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Safety first: Always supervise little ones, and skip small parts for kids who still put things in their mouths. Please read our play safety notes before you start.
Key takeaways
- Age 1: contact paper, big stickers and finger paint on a taped-down page. Age 2: dot markers, sponges, cotton balls and glue sticks. Age 3: gluing pieces, paper plates and simple ornaments.
- Tape the paper to the table or high chair tray. Half of toddler craft frustration is the paper moving.
- Pom-poms, buttons, small foam stickers and ornament hooks are choking hazards under 3. Every craft here says what to swap.
- Use washable paint labeled non-toxic, or a store-bought taste-safe finger paint for kids who still mouth their hands.
- Most crafts dry in under an hour. Paint-heavy ones are marked overnight.
In this post35 sections
- Before You Start: Taste-Safe Paint, Tape-Down Tricks and Mess Levels
- Christmas Crafts for 1 Year Olds (Contact Paper, Stickers, Finger Paint)
- 1. Contact paper wreath on the window
- 2. Finger paint ornament on a taped-down tray
- 3. Jumbo sticker Christmas tree
- 4. Tape-resist star
- 5. Crumpled tissue paper ornament
- 6. Ball-roll painting in a box lid
- 7. Gel cling window scene
- Christmas Crafts for 2 Year Olds (Dot Markers, Sponge Stamping, Tissue Paper)
- 8. Dot marker Christmas lights
- 9. Sponge-dab stocking
- 10. Cotton ball snowy tree
- 11. Tissue paper candy cane
- 12. Cork-stamped ornaments on a paper tree
- 13. Cotton swab snow dots
- 14. Paper strip tree collage
- Christmas Crafts for 3 Year Olds (Gluing, Paper Plates, Simple Ornaments)
- 15. Paper plate angel
- 16. Craft stick Christmas tree with pom-poms
- 17. Paper cup bell ornament
- 18. Foam sticker ornament ball
- 19. Paper cone tree with pom-poms
- 20. Painted wooden ornament for grandparents
- 21. Color-and-glue coloring page ornament
- Christmas Crafts for Toddlers by Material
- Christmas Ornaments Toddlers Can Make (Shatterproof, No Small Parts)
- Christmas Crafts Toddlers Can Give as Gifts
- Printable Christmas Crafts for Toddlers
- Christian Christmas Crafts for Toddlers
- Toddler-Friendly Handprint Crafts
- Christmas Crafts That Work in a Toddler or Preschool Room
- Safety Notes: Small Parts, Glitter, Paint and Ornament Hooks
- Supplies for a Month of Toddler Christmas Crafts
- FAQ
Before You Start: Taste-Safe Paint, Tape-Down Tricks and Mess Levels
Three habits make Christmas crafts for toddlers calmer. First, tape the paper down on all four sides with painter's tape so it cannot slide. Second, put out two colors, not six. Third, set a towel and a wet cloth beside you before the paint comes out.
For kids under 2, choose a washable paint labeled non-toxic or a store-bought taste-safe finger paint. Neither is food, so still steer hands away from mouths. Mess levels below run from low (stickers, glue sticks) to high (finger paint).
Christmas Crafts for 1 Year Olds (Contact Paper, Stickers, Finger Paint)
At 1, the craft is the sensation: sticky, squishy, peel. Keep pieces bigger than a toilet paper tube and expect two to five minutes of attention.
1Contact paper wreath on the window
Cut a ring from clear contact paper, peel the backing and tape it sticky-side-out to a low window. Hand your toddler green tissue squares and a few red paper circles, and they press them on. The ring is big, the pieces are big and nothing needs glue.
Ages: 1 and up.
Prep: 5 minutes.
Mess: none.
Drying: none.
Supplies: clear contact paper, tissue paper squares, red paper circles, painter's tape.
Safety: adult cuts everything. Keep the sticky ring at toddler height so it does not stick to hair.
- Add a second sheet of contact paper over the top when it is done and the wreath lasts all month.
