Our Nannies’ 3 Favorite Holiday Crafts for Kids

The holiday season is here, full of stardust and joy. It’s also the perfect time for you to shine with creative activities that keep kiddos excited and make everything feel a little more special. We asked our network of nannies to share their go-to holiday projects with kids, and here are three winners: easy to prep, flexible for different ages, and full of festive cheer. Are you ready to try one with your little ones?

 
 

3 Easy Holiday Crafts for Kids

 
green popsicle stick wreath with red ribbon
 

1. Popsicle-Stick Wreaths

This craft is great for kids of all ages, and super easy to set up. 

What you need: 

  • popsicle sticks (or craft sticks)

  • foam wreath base

  • paint (or markers for younger kids)

  • glue 

  • Ribbon

How it’s done: 

Let the kids paint the popsicle sticks in various shades of green and glue them onto a foam wreath base in overlapping layers. If you have gold, silver, or glitter paint you can paint a few accent popsicle sticks and disperse throughout. Finish with a bold ribbon for a festive look!


Bonus: Sneak in educative elements while crafting by asking questions like, “What colors make you feel like winter?” or “Where would you want to hang this in the house and why?” Parents will notice your next-level dedication to making the most of your moments with their kiddos. 

 
young boy preparing decorations for a cardboard gingerbread house craft
 

2. Cardboard Gingerbread Houses

We love this one: all of the gingerbread house decoration fun without the frosting mess and sugar overload from eating the decorations. 

What you need: 

  • brown cardboard

  • glue (for decorations)

  • white glue and shaving cream (for faux frosting) 

  • decorations like beads, buttons, buttons, pom-poms, paint 

This craft is easily customizable to the kids’ ages and interests. 

For younger kids: 

Cut out the shape of a house (two rectangular sides, two more narrow square sides, two large rectangles for roof) and glue together. Mix equal parts white glue and shaving cream for a frosting that holds. Then let kids smear the frosting on and add additional glue to set buttons, pom-poms, stickers, sequins, anything they like to the house! 

 
 

For older kids:

Bring out the real architects and designers in your kiddos by turning this into an all-day project. Start by letting them draw their intended designs on regular paper, trying out colors, designs, and patterns. Talk about why you might choose a certain design, why they’re selecting certain colors, or what they want their house to feel like. 

Then you can let them trace the house shapes onto cardboard and cut them out before glueing together. Make the same faux frosting using equal parts glue and shaving cream, before putting it in a small ziploc bag, snipping one corner, and using it to pipe the frosting onto the house. Decorate according to the designs! 

Bonus: Let kids plan a whole village! Make maybe two or three houses or add little trees (which you can make out of cardboard, too) or inhabitants. Build a story around the village by asking, “Who lives here? What’s their holiday tradition?” Bam! The activity is richer and more engaging!

 
 

3. Popsicle-Stick Snowflakes

For a quick, calm craft when you have less time (or want a cozy indoor moment), this snowflake craft is a go-to among our nannies. 

What you need: 

  • colored craft sticks

  • metallic markers

  • rhinestones (or gems) 

How it’s done: 

Color or paint the popsicle sticks and let them dry – you might choose icy cool blues and whites or your kiddo may want to go wild with colors – then glue four together to make a snowflake shape. Let the kid continue to decorate with shiny metallic markers, or by gluing glitter or rhinestones onto the snowflake.

Bonus: You know that every snowflake is unique, but does your kiddo? This is a great chance to talk about what makes a snowflake special (just like them!), as well as making up different patterns for each snowflake and counting how many edges it has. Hang them up somewhere the whole family can admire them – like the window, or a Christmas tree! 

Are You Ready to Bring Joy to Someone’s World?

Nannies in our network are constantly impressing us with their craft skills and activity inventions, and we love it when they share their ideas with us! Pretty sure we have the best nannies around, honestly. 

If you’re looking to bring extra holiday magic to a family this season (and want to connect with a team that values your creativity and care) we’d love for you to apply and join our network. We’re selective about who we work with, but that’s so we can make sure to make thoughtful matches between families and caregivers. Now that’s something to make your spirits bright!

Apply Now

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Cajsa Landin