Easy Paper Plate Christmas Crafts for Kids

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Looking for creative Christmas Paper Plate Crafts for kids? These easy ideas use supplies you already have, so you can skip the store and start the fun today!

Paper Plate Christmas Crafts are my secret weapon when the kids start bouncing off the walls in December. 🎄 All you need is a stack of plates, some glue, and a little holiday spirit. Trust me, this mama has tried fancier projects, and nothing beats the humble paper plate!

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What Are These Crafts All About?

These are simple holiday projects that start with a plain paper plate. Kids paint, cut, and glue it into a Santa, a reindeer, a wreath, or even a snow globe. The round shape does half the work for you, so the results look adorable with very little effort.

Most of them take 20 to 30 minutes from start to finish. Better yet, many come with free printable templates, which means less prep for busy moms like us. Honestly, that’s a win in my book! 🙌

Why You’ll Love These Ideas

First, these easy Christmas crafts are super budget friendly. You probably have plates left over from the last birthday party, plus crayons and glue hiding in a junk drawer. No special trip to the craft store needed!

Second, they work for every age. Toddlers can dab paint and stick on cotton balls, while bigger kids handle the cutting and tiny details. That means siblings can craft side by side without a meltdown, and you know that’s a Christmas miracle in itself. 😂

Christmas Paper Plate Crafts for Kids Collage

Why Paper Plate Christmas Crafts Are Such a Fun Way to Celebrate

Crafting together slows the busy season down in the best way. ❄️ Instead of rushing from one event to the next, you get to sit at the kitchen table, sip some cocoa, and chat while little hands stay busy. Those cozy afternoons are the moments my two kiddos still talk about.

These projects also spark creativity and build fine motor skills. Cutting, gluing, and placing tiny pom poms give preschoolers great practice. Plus, every finished Santa or tree looks totally different, so kids feel proud of their very own masterpiece.

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Supplies You Might Need

Every craft below has its own list, but most pull from the same basic stash. Here’s what I keep on hand all December long:

Paper plates (thin, cheap ones cut the easiest)
Washable paint and paintbrushes
Crayons or markers
Construction paper in red, green, brown, white, and yellow
Cotton balls
Pom poms and googly eyes
School glue or glue sticks
Kid-safe scissors
Buttons, stickers, or glitter glue
Ribbon or yarn for hanging
Free printable templates

Shop everything you need by clicking the images below to learn more:

Our Favorite Holiday Paper Plate Projects

I grouped these by theme, so you can find the perfect fit for your crew. Some are toddler friendly, and others give big kids a fun challenge.

Wreaths 🎄

Two Pink Peonies

Christmas Wreath Craft for Preschoolers

Little ones color a plate ring green and decorate it with free printable ornaments. It's low prep and nearly mess free, which makes it perfect for toddlers.

Sunday’s With Jesus

Paper Plate Christmas Wreath Kids Craft

This wreath layers pointy green paper leaves for a full look, then adds a 3D accordion-fold candle and a ribbon bow. It's a great pick for older kids who want more of a challenge.

Christmas Trees 🌲

Simply Full of Delight

Easy Paper Plate Christmas Tree Craft

Kids paint a whole plate green, cut it into three pieces, and stack them into a tree. Colorful buttons become the ornaments, and a foam star sticker tops it off.

Beth Ann Averill

Paper Plate Christmas Tree Craft

This tree uses the same stacked idea but dresses it up with sparkly pipe cleaner garland, pom pom ornaments, and a glitter star. A popsicle stick trunk keeps it nice and sturdy.

Santa Clause 🎅

Mommy Christmas

Paper Plate Santa Craft

Kids paint a full Santa face with a bright red hat, then build a fluffy beard from pulled-apart cotton balls. It doubles as a sensory activity since little hands love all those textures.

Cultivating Brilliant Minds

Santa Paper Plate Craft

Here's another classic cotton-beard Santa, but this one includes a free template for the hat, eyes, and nose. It also suggests Christmas books and learning extensions, which teachers will adore.

Beth Ann Averill

Santa Paper Plate Craft

This jolly guy starts with a half plate and gets a triangle hat with its own belt and buckle. Swirls of glitter glue on the beard add extra sparkle. ✨

Reindeer 🦌

The Purple Yarn

Paper Plate Reindeer Handprint Craft

A brown painted plate becomes a sweet reindeer with pink cheeks and traced handprint antlers. Those tiny handprints make it a precious keepsake.

The Keele Deal

Rudolph Paper Plate Craft

Two plates join together so Rudolph can stand on his own. Even better, his nose actually glows with a battery tea light behind red tissue paper!

More Holiday Characters ⛄

Cultivating Brilliant Minds

Paper Plate Gingerbread Craft

Kids paint the plate brown, add drippy white icing, and glue on paper candy dots. A free holly and smile template makes it look good enough to eat! 🍪

Ruffles and Rain Boots

Paper Plate Gnome Craft for Preschoolers

Kids snip along the plate's ridges to make a fringy beard, then add a tall red hat and pom pom nose. It's awesome scissor practice and only takes about ten minutes.

Ottawa Mommy Club

Paper Plate Snow Globes

A fluffy cotton snowman sits inside a paper plate globe wearing felt accessories. Kids can customize him any way they like, and a free template keeps it simple.

Simply Full of Delight

Baby Jesus Craft for Kids

Kids color a printable baby Jesus and glue him onto a yellow plate manger with raffia hay. It's a sweet, low-mess way to share the true meaning of Christmas.

Variations to Try

Want to switch things up? Each of these crafts bends easily to fit your kids and your supply closet. Try one of these simple twists:

Swap paint for crayons or markers when you want less mess.
Use small dessert plates to make mini versions that double as ornaments.
Add sequins, buttons, or glitter glue for extra sparkle.
Glue a craft stick on the back to turn any face into a puppet.
Write your child’s name and the year on the back for a keepsake.

Fun Ways to Use Your Crafts

Once the glue dries, don’t just stack them on the counter! These little projects make adorable DIY Christmas decorations. Here are a few of our favorite ways to show them off:

Hang them on bedroom doors or the fridge.
Set up a craft table at your classroom Christmas party.
String several together into a garland for the mantel.
Use them as place cards at the holiday dinner table.
Tuck one into a card and mail it to Grandma.
Save them in a keepsake box to compare year after year.

Let’s Get Crafting!

I hope these Paper Plate Christmas Crafts bring some extra cheer to your home this season. 🎅 Grab a stack of plates, pour some cocoa, and let the kids get creative. Remember, the glue drips and wonky hats are what make them special!

Don’t forget to save this post to your Christmas crafts board on Pinterest so it’s easy to find in December. Also, join my email list for free holiday printables delivered straight to your inbox. You’ll never be stuck for a fun idea again! 🎄

More Christmas Crafts to try:

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