One roll covers the wreath, the suncatcher and a sticky wall for every holiday after this one.
2Finger paint ornament on a taped-down tray
Cut a big ornament shape from white cardstock and tape it to the high chair tray. Put a spoonful of red and a spoonful of green washable finger paint on it and let your toddler smear. Peel the tape when dry, add a paper cap and a ribbon loop.
Ages: 1 and up.
Prep: 5 minutes.
Mess: high.
Drying: 1 hour, overnight if thick.
Supplies: cardstock, washable or taste-safe finger paint, painter's tape, ribbon.
Safety: paint that is labeled non-toxic and washable; keep hands out of mouths and wipe as you go.
- Strip the toddler to a diaper and craft right before bath time.
Red, green and white cover every paint craft here.
3Jumbo sticker Christmas tree
Cut a tall green triangle from construction paper and tape it to the table. Peel large foam or paper stickers halfway and hand them over one at a time. Your toddler presses each one on. Pressing stickers is early fine motor work, and the tree fills up fast.
Ages: 1 and up.
Prep: 5 minutes.
Mess: none.
Drying: none.
Supplies: green paper, large stickers, painter's tape.
Safety: stickers bigger than a quarter only for 1 year olds; small foam stickers are a choking hazard.
- Dot stickers from the office aisle are cheap, big and come in holiday colors.
Big shapes a 1 year old can grab, with enough in a pack for a month of trees.
4Tape-resist star
Lay painter's tape on cardstock in a star shape, pressing the edges down well. Your toddler paints over the whole page with a chunky brush or a sponge. When it is dry, peel the tape and a crisp white star appears.
Ages: 1 and up.
Prep: 5 minutes.
Mess: medium.
Drying: 1 hour.
Supplies: cardstock, painter's tape, washable paint, a chunky brush or sponge.
Safety: an adult peels the tape. Washable paint only.
- This one frames well. Tape a candy cane or a tree shape the same way for a set of three.
5Crumpled tissue paper ornament
Cut a big circle from cardstock and spread glue stick over it. Give your toddler squares of red, green and gold tissue paper to crumple and press on. The crumpling is the part they like.
Ages: 1 and up.
Prep: 5 minutes.
Mess: low.
Drying: none with a glue stick.
Supplies: cardstock, glue stick, tissue paper squares, ribbon.
Safety: tissue paper is safe to touch but not to chew; trade a wet square for a dry one.
- Pre-cut a stack of tissue squares on a slow evening and keep them in a zip bag for the season.
Pre-cut squares skip the one job that eats your evening.
6Ball-roll painting in a box lid
Put a paper ornament or tree shape in a shoebox lid, drop in a golf-ball-sized bouncy ball rolled in paint, and let your toddler tilt the lid. The ball leaves tracks across the paper.
Ages: 1 and up.
Prep: 5 minutes.
Mess: medium.
Drying: 1 hour.
Supplies: a box lid, paper, washable paint, a large ball.
Safety: use a ball bigger than a toilet paper tube, never marbles. Hold the lid with them.
- Two balls, two colors, one tilt at a time.
7Gel cling window scene
Buy a sheet of large Christmas gel window clings and let your toddler peel, stick and move them on a low window. It is a craft they can rebuild every day.
Ages: 1 and up with you beside them.
Prep: none.
Mess: none.
Drying: none.
Supplies: a pack of gel window clings.
Safety: gel clings can tear into small pieces, so this is a together activity, and the sheet goes up high after.
- Name each shape as it goes up. It doubles as vocabulary.
A month of peel-and-stick play that resets every morning.
Christmas Crafts for 2 Year Olds (Dot Markers, Sponge Stamping, Tissue Paper)
At 2, toddlers can aim. Dot markers, sponges and glue sticks let them put color where they want it, with ten minutes of attention on a good day.
8Dot marker Christmas lights
Draw a loopy black line across white paper like a light string. Your 2 year old presses dot markers along the line, one bulb at a time. Dot markers need no brush and dry in minutes.
