Christmas crafts are probably a must in your classroom. As the weather gets cold and we approach the winter holidays, it’s definitely a time when crafts are king. Parent gifts are often expected. Crafts are a great way to keep antsy kids engaged as winter break approaches.
However, it can be really easy to break the bank and lose your sanity while trying to find a Pinterest perfect craft. I’d like to take that stress off your shoulders, busy teacher, by sharing some cute, simple, and cheap Christmas crafts that are sure to be a hit. I even have a 20% promo code for you at the bottom of the post!
I’d like to thank Steps to Literacy for sponsoring this post. I received compensation for this post, but all opinions, ideas, and thoughts are mine. I only share about resources, products, and companies that I use and believe, in, and believe will be beneficial to you as well!
A Little Christmas Craft Wisdom
I’m going to share a secret that took me way too long to learn… are you ready? Parents don’t care what the craft is as long as they can tell their kiddo made it. I used to spend so much time trying to come up with these elaborate, fancy crafts. I often spent WAY too much money, felt super stressed, and then never loved the results unless they looked perfect.
However, I’ve learned that parents love those imperfect, simple crafts. As a parent, the crafts and projects I keep are the ones that are clearly completed, start to finish, by my daughter. The crafts that clearly has a little (a hem) “teacher guidance”, I’m much less likely to keep. So, as you’re working on crafts this holiday season, keep in mind that parents what to see THEIR students imperfectly adorable work, not your Pinterest perfect vision of a craft. (This also free you up to keep it simple and not break the bank!)
5 Easy Christmas Crafts for Students for $1 or Less
Say Cheese, Rudolph!
These adorable velvet frames are sure to be a hit with parents and students alike. Not only are the oh so cute, but they’re so simple to create! Simply have students use markers or colored pencils to color the frame and then add a picture to the middle. I especially like this option because they’re not all strictly Christmas themed, which is perfect if you have students who don’t celebrate. At 42 cents a piece, they’re a bargain for sure!
Make Your Own Ornaments
These cute, thick paper ornaments are perfect for even the littlest hands. They have a stamped design already on the ornament which makes decorating a breeze! Students can use markers, crayons, colored pencil, paint, or glitter glue to decorate them however they wish. (I love these paint brushes as a low budget option along with this paint set.) Just add your own ribbon to hang them up, and you’re good to go! At 46 cents a piece, they’re another low cost, simple option.
A Handy and Hands on Craft
These super cute mitten strings are one of my favorite options because they can be used two ways! Each string includes three sets of mittens. First, you can have each student decorate their own pair of mittens using paint, markers, colored pencils, or glitter glue. When complete, you can hang them in your classroom for a fun, winter display! Once it’s time to take them down? Cut each students pair apart and you can send them home as a gift to parents! I suggest having students design their mittens to represent themselves or to showcase things they like. This option is 24 cents per student and serves double duty. I call that a win win!
Peek a Boo Ornaments
These embossed ornaments are beautifully designed and look great when painted! The cut out in the middle allows you to have some fun with colors as well! Leave them as is, or attach some glitter paper or felt to the back side to emphasize the fun shapes in the middle. Just add your own ribbon to hang them, and you’re ready to go. These ornaments are just over $1 per student.
Velvet Ornaments
I just love how much these velvet ornaments look like stained glass when students color them with markers! The patterns on the ornaments also give students a guide as to how to design their ornament. However, the color choices are all up to them! For a little extra fun, you can add gems or glitter to make them pop. This option is 75 cents per student.
These low budget options are also super students friendly, simple for you, and will be loved by parents!
One of the best parts is that shipping is free on orders of $25* AND you can save an extra 20% with the code M4782!
I hope these simple crafts take some of the stress and burden off of your shoulders this holiday season.
Want to see more of my favorite resources from Steps to Literacy? Check out the posts below.
Listening Libraries Diverse Chapter Books Rich Mentor Texts NGSS Science Book Collections Back to School Favorites White Board Tips Tactile Letters Small Group Organization STEM Tools Brain Breaks Calm Down Kit Ideas
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