Christmas Craft Activities That Support EYFS Learning Goals

Christmas Craft Activities That Support EYFS Learning Goals

Posted by EYR Team on 2nd Nov 2026

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Looking for fun and festive Christmas craft ideas that support early years learning? From decorating gift bags and making paper baubles to exploring sensory oobleck and creating colourful window decorations, these Christmas activities are a great way to combine creativity with learning. Each activity offers opportunities to develop important early years skills, including fine motor development, communication, early maths, sensory exploration and creative thinking.

Whether you're planning Christmas activities for a nursery, preschool or early years setting, these easy-to-set-up ideas are perfect for getting little ones involved in the festive fun while supporting their learning and development.

1. DIY Christmas Gift Bags

 

Get children into the festive spirit by creating their own Christmas gift bags. Children can decorate paper bags using paint, pens, stickers, stamps and other craft materials, adding their own personal designs. They can choose colours, experiment with different textures and talk about who they might give their finished bags to, making this a lovely activity for encouraging creativity and giving.

You will need:

Learning Benefits: Creative Development, Fine Motor Skills, Communication & Language, Personal, Social & Emotional Development

2. Paper Lantern Christmas Baubles

 

Let children get creative by painting their own paper lantern Christmas baubles. Provide a selection of festive colours and encourage children to experiment with different paintbrushes, patterns and designs as they decorate their lanterns. Once finished, the baubles can be displayed around the setting, creating a colourful Christmas decoration that children can feel proud of making themselves.

You will need:

  • Paper Lanterns
  • Paints
  • Glitter & Decorations
  • String

Learning Benefits: Creative Development, Fine Motor Skills, Colour Recognition, Hand-Eye Coordination

3. Gingerbread Puffy Paint Icing

 

Bring gingerbread characters to life with this fun puffy paint activity. Children can create their own gingerbread people before adding colourful icing, buttons and decorations using puffy paint. The different textures make this an engaging sensory experience, while squeezing, spreading and carefully adding details helps to strengthen little hands and develop hand-eye coordination.

You will need:

Learning Benefits: Sensory Play, Fine Motor Skills, Creative Development, Hand-Eye Coordination

4. Origami Christmas Tree Download

  

Encourage children to have a go at making their own folded paper Christmas trees. Following the simple steps helps children to listen carefully, follow instructions and develop an understanding of sequence, while folding and manipulating the paper provides valuable fine motor practice. Once complete, children can decorate their trees however they wish, adding their own creative touches.

You will need:

Learning Benefits: Fine Motor Skills, Listening & Attention, Following Instructions, Creative Development

5. Santa Sleigh Ink Activity

 

Get creative with this fun Santa sleigh ink activity! Children can use the festive Santa and reindeer stamps to create their own Christmas pictures and patterns. Encourage them to experiment with positioning the stamps, repeating the design and creating different scenes. This is a simple activity that provides plenty of opportunities for children to practise hand control and coordination while having fun with festive mark making.

You will need:

Learning Benefits: STEAM, Fine Motor Skills, Hand-Eye Coordination, Creative Development, Mark Making

6. Peg Snowflakes

 

Turn simple wooden pegs into beautiful Christmas snowflakes with this easy craft activity. Children can arrange and join the pegs to create their own snowflake designs, experimenting with patterns, shapes and symmetry as they work. The activity also provides plenty of opportunities for developing finger strength and coordination as children manipulate the pegs.

You will need:

  • Clothes pegs
  • String

Learning Benefits: Fine Motor Skills, Early Maths, Creative Development, Problem Solving

7. Fairy Light Number Patterns Paper Pad Activity

 

Make early maths festive with this fairy light number patterns activity. Children can explore numbers and continue simple patterns as they decorate the fairy lights, encouraging them to look carefully at what comes next. Practitioners can extend the activity by talking about colours, counting the lights and creating their own repeating patterns.

You will need:

  • Tuff tray
  • Paper pad
  • Pens
  • Number cubes

Learning Benefits: Early Maths, Number Recognition, Pattern Recognition, Fine Motor Skills

8. Melting Snowman Oobleck

 

Add some messy Christmas sensory play to your setting with a melting snowman oobleck activity. Children can explore the unusual texture of oobleck as they investigate what happens when they squeeze, scoop and move it around. Add snowman-themed props and encourage children to describe how it feels, supporting sensory exploration as well as imaginative play and communication.

You will need:

Learning Benefits: Sensory Play, Understanding the World, Communication & Language, Imaginative Play

9. Xmas Window Glue Stickers

 

Create colourful Christmas decorations for your windows using glue and festive shapes. Children can squeeze and spread the glue, arrange their decorations and experiment with different colours and designs. Once dry, the finished pieces can be displayed on the windows, giving children a sense of pride and helping them to see their creative work become part of the setting's Christmas decorations.

You will need:

Learning Benefits: Fine Motor Skills, Creative Development, Hand-Eye Coordination, Personal, Social & Emotional Development

Make Christmas Learning Fun with Festive Crafts

Christmas is a wonderful time of year to get creative with children, and these festive craft activities are a great way to combine Christmas fun with valuable early years learning. From painting and stamping to exploring colours, patterns and textures, each activity gives children the opportunity to develop important skills while creating something they can be proud of.

Whether you're looking for activities to enjoy in your nursery, preschool or early years setting, these Christmas crafts are simple, engaging and easy to adapt to suit the children in your care. So gather your craft supplies, put on some festive music and let the Christmas creativity begin!

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