Ages: 2 and up.
Prep: 2 minutes.
Mess: low.
Drying: 5 minutes.
Supplies: paper, a black marker, washable dot markers.
Safety: dot marker caps are small, so keep caps with you.
- Draw small circles on the line for toddlers who want a target.
The best first paint for 2 year olds: no brush, no water cup, no drips.
9Sponge-dab stocking
Cut a big stocking from cardstock and clip a kitchen sponge in a clothespin as a handle. Your toddler dabs red paint over the stocking and white along the cuff. Dabbing is easier than brushing and the sponge holds less paint.
Ages: 2 and up.
Prep: 5 minutes.
Mess: medium.
Drying: 1 hour.
Supplies: cardstock, a sponge, a clothespin, washable paint.
Safety: cut the sponge into a toddler-sized piece and keep the paint shallow on a plate.
- Write the toddler's name on the cuff when dry and hang it as a real stocking label.
10Cotton ball snowy tree
Cut a green tree from construction paper and dot glue on it with a glue stick or a glue bottle you control. Your toddler presses cotton balls on as snow. Pulling cotton balls apart is a good pincer workout.
Ages: 2 and up.
Prep: 5 minutes.
Mess: low.
Drying: 30 minutes with liquid glue, none with a glue stick.
Supplies: green paper, cotton balls, glue.
Safety: cotton balls can be pulled apart and mouthed, so sit with your toddler.
- A brown rectangle trunk glued on by you makes it read as a tree from across the room.
11Tissue paper candy cane
Draw a big candy cane on cardstock and mark the stripes with a pencil. Your toddler glues red tissue squares on the red stripes and white on the white ones. Two year olds will not keep the stripes neat, and that is fine.
Ages: 2 and up.
Prep: 5 minutes.
Mess: low.
Drying: none with a glue stick.
Supplies: cardstock, red and white tissue squares, glue stick.
Safety: tissue only, no small decorations.
- Flip the cane into a J and call it a shepherd's crook for a nativity table.
12Cork-stamped ornaments on a paper tree
Tape a big green paper tree to the table and set out a plate of red, blue and gold paint. Your toddler dips a wine cork in the paint and stamps round ornaments all over the tree. Corks are easy to grip and stamp clean circles.
Ages: 2 and up.
Prep: 5 minutes.
Mess: medium.
Drying: 1 hour.
Supplies: green paper, corks, washable paint, a paper plate.
Safety: corks are bigger than a toilet paper tube but still stay with you after the craft.
- A cut potato half stamps the same way if you have no corks.
13Cotton swab snow dots
Give your 2 year old a cotton swab and a shallow dish of white paint, plus a blue or green paper. They dot snow all over the page. It is quieter and smaller than finger paint and builds the tripod grip.
Ages: 2 and up.
Prep: 2 minutes.
Mess: low.
Drying: 15 minutes.
Supplies: cotton swabs, white washable paint, colored paper.
Safety: cotton swabs stay in your sight; they are for paper, not ears.
- Draw a simple tree outline first and the dots become snow on the branches.
14Paper strip tree collage
Cut green paper into strips of different lengths and draw a trunk on white paper. Your toddler glues the strips on in rows, long ones at the bottom and short at the top, or in whatever order they like.
Ages: 2 and up.
Prep: 5 minutes.
Mess: low.
Drying: none with a glue stick.
Supplies: green paper strips, white paper, glue stick.
Safety: paper only, so this works for younger siblings too.
- Lay the strips out longest to shortest before you start, so the order is a visual cue.
Christmas Crafts for 3 Year Olds (Gluing, Paper Plates, Simple Ornaments)
At 3, toddlers can follow two steps and place small pieces on purpose. Pom-poms and small foam shapes come in now, with you at the table.
15Paper plate angel
Fold a paper plate in half, then fold the sides back as wings. Your 3 year old colors the wings with crayons and glues on a paper circle head and a paper halo. A paper doily on each wing looks like lace.
