25 Christmas Paper Crafts for Kids (with Complete Tutorial)

Christmas party is fun, unless you have 25 kids and you have to plan crafts every one of them can make. Honestly, it’s the part nobody warns you about.

So we did the planning for you. Here are 25 Christmas paper crafts for kids, from a snowflake that takes five minutes to a paper tree that takes about 45. We went through more than 50 tutorials and kept the ones with clear steps and a finished craft kids will want to show off.

Not every craft here is easy, and that’s on purpose. Older kids get bored fast with a five-minute snowflake, so we kept a few that take real folding and patience. The 3D paper snowflake suits kids 8 and up, with an adult doing the cutting, and the origami snowflake is the hardest on the list, so save it for older kids who like a challenge.

Teacher or mom, you can find your match quickly. Every craft has a Best for tag, and our own tutorials come first in the first three sections. Short on time? The cut snowflake and the glue-free paper tree are the quickest. Got toddlers or preschoolers? Try the handprint wreath or the torn paper candy cane.

These all belong in our Christmas crafts collection. Our paper crafts hub has projects for the rest of the year, and if your kids would rather work with fabric, there are our felt Christmas ornaments.

Christmas Paper Crafts for Kids at a Glance

Paper Christmas Trees and Wreaths

Trees and wreaths are the crafts kids carry home and stand proudly on a shelf. The first four are ours, from a five-minute glue-free tree to a layered leaf wreath, and the picks that follow swap folding for paint and handprints, so there is a version for a preschooler as well as for a nine year old.

1. 3D Paper Christmas Tree (Glue-Free)

Difficulty: Easy (our rating)  ·  Time: About 5 minutes per tree  ·  Materials: Square craft paper, scissors

Best for: Classroom craft time

Our quickest tree needs only a square of paper and scissors. You fold and slit the paper, then fold the cut sections down to build the layers, so there is nothing to wait on while glue dries. A video backs up the photo steps.

Make the 3D Paper Christmas Tree (Glue-Free) →

2. Origami Christmas Tree

Difficulty: Easy (our rating)  ·  Time: About 10 minutes  ·  Materials: One sheet of paper

Best for: Ten-minute quick win

A folded tree from a single piece of paper, with a video to follow along. A couple of trees cost less than a dollar, which makes it an easy one to hand out to a table of kids who each want their own.

Make the Origami Christmas Tree →

3. 3D Paper Christmas Tree with Template

Difficulty: Easy (our rating)  ·  Time: 30 to 45 minutes  ·  Ages: 6+ with help cutting, 9+ on their own  ·  Materials: Green craft paper, glue, scissors, free template

Best for: Rainy afternoon project

Glued green triangles build a cone tree that stands on a paper cylinder trunk with a gold star on top. It takes longer than the glue-free tree above and gives a sturdier, fuller result. The free template arrives by email signup.

Make the 3D Paper Christmas Tree with Template →

4. Paper Christmas Wreath

Difficulty: Easy (our rating)  ·  Time: 30 to 40 minutes  ·  Ages: 6+, or 4 to 5 with help cutting  ·  Materials: Green and red craft paper, cardboard base, glue, scissors, free template

Best for: Door or wall decor

Folded green paper leaves are layered around a cardboard ring and finished with a looped red bow. The leaves go on in small sections that each need a few minutes to dry, so it works well as a calm, one-sitting project.

Make the Paper Christmas Wreath →

5. Folded Paper Christmas Tree with a Pot

Difficulty: Easy (our rating)  ·  Ages: Preschool to primary  ·  Materials: Green origami paper, scissors, ruler, glue stick, small decorations

Best for: Decorating with pompoms

A green square is folded diagonally and cut into strips from the open edge, then the strips are glued to the center one by one into a layered tree. Kids add a pot with a face and decorate it with tiny pompoms, buttons or sequins. The author calls it easy and suitable for mixed ages.

See the Folded Paper Christmas Tree with a Pot at Ocean Child Crafts →

6. Paper Plate Christmas Tree Whirligig

Difficulty: Easy (our rating)  ·  Ages: Preschoolers and up  ·  Materials: Paper plate, green paint, colored paper, scissors, glue stick, string

Best for: Preschool art time

A painted paper plate is cut into a spiral so the tree curls, then paper baubles and a star are added with string. The page is written for kids of all ages and suits preschoolers well, and you can spend as little or as long on it as you like.

See the Paper Plate Christmas Tree Whirligig at Red Ted Art →

7. Paper Plate Christmas Tree

Difficulty: Easy (our rating)  ·  Ages: Preschool and kindergarten  ·  Materials: Paper plate, green paint, buttons, school glue, brown paper, star stickers

Best for: Preschool paint day

Kids paint a paper plate green and turn it into a tree with buttons for ornaments and a star on top. The paint takes several hours to dry, so the author suggests painting one day and decorating the next.

