The holiday season is a wonderful time for crafting. Making homemade Christmas cards with kids is a fun family activity that gets little ones excited about spreading holiday cheer. When children make their cards, it boosts creativity, works on fine motor skills, and makes for thoughtful, personal gifts that loved ones will cherish.
Supplies Needed
Making homemade cards is easy with just a few basic supplies:
- Construction paper or cardstock – This comes in a variety of festive colors like red, green, white, blue, etc. Cardstock is best for sturdier cards.
- Markers, crayons, colored pencils – Let kids decorate cards with their favorite art supplies. Glitter gel pens add sparkle!
- Glitter, pom poms, sequins – These mini embellishments are perfect for blitzing up holiday cards. Add a fun texture!
- Scissors, glue, or tape – For cutting paper and shapes and gluing everything down. Tape can also attach decorations.
- Stencils or coloring pages – Great for tracing holiday images like trees, snowflakes, and Santa. Adds festive shapes.
Getting Started
Once you have supplies, it’s time to get the creativity flowing!
- Think of recipients – Have kids make lists of who should receive special cards – parents, grandparents, siblings, friends, teachers, etc.
- Cut card bases – Cut construction paper to the desired card size. The standard is 8.5″ x 5.5″. Or fold the paper in half for instant cards!
- Decorate the front – Let imagination run wild! Kids can glue shapes, draw scenes, and color images. No rules.
- Get creative with art supplies – Provide an assortment of supplies to inspire kids. Mix up paper types, markers, crayons, and stickers.
Decorating the Inside
Now for the best part – the personalized greetings!
- Write holiday wishes – “Happy Holidays!” “Hope you have a Merry Christmas!” Let kids write out their messages to loved ones.
- Color and add images – Make the inside as fun as the outside. Use stickers, colored shapes, and drawings.
- Younger kids – They can dictate their messages for you to write inside. Just signing their names is perfect, too!
- Older kids – Encourage writing longer notes or stories on the inside. Get creative with messages.
Finishing Touches
Before sealing up, add some final festive flourishes:
- Glitter, pom poms, ribbons – Adhere seasonal trims with glue for extra holiday spirit.
- Recipient name & envelope – Write who the card is for on the envelope. Let kids decorate envelopes, too.
- Seal & stamps – Close cards up nicely with stickers, washi tape, or seal stickers. Add festive fake stamps.
Educational Opportunities
Making cards provides all sorts of learning opportunities:
- Handwriting practice – Perfect for working on penmanship in a fun way.
- Spelling & vocabulary – Have kids sound out holiday words and names.
- Letter writing – Practice greetings, writing messages, and showing appreciation.
- Math skills – Count pom poms as you glue and incorporate shapes and patterns.
- Foreign language – Write holiday phrases in another language. “Fröhliche Weihnachten!”
- Geography – Research how holidays are celebrated in different cultures around the world.
The holiday season is the perfect time to start card-making.