Ages: 3 and up.
Prep: 5 minutes.
Mess: low.
Drying: none with a glue stick.
Supplies: a paper plate, crayons, paper scraps, glue stick, optional doily.
Safety: you do the folds; everything else is toddler work.
- Tape a craft stick on the back and it stands on the mantel.
16Craft stick Christmas tree with pom-poms
Glue three jumbo craft sticks into a triangle (you do this part) and paint them green. Your 3 year old glues on pom-poms as ornaments and a paper star on top. Add a ribbon loop and it goes on the tree.
Ages: 3 and up.
Prep: 10 minutes plus paint drying.
Mess: low.
Drying: 30 minutes.
Supplies: jumbo craft sticks, green paint, pom-poms, glue, ribbon.
Safety: pom-poms are a choking hazard for younger siblings, so count them out and count them back.
- Make three and string them across a window on one ribbon.
Trees, stars and the stand for the paper plate angel, all from one box.
17Paper cup bell ornament
Turn a paper cup upside down and let your 3 year old paint it gold or silver. When dry, poke a hole in the top, thread a ribbon loop through and tie a big paper circle inside as the clapper.
Ages: 3 and up.
Prep: 5 minutes.
Mess: medium.
Drying: 1 hour.
Supplies: a paper cup, washable paint, ribbon, a paper circle.
Safety: no real jingle bells for the clapper, since they are small parts. You poke the hole.
- A row of three on one ribbon makes a doorknob hanger.
18Foam sticker ornament ball
Hand your 3 year old a plastic shatterproof ornament and a sheet of Christmas foam stickers. They peel and press until the ball is covered. No glue, no paint, and it goes straight on the tree.
Ages: 3 and up.
Prep: none.
Mess: none.
Drying: none.
Supplies: shatterproof ornaments, foam stickers, ribbon.
Safety: foam stickers and the metal ornament cap are small parts, so this stays a 3-and-up craft with you there. Swap the metal hook for a ribbon loop.
- Matte ornaments hold stickers better than shiny ones.
Plastic, so a drop on tile is nothing, and a dozen covers gifts for every grandparent.
19Paper cone tree with pom-poms
Roll green paper into a cone and tape it (your job). Your 3 year old dots glue on the cone and presses on pom-poms, or paints glue with a brush and sprinkles on paper confetti. It stands on its own on a shelf.
Ages: 3 and up.
Prep: 5 minutes.
Mess: low.
Drying: 30 minutes.
Supplies: green paper, tape, glue, pom-poms or paper confetti.
Safety: pom-poms and confetti are small parts; keep them off the floor where a baby crawls.
- Make three sizes and you have a tabletop forest.
20Painted wooden ornament for grandparents
Buy plain wooden ornament blanks and let your 3 year old paint one with washable paint. When dry, you write their name and the year on the back and tie on a ribbon. It is the gift grandparents keep.
Ages: 3 and up, or 2 with a sponge.
Prep: 2 minutes.
Mess: medium.
Drying: 1 hour.
Supplies: wooden ornament blanks, washable paint, ribbon, a marker.
Safety: check the blank for splinters, and skip any blanks with small attached parts.
- Paint the back too. Toddler brushstrokes on both sides look finished.
Enough for every grandparent, aunt and teacher, with a few spares for the practice coat.
21Color-and-glue coloring page ornament
Print a big, bold ornament or stocking coloring page, let your 3 year old color it with crayons, then glue on tissue squares or stickers over the top. Cut it out (your job), punch a hole and hang it. The Christmas Activity Pack has six big coloring pages that work for this.
Ages: 3 and up, or 2 with stickers only.
Prep: 2 minutes once printed.
Mess: low.
Drying: none with a glue stick.
Supplies: a printed coloring page, crayons, glue stick, tissue or stickers.
Safety: you cut and punch.
- Print on cardstock so the ornament survives being hung and re-hung by the toddler.