See the Paper Plate Christmas Tree at Simply Full of Delight →

8. Handprint Christmas Wreath

Difficulty: Easy (our rating)  ·  Ages: Toddlers and preschoolers  ·  Materials: Construction paper, paper plate, glue stick

Best for: Toddler keepsake

Green paper handprints are glued around a paper plate ring and finished with red paper berries. The author says it needs no special supplies and suits toddlers and preschoolers, though an adult will likely need to help trace and cut the handprints.

See the Handprint Christmas Wreath at B-Inspired Mama →

Paper Snowflakes and Hanging Ornaments

Snowflakes work in any classroom because paper is the one supply every child already has. Our two hanging ornaments lead the section, followed by a five-minute cut snowflake, a tissue paper plate ornament and a torn paper candy cane for the youngest crafters.

9. Paper Strip Christmas Ornaments

Difficulty: Medium (our rating)  ·  Time: About 30 minutes  ·  Ages: 8+, younger kids with help  ·  Materials: Two sheets of colored paper, glue, scissors, string

Best for: Hanging on the tree

Eight strips cut from two sheets of paper are glued at one end, then each strip gets a single twist that swells the whole thing into a lantern-shaped swirl. Make a few in different color pairs and hang them at different heights.

Make the Paper Strip Christmas Ornaments →

10. 3D Paper Snowflake

Difficulty: Medium (our rating)  ·  Time: 30 to 40 minutes per snowflake  ·  Ages: 8+, with adult help cutting  ·  Materials: Six paper squares, liquid craft glue, scissors

Best for: Batch for a garland

Six folded paper points are glued into a single snowflake, and no printable template is needed. The fold becomes automatic after the first few points, so a dozen over a weekend is enough for the tree and a garland.

Make the 3D Paper Snowflake →

11. Origami Snowflake

Difficulty: Harder (our rating)  ·  Materials: Six square sheets, glue

Best for: Confident folders

Six folded points are glued side by side into a detailed snowflake from 10 cm squares of paper. It is easier than it looks, though the post says it is not fully beginner friendly, so we would hand it to older kids.

Make the Origami Snowflake →

12. Cut Paper Snowflakes

Difficulty: Easy (our rating)  ·  Time: About 5 minutes  ·  Materials: Square paper, scissors

Best for: Five-minute classroom filler

Two folding methods are shown for cutting a simple snowflake from a square of any size. The page includes advice for cutting with kindergarteners, and it is one of the quickest ways to keep a whole class busy.

See the Cut Paper Snowflakes at Crafty Art Ideas →

13. Paper Plate Ornament with Tissue Paper

Difficulty: Medium (our rating)  ·  Materials: Paper plate, tissue paper, glue and water mix, ribbon, hole punch

Best for: Colorful tree ornament

Overlapping circles of tissue paper are brushed onto a paper plate with watered-down glue, building up a stained glass effect. Once it dries, a punched hole and a ribbon turn it into an ornament.

See the Paper Plate Ornament with Tissue Paper at Super Simple →

14. Torn Paper Candy Cane

Difficulty: Easy (our rating)  ·  Ages: Even young toddlers can help  ·  Materials: Red and green construction paper, blank paper, glue sticks

Best for: Toddlers with help

Kids tear red and green paper into confetti-sized pieces and glue them onto a hand-drawn candy cane, one section at a time. The author says very young toddlers can help tear the paper, so it suits the youngest crafters.

See the Torn Paper Candy Cane at How Wee Learn →

Santas, Nutcrackers and Folded Characters

When kids want a character to hold rather than a shape to hang, a Santa or a nutcracker delivers a face. Our four folded and rolled pieces come first, then two plate and bag Santas that need little more than glue and a template.

15. Origami Santa

Difficulty: Medium (our rating)  ·  Materials: Paper white on one side and red on the other, craft glue, scissors

Best for: Garland or story puppet

This folded Santa needs paper that is white on one side and red on the other, or two thin sheets stuck together, plus a few cut-out details for the face. Use it as an ornament, string several into a garland or turn it into a story puppet.

Make the Origami Santa →

16. Origami Gloves and Stockings

Difficulty: Easy (our rating)  ·  Time: 10 to 15 minutes per piece, 5 to 7 once practiced  ·  Ages: 7+  ·  Materials: Origami paper, white copy paper, glue, scissors

Best for: Making a matching set

Each glove or stocking is a few folds plus a white paper cuff strip, and a set of eight costs under $2. Younger children may need help with the precise folds.

Make the Origami Gloves and Stockings →

17. Origami Christmas Bookmarks

Difficulty: Easy (our rating)  ·  Time: 10 to 15 minutes per bookmark  ·  Ages: 6+, or 4 to 5 with help  ·  Materials: Origami paper, paper scraps, glue, black pen, free template

Best for: Handmade gifts

One base fold makes a corner bookmark that becomes a Christmas tree, reindeer, gnome or snowman with a few paper pieces. The template with every character is free, so a table of kids can each choose a favorite.

