11 Christmas Crafts To Do With Your Big Kids

This fun, art-deco-looking paper craft just involves some cardstock, a glue stick, and string. It’s incredibly relaxing to make, and once you get in a groove, you and your kids can knock out a bunch all at once and have so many gorgeous, whimsical ornaments to hang on the tree.

I know, these look simple. But listen, sometimes simple is exactly what even the biggest kids need — and us, too, honestly. With a few craft supplies and a hot glue gun, you and your family can all make your own sweet little pom pom Christmas tree ornament. Make patterns, try different colors, add sequins — you can fully customize this happy little craft.

You just can’t go wrong with classic paper snowflakes, and this DIY makes it so your kids can do their own designs, but all of them hung up together will make for a gorgeous decoration. Grab some fishing line and hang them from the ceiling, put them in windows, let them decorate their bedrooms — so many options.

I absolutely love Christmas cards, but I don’t love how impersonal a mass mailing of family photos feels. If your kids really want to do something crafty and sweet, have them make Christmas cards. They can make them for each other, for family, to mail off to friends, deliver to teachers — so many sweet options.

I truly can’t think of a much sweeter tablescape than a whole bunch of these adorable pinecone Christmas trees. Your big kids (and even little kids) can handle this craft on their own, and you can let them pour their little creative selves into it and show off their personalities. I love the idea of pulling them out each year, remembering who loved the color purple so much or which kid decided to use all the black pom poms because they felt bad for them left in the bag.

Let everyone pick out their own paint by number kit and then you have a whole Christmas gallery to hang up. I am obsessed with the Galison painting kits, and the art that you end up with is something you actually want to hang on your wall or shelves.

Finger-knitting is such a fun hobby that requires minimal materials and minimal fear. Sit next to your teen on the couch, grab some yarn, and together you can each make a gorgeous, cozy-looking Christmas bows to put up year after year. Add these to garland, to your tree, your banisters — anywhere that needs a little extra holiday cheer.

Don’t sleep on the festive cozy look of paper chains, but if you want something a little more elevated, you and your kids can work on this felt chain garland. It’s so gorgeous and really makes a big statement in your decor, plus it’s one of those activities you can work on and suddenly, your kid is spilling their guts to you as they cut.

I can not get over how beautiful this paper ornament looks. It’s so easy, and using just a few pages from a book (you can definitely thrift some of these for a nice recycling), you can make a ton to hang in doorways, in a cluster over your mantle, or directly on your tree.

If you have a kid that really loves to draw, give them a white paint pen and let them go to town on your windows. This is so simple, but so sweet, and you can really let them get creative and crafty. (Just be sure to check how to clean the paint off your windows come January.)

I just love a snow globe. Let your kids pick whatever they want to go inside their own snow globes, then everyone can sit down together and get to building. Super simple (with no water, so no mess) and a fun activity to do together as a family.