Christmas Crafts for Toddlers by Material
If you only have one thing in the house, start here. The numbers match the crafts above.
| You have | Crafts | Mess | Youngest age |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washable paint | Finger paint ornament (2), tape-resist star (4), ball-roll painting (6), sponge stocking (9), cork ornaments (12), swab snow (13), paper cup bell (17), wooden ornament (20) | Medium to high | 1 |
| Stickers | Jumbo sticker tree (3), gel cling scene (7), foam sticker ball (18), coloring page ornament (21) | None | 1 |
| Contact paper | Contact paper wreath (1) | None | 1 |
| Tissue paper | Crumpled tissue ornament (5), tissue candy cane (11), coloring page ornament (21) | Low | 1 |
| Dot markers | Christmas lights (8) | Low | 2 |
| Glue stick and paper | Cotton ball tree (10), paper strip tree (14), paper plate angel (15), cone tree (19) | Low | 2 |
Christmas Ornaments Toddlers Can Make (Shatterproof, No Small Parts)
Seven of the crafts above hang on the tree: the finger paint ornament (2), crumpled tissue ornament (5), craft stick tree (16), paper cup bell (17), foam sticker ball (18), wooden ornament (20) and coloring page ornament (21). Tie each with a ribbon loop instead of a wire hook, since hooks are small and sharp.
For dough ornaments, our salt dough ornaments for kids post has the safety notes and 15 ideas, so we left dough out of this list.
Christmas Crafts Toddlers Can Give as Gifts
Grandparents want something the toddler actually touched. The tape-resist star (4) framed in a dollar frame, the painted wooden ornament (20) with a name and year on the back, and the foam sticker ball (18) in a small box all travel well. The cotton ball tree (10) and paper plate angel (15) mail flat in an envelope.
Turn a toddler craft into a gift in 5 minutes
If you are shopping for a toddler instead, our toddler Christmas gifts that encourage play list is sorted by age 1, 2 and 3 too.
Printable Christmas Crafts for Toddlers
A printable craft for a toddler is a big, bold outline they can color, sticker and glue on, like craft 21. The Christmas Activity Pack has six of them: a tree, a stocking, a gingerbread house, a snowman, an ornament and mittens, plus bingo and a countdown for older siblings. The free 50 Screen-Free Activities pack has activity cards for ages 2 to 6 for the days when you do not want paint out.
Christian Christmas Crafts for Toddlers
The paper plate angel (15) and the tape-resist star (4) both fit a nativity table. Turn the tissue candy cane (11) upside down for a shepherd's crook, and glue brown paper strips in a row (like craft 14) for a stable roof. For a 3 year old, a paper plate manger with yellow paper strips as hay is a one-step extra.
Toddler-Friendly Handprint Crafts
Handprints are the one Christmas craft every toddler can do, so they got their own post. Our 21 handprint Christmas crafts covers trees, reindeer, Santas and cards, with the taste-safe paint notes for 1 year olds. We kept them out of this list so nothing here repeats.
Christmas Crafts That Work in a Toddler or Preschool Room
In a 2s room, the contact paper wreath (1) works as a group sticky wall, dot marker lights (8) and the paper strip tree (14) need no drying rack, and the cotton swab snow (13) uses one dish of paint for the whole table. For a 3s room, the foam sticker ball (18) and coloring page ornament (21) send a finished ornament home the same day.
Older kids at the same table? Our kids Christmas crafts by age runs from toddler to age 8, and the preschool Christmas crafts for ages 3 to 5 list has scissor work for the 4 year olds.
Safety Notes: Small Parts, Glitter, Paint and Ornament Hooks
Small parts. Pom-poms, buttons, small foam stickers, jingle bells and ornament caps are choking hazards for kids under 3 and for any child who still mouths things. The home test is a toilet paper tube: if it fits through, it waits until age 3 and stays with you at the table.