Make the Origami Christmas Bookmarks →

18. Paper Nutcracker Doll

Difficulty: Easy (our rating)  ·  Materials: Colored cardstock, glue stick, scissors, free template

Best for: Shelf or table display

Rolled paper bodies, tall hats and forward-angled arms make a standing nutcracker doll from the free template. The arms need at least five minutes to dry, and the post says the whole craft costs almost nothing.

Make the Paper Nutcracker Doll →

19. Paper Plate Santa

Difficulty: Easy (our rating)  ·  Time: About 18 minutes  ·  Ages: Early elementary  ·  Materials: Paper plate, red, white and pink paper, free template

Best for: Classroom party craft

A paper plate becomes Santa’s face, topped with a red paper hat and a big white mustache cut from the free template. The page lists about 18 minutes in total and is aimed at early elementary kids.

See the Paper Plate Santa at Simple Everyday Mom →

20. Santa Paper Bag Puppet

Difficulty: Easy (our rating)  ·  Materials: Paper bag, construction paper, printable template, glue, scissors

Best for: Puppet play

Santa’s head glues onto the bag’s flap and the red body, legs and arms onto the front, using a printable template. Younger children can help with the gluing, and the author suggests pre-cutting pieces for kids who are not yet confident with scissors.

See the Santa Paper Bag Puppet at Frosting and Glue →

Cards, Baskets and Countdown Chains

The last group is for crafts with a job to do: cards to send, a basket to hang and chains to take apart one day at a time. These five come from other creators, so each one links to its original tutorial.

21. Pop-Up Christmas Tree Card

Difficulty: Medium (our rating)  ·  Materials: Red and green construction paper, scissors, glue, glitter glue

Best for: Cards for family

A green paper tree is cut from a folded sheet, stacked into layers and glued into the crease of a folded red card, so it stands up when the card opens. A folded cardboard trunk and glitter glue stars finish it.

See the Pop-Up Christmas Tree Card at Little Passports →

22. Fan-Fold Christmas Tree Card

Difficulty: Medium (our rating)  ·  Ages: Younger kids with help, older kids solo  ·  Materials: Thick card, wrapping paper, glue, scissors, gold card

Best for: Using up wrapping paper

Rectangles of leftover wrapping paper in rising sizes are folded into zigzag fans, then glued into a folded card from smallest to largest and topped with a gold star. Younger kids will need help, while older kids can manage with very little.

See the Fan-Fold Christmas Tree Card at Life’s Carousel →

23. Woven Paper Heart Basket

Difficulty: Medium (our rating)  ·  Materials: Two colors of cardstock, printable template, glue, optional ribbon

Best for: Weaving practice

Two printed hearts in different colors are cut with slits and woven together at right angles into a basket, with a paper handle glued inside. The page links it to a Christmas custom in Sweden and Denmark.

See the Woven Paper Heart Basket at First Palette →

24. Paper Chain Advent Calendar

Difficulty: Easy (our rating)  ·  Ages: Toddlers can help, older kids can build  ·  Materials: Construction paper, ruler, scissors, glue stick or stapler

Best for: Counting down to Christmas

Construction paper strips are linked into 24 loops, one for each day from December 1, and a child takes one loop off each morning. The author made hers in under 15 minutes, and toddlers can help while older children join in on the construction.

See the Paper Chain Advent Calendar at Mimosas and Motherhood →

25. Santa Beard Paper Chain Countdown

Difficulty: Easy (our rating)  ·  Materials: Free printable template, paper, scissors, glue or tape

Best for: Santa-themed countdown

A Santa face from the free printable gets a beard made of 24 paper chain links. Kids remove one link each day, so the beard gets shorter as Christmas gets closer.

See the Santa Beard Paper Chain Countdown at Mombrite →

Tips for Christmas Paper Crafts with Kids

• Start the paint and glue crafts first. The paper plate trees and the tissue paper ornament need drying time, so give each child a folding craft such as the origami tree while those dry.
• Pre-cut for the youngest children. Strips, handprints and shapes cut in advance leave toddlers with the tearing and gluing, which they manage best.
• Swap small decorations. Where a pick calls for buttons, pompoms or sequins, use paper dots or stickers for children under four.
• Match the paper to the craft. Thin craft paper folds best for the origami and 3D picks, and cardstock suits standing crafts such as the nutcracker doll.

Frequently Asked Questions

Paper is cheap enough to make in batches, so a lopsided first try costs almost nothing and the second one usually comes out better.

Made one of these? Share your Christmas paper craft in the I Made It space inside Craftaholic Community. The most-loved post each month wins a one year free Premium membership.