Fun Holiday-Themed Projects for Kids

Holiday season approaches and with it, winter break for your children.

The time out of school allows time for family visits and a lot of holiday fun but it also invites boredom. Keeping the kids entertained and letting them help decorate for the season will make everyone happy.

Surfing the internet will reward you with several websites offering free holiday templates and coloring pages. The templates come in handy when cutting shapes and even if you chose not to use any, ideas will begin stirring.

Supplies

You will need:

· A printer

· Ink and Brother toner

· Safety scissors

· Glue

· Crayons (paint, colored pencils or chalk)

· Construction paper and card stock

· Empty toilet paper rolls

· Sparkles

Paper Cutout Figures

You will find a variety of crafting ideas to help keep your children happy and fill your house with Thanksgiving cheer.

Thanksgiving paper dolls make great wall and refrigerator decorations. Print your templates for a Native American boy, turkeys and pilgrims with your choice of full-size or smaller.

Print out the various body parts and color where needed. You also have a choice of color or black and white templates. Next, cut out the parts, carefully, and glue them together to make a holiday paper decoration.

You can attach magnetic strips to the backs of the figures for hanging on the refrigerator (optional).

Toilet Paper Roll Crafts

Empty toilet paper rolls make crafts that look three-dimensional and can stand-up on their own. Find the picture you like or a template on a website that offers free printouts. You can even search your own picture files to make figures everyone recognizes. Size your picture appropriately before printing so the body does not extend below the end of the toilet paper roll.

Print your pictures and cut them out carefully. Glue the body and other parts on the empty roll and let it dry.

Thanksgiving Place Cards

Get the kids involved in Thanksgiving dinner by making name cards to place around the table. Make it fun for everyone by adding a picture of the person, a picture of his or her favorite food or anything your imagination comes up with.

Using the card stock, print the diner's name and picture on the card stock in any font desired. Or, have the kids print guest's names on a piece of paper and scan them into your pictures for printing on the place cards.

The place cards can go on empty toilet paper rolls or folded into traditional triangles and set out so guests know where they will sit.

Christmas Cards

Send home made Christmas greetings this year. With computer technology, your children can make studio quality cards that feature pictures of the entire family and quick notes inside to wish all the season's best.

This project can drain your ink and toner so have extra around so the whole mailing list gets a card. With homemade cards, each card will hold unique messages and pictures that everyone will appreciate.

Christmas Countdown Calendar

This project will last through the Christmas season. The free template comes with countdown numbers and activity cards. The activities include writing a letter to Santa Claus, awarding the best-decorated house in the neighborhood and donating a toy to the needy.

Print out the calendar, countdown cards and activity cards from the link. Carefully cut them out and countdown to Christmas morning.

3-D Christmas Tree

For this project, you need more empty toilet paper rolls, buttons, sparkles and other small shapes to decorate the finished trees. You can leave out the small items if you are working with kids under three.

Print out the free templates and cut along the dotted lines of the pyramid shapes. Fold as shown in the instructions, insert the empty toilet paper roll and decorate as many of these little trees as you want around the house.

Paper Poinsettias

Make bouquets to fill your house with Christmas cheer that will not die or hurt your pets. You need red and green construction paper, glue, yellow tissue paper and your printer to print the free template.

Cut out the poinsettias along the dotted lines and glue them together as illustrated by the instruction. Fold flowers for a home full of flowers when your guests come.

With your helpers decorating, this holiday season will hold many great memories and treasures to keep.