Glitter and paint. Skip loose glitter for 1 and 2 year olds; it ends up in eyes. Use washable paint labeled non-toxic, or a store-bought taste-safe finger paint, and wipe hands before they reach a mouth. Hooks. Use ribbon loops on every ornament a toddler can reach. No crafts here need hot glue, and if you add it, that step is adults-only.
Supplies for a Month of Toddler Christmas Crafts
Toddler Christmas craft supplies
- Start here
Washable finger paint set
Typically $8 to $15
Red, green and white cover every paint craft here.
Check price on Amazon for Washable finger paint set -
Washable dot markers, 8 colors
Typically $10 to $18
No brush, no drips, dries in minutes.
Check price on Amazon for Washable dot markers, 8 colors -
Clear contact paper roll
Typically $8 to $12
Wreaths, suncatchers and sticky walls for every holiday.
Check price on Amazon for Clear contact paper roll -
Large Christmas foam stickers
Typically $6 to $12
Big enough for a 1 year old to grab and press.
Check price on Amazon for Large Christmas foam stickers -
Tissue paper squares, assorted
Typically $6 to $10
Pre-cut squares skip the one job that eats your evening.
Check price on Amazon for Tissue paper squares, assorted -
Shatterproof ornament balls, 12 pack
Typically $10 to $18 per 12
Sticker them, paint them, gift them.
Check price on Amazon for Shatterproof ornament balls, 12 pack -
Wooden ornament blanks, 24 pack
Typically $8 to $15 per 24
The grandparent gift that gets kept.
Check price on Amazon for Wooden ornament blanks, 24 pack -
Jumbo craft sticks, 100 pack
Typically $5 to $10
Trees, stands and frames.
Check price on Amazon for Jumbo craft sticks, 100 pack -
Christmas gel window clings
Typically $6 to $12
A craft that resets every morning.
Check price on Amazon for Christmas gel window clings
For December days without paint, see our Christmas activities for toddlers at home sorted by time needed, and the Christmas sensory bins for toddlers with taste-safe fillers.
Want the activity cards on the fridge? The free 50 Screen-Free Activities pack lists prep, mess and supplies on every card, for ages 2 to 6.
Frequently asked questions
What Christmas crafts can a 1 year old do?
Pressing tissue squares onto a contact paper wreath, smearing finger paint on a taped-down ornament shape, pressing jumbo stickers on a paper tree, painting over a tape-resist star and crumpling tissue onto a glued circle. Keep every piece bigger than a toilet paper tube and use washable or taste-safe paint.
What Christmas crafts can a 2 year old make?
Dot marker Christmas lights, a sponge-dabbed stocking, a cotton ball snowy tree, a tissue paper candy cane, cork-stamped ornaments on a paper tree, cotton swab snow dots and a paper strip tree collage. Two year olds can aim, so dot markers, sponges and glue sticks suit them.
What are easy Christmas crafts for toddlers with paint?
Tape-resist stars, sponge-dab stockings, cork-stamped ornaments, ball-roll painting in a box lid and cotton swab snow dots. Tape the paper down, put out two colors and use washable paint. Most dry in about an hour.
What Christmas crafts can toddlers make as gifts for grandparents?
A painted wooden ornament with the child's name and year on the back, a tape-resist star in a cheap frame, a foam sticker ornament ball in a small box, or a cotton ball tree mailed flat in a rigid envelope. Add a note with something the toddler said while making it.
What Christmas ornaments can toddlers make?
A finger paint cardstock ornament, a crumpled tissue ornament, a craft stick tree with pom-poms (age 3), a paper cup bell, a foam sticker ball (age 3), a painted wooden blank and a coloring page ornament. Hang each with a ribbon loop instead of a wire hook.
What are printable Christmas crafts for toddlers?
Big, bold coloring pages a toddler can color, sticker and glue tissue onto, then hang as an ornament. The Christmas Activity Pack has six (tree, stocking, gingerbread house, snowman, ornament and mittens), and the free 50 Screen-Free Activities pack has activity cards for ages 2 to 6.
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