re moulding the dough use a bit of olive oil to moisturize the dough. Next, make a small hole at the top of the dough for hanging your ornament. Next, harden the ornaments for two to three minutes in the microwave. Be sure to place them on a layer of greaseproof paper. Once the ornaments are hard, paint them to your hearts desire! Once they’re dry, tie string through the hole and hang on your tree.

Snow Globes

Have your children make their very own water snow globe this holiday season! Find a variety of plastic figurines from dollar or craft stores your child loves to be the centerpiece in the snow globe. These homemade globes will be a fun and wintry scene for your windowsill or table.

What you need:

  • Any type of jar you have lying around the house: olive jar, peanut butter jar, canning jar, baby food jar, etc.
  • Plastic figurines (trees, ice skaters, deer, penguins)
  • Paint
  • Clear-drying epoxy glue
  • Distilled water
  • Glitter
  • Glycerin
  • Piece of sand paper

If your jars are not in seasonal colors, feel free to paint the lid in silver, gold, green or red (You can skip this step if you prefer to leave the lid as-is). Take a piece of sand paper and sand the inside of the lid until the surface is rough to the touch, this will allow you figurine to stay put. Take some clear-drying epoxy glue and adhere the figurine to the inside of the lid and allow the glue to dry. Once glue is dry, fill the jar almost to the top with distilled water. Next, add a pinch or two of glitter and a wee bit of glycerin (available at most drugstores). The glycerin helps the glitter from falling too fast. Screw on the lid tightly and turn the jar over and back again.

Fun and Festive Doorbells

Every time you come or go, your door will leave you will a hint of jingle. Here’s an easy doorbell hanger to make with recycled materials.

What you need:

  • Egg carton
  • Paint
  • Glitter
  • Glue
  • Yarn
  • Jingle bells

Cut the cone-shape pieces from the egg carton that separate the eggs into their own pieces. Paint each carton piece in the colour of your choosing and let dry. Apply some glue along the edge of the carton piece all over the outside, or wherever you wish to have some glitter, and sprinkle the glue with glitter. Let dry. Next, thread some yard with a needle and poke a hole through the bell’s crown and pull the yarn half-way. Slip a jingle bell through the end of the yarn.

Fabric Christmas Wreath

Add a little hint of Christmas cheer to your home with this fun and easy DIY project! A quick trip to the craft store and you will have a mini wreath in no time.

What you need:

  • Wire hanger
  • Strips of colored fabric: reds, greens, whites and patterned with any design you choose (strips should be 6-7 inches long)
  • Scissors
  • Piece of ribbon

Carefully unfold the wire hanger and twist it into a circular shape. Begin tying the strips of fabric to the wire with a simple knot, varying the colors and types of patterns. Be sure to push the knots very close together and twist the fabric around the wire to give the wreath dimension. Once the wire is completely wrapped with fabric add a ribbon around the main frame and tie with a bow. Hang your wreath on the wall or on your favourite door knob.

About the Author: Diane Getty “Throw a string of Christmas lights up there and watch the magic happen!” says Diane. She loves Christmas and anything that involves tacky lawn decorations.