5 easy DIY crafts to enjoy with your grandkids this Christmas

Christmas is the most wonderful time to create lasting memories with your grandchildren.

Nowadays, it can be a bit of a challenge to keep your grandkids away from their gadgets and tech toys. But a great way to get them to drop the iPad and take a break from the internet is through arts and crafts. This Christmas, why not schedule a ‘crafternoon’ with your grandchildren and make something you’ll both remember forever?

The next time the grandkids are over, give some of these super easy and totally fun Christmas crafts a try!

1. Snow Globes in a Jar

This DIY snow globe is not only environmentally friendly but it’s a craft that you’ll be able to keep for years to come! Challenge your grandkid’s creativity and see what miniature Christmas scene they choose to encapsulate.

What you’ll need:

• Small glass jar
• Superglue or a hot glue gun
• A small plastic figurine that fits in the jar
• Cold water
• 1-2 teaspoons of glitter (depending on jar size)
• Glycerin (while it’s not necessary, it makes the glitter float better)

How to make it:

1. Put glue on the inside of the jar’s lid. Place and stick the plastic figurine on the centre of the inside of the lid and let dry.
2. Fill your jar to the very top with water then add glitter.
3. Add a few drops of glycerine.
4. Screw the lid back on and glue it to the jar. Turn over and shake.

2. Giant Gingerbread Man

Making this life-sized gingerbread man is guaranteed fun for kids of all ages this Christmas! It’s a great way for younger kids to unleash their creativity and will keep them entertained for hours.

What you’ll need:

• A roll of kraft paper or butchers paper
• masking tape
• crayons or coloured pencils
• black marker

How to make it:

1. Roll out your kraft paper on the floor and have your grandchild lie down on the floor.
2. Cut the paper slightly longer than the child’s body then tape it down with masking tape.
3. Use a black marker to trace around the child’s body to create an outline for your gingerbread man
4. Give your grandchild free rein to draw any design on their gingerbread man.

3. Fabric Wreath

Upcycling spare cloth or odd bits of fabric to make a Christmas wreath makes for a great beginner’s craft. This easy DIY requires no sewing and makes for a beautiful display. What’s more, fabric wreaths don’t have to solely be for Christmas, they are perfect for any holiday or occasion.

What you’ll need:

• About 1 metre of garden hose (or enough to make a wreath of your desired size)
• Duct tape
• About 2-3 metres of fabric (this is a good way to use up any leftover scraps)
• Scissors

How to make it:

1. Meet the ends of the hose together to make a circle and tape them together to secure into the wreath base.
2. Cut pieces of fabric into about 10-15cm lengths and about 3cm width. Tearing fabric will give the wreath a more rugged look.
3. Tie fabric around the hose, securing it with a double knot. Continue until the entire hose is filled and bunched up with fabric ties.

4. Bauble Filled with Memories

The best thing about this super simple Christmas DIY craft is that you don’t need any sort of artistic skill to make your bauble. Filling clear baubles with photos, glitter or even small trinkets make for a sweet customised and unique ornament.

What you’ll need:

• Measurements of the grandkids
• Piece of ribbon
• Scissors
• Empty bauble case
• Pom poms, glitter, or beads to fill (optional)

How to make it:

1. Measure your grandchildren using the ribbon. Cut off at the exact measurement.
2. Open the bauble and place the ribbon plus extras into the case.
3. Secure them together again and tie the leftover ribbon to the top to hang on the tree.

5. Santa Advent Calendar

What better way to anticipate the arrival of Santa Clause than with this fun Santa Clause beard advent calendar? This DIY Advent calendar is super easy to make and even makes for a great worksheet for those with grandchildren still learning how to count.

What you’ll need:

• Construction Paper or Card Stock (Green, Red, White, and Pink)
• Glue
• Scissors
• Black Marker
• Cotton Balls

How to make it:

1. Start by cutting out all the key components for Santa’s features
2. Using the black marker, add two eyes to the pink face.
3. Start assembling and gluing Santa’s face onto your green paper, leaving enough room for his beard.
4. Below Santa’s nose, where his beard is, write the numbers 1-25
5. Note: Alternatively you can draw your own Santa face on any flat surface (as seen above) or use a pre-made printable template.