December: Craft ideas for 2-year-olds!
Children eagerly awaiting Christmas.
To make them even more excited, we’ve gathered ideas for Christmas crafts you’ll want to make in December with 2-year-olds.
From Santa Claus and reindeer to Christmas trees and wreaths, there are plenty of wonderful craft ideas that make the most of children’s free expression.
Be sure to use these as inspiration and try making them together!
Because the children’s creations are treated as “artworks,” the term used in the main text is “制作 (seisaku).”
[December] Craft ideas for 2-year-olds! (1–10)
A tree of single scissor cuts and string threading
https://www.instagram.com/p/CmVZAAtJEQ_/Here’s a fun Christmas tree craft idea that involves using scissors.
Cut colored construction paper to make the tree base, then decorate it with various ornaments to complete the project.
When cutting origami paper, be sure to work carefully.
Punching holes in the base with a hole punch makes it easy to thread string, which is a fun added step and highly recommended.
Displaying the finished piece will instantly bring a festive Christmas atmosphere to your room.
Looking at the creations you made with the kids is sure to lift everyone’s spirits.
Decalcomania Christmas Tree
Decalcomania is one of those art activities kids can really enjoy.
Dab paint onto construction paper, fold it in half, and when you open it up, you’ll get a beautiful, symmetrical design you never expected.
Let’s apply this to make a Christmas tree! First, prepare a piece of construction paper folded in half in the shape of a tree.
Open it up and squeeze your favorite paints onto one side.
When you’re done, fold it back in half and press from the top.
Open it slowly, and you’ll have a colorful Christmas tree! The results are lovely, so consider using this project for Christmas crafts in preschools or kindergartens.
Tree made with finger painting
Here’s a finger-paint tree you can make without getting your hands dirty.
Try making this changing-illustration Christmas tree together with a two-year-old.
The steps are simple: squeeze paints in your favorite colors onto drawing paper.
If you use plenty of green, it will look more like a tree! Cover the paint with plastic wrap and gently press from above.
Once done, cut it into a tree shape, then decorate with a base, a star, and pom-poms to finish.
It’s a fun craft idea where kids can enjoy choosing paint colors and the tactile feel when covering with the wrap.
Tree made from origami
When Christmas comes, sparkling Christmas trees are displayed all over town, aren’t they? For this craft, cut origami paper, make loops with glue, gently flatten them, and stick them down in the shape of a tree.
If you add guide marks on the construction paper where you’ll stick the pieces, it becomes even easier to place the “leaves” evenly.
Kids love activities that use glue, too.
Some children may still find handling glue difficult, but try proceeding slowly while keeping a close eye on them.
Let’s make and display a lovely finished tree and enjoy Christmas!
Paper Plate Santa
Moving objects captivate kids’ curiosity! Here’s a fun Santa craft made with a paper plate that gently rocks back and forth.
It’s great because you can make it with items you likely have at home, like a paper plate and origami paper.
First, prepare one whole paper plate, another plate cut into a quarter, and one sheet of red origami paper.
Fold the whole paper plate firmly in half, then attach a circle cut from the red origami paper as Santa’s outfit.
Glue the quarter piece of the plate on top, make the hat from red origami paper, and draw the face—your Santa is complete! You can also decorate it with stickers to make it extra stylish.
It’s a super fun craft, so give it a try!
Christmas-style gloves
https://www.instagram.com/p/Cj-buCqpe2-/Christmas-themed mittens that kids can enjoy by gluing paper onto construction paper and doing stamping are a craft idea I’d recommend for 2-year-olds.
First, prepare the mitten parts made from construction paper, then attach a tree made from origami.
A nice point is that you can make the tree pieces by folding the origami just twice.
Next, stamp with cotton balls, draw and paste illustrations of Santa and reindeer, and finally decorate cutely with extra parts and ribbons to finish.
Give it a try and make this adorable piece that’s perfect as a Christmas wall decoration.
Tree with stencil and cotton-swab stamps
https://www.instagram.com/p/CkK9_aAuN8T/Here’s a fun, stamp-and-press tree ornament activity.
First, prepare a tree shape cut out of construction paper.
Next, attach a sponge to a plastic bottle cap to make a dauber.
Dip the dauber in paint and have the children press it onto the paper.
It’s interesting how the color intensity changes depending on the pressure.
For example, using green and light green can create a beautiful gradient—experimenting with color combinations is highly recommended.
Finally, glue circular origami pieces wherever you like, and it’s done!
