As the jingle bells start to ring and the scent of gingerbread fills the air, teachers around the world are on the lookout for festive activities to bring some holiday cheer into their classrooms. Crafting is one such activity that is not only fun but also encourages creativity, fine motor skill development, and can often be tied into educational themes. One such simple yet engaging activity is creating Christmas crafts using the humble paper plate—a versatile and inexpensive material that’s perfect for a classroom setting.
Paper Plate Christmas Trees
An all-time favorite for its simplicity and room for creativity, paper plate Christmas trees are a joy to make. All you need are small-sized paper plates, green paint, colorful pom-poms or sequins for decorations, a brown cardstock for the trunk, and glue. Have students paint their plates green (these will become the layers of the tree). Once dry, cut them in halves and then in increasing semi-circle sizes. Stack and glue them from largest to smallest on top of each other onto a sturdy piece of cardstock, forming a tree. Kids can get creative by decorating their trees with pom-poms, glitter glue, or stickers as ornaments.
Paper Plate Santa Claus
For this craft, you’ll need paper plates, cotton balls, red craft paper, and markers. Let children start by coloring a portion of the plate with red marker to form Santa’s hat. Then they can glue a rim of cotton balls along the bottom edge of where they colored red for the brim of his hat and one more in the corner for his pom-pom. They can then use more cotton balls to create Santa’s beard around the lower part of the plate. Cut out eyes from black paper or use googly eyes and draw or add a red craft paper nose to complete his jolly face.
Paper Plate Wreaths
Simple yet effective at bringing out the holiday spirit are paper plate wreaths which can be made by painting a paper plate green and cutting out the center circle once dried. Children can then glue on rolled-up strips of green tissue paper to add texture, as well as red berries made from crumpled up pieces of red tissue or construction paper. Finish off by gluing a bow at the bottom (or top) of the wreath made from any type of ribbon or a strip of red construction paper shaped into a bow.
These accessible and enjoyable crafts can bring much joy and creativity into your classroom during this festive season. Not only do they encourage artistic expression, but they also allow children to work with different textures and materials — all while creating beautiful keepsakes that parents will treasure. Happy crafting!
