Christmas crafts aren't just for tiny tots and 2nd-grade kiddos! Even though your 6th-grade students may act more like 22-year-olds than tweens, they can get just as artsy as the elementary set. That's why we've put together the top ho-ho-holiday DIY Christmas crafts for middle schoolers.
Santa is on his way, the Christmas ornaments are decking the trees, and you're searching for a kids' craft (or a few) to try out with your students. Christmas art projects take the holiday season spirit and turn it up a notch!
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Video of the Day
Tip
The Christmas activities you try out can go beyond simple holiday-themed lessons. Your students can use their projects as gifts while learning about working with different art mediums.
From Rudolph and Frosty the Snowman to Santa himself, these Christmas crafts are perfect for kids of all ages. So get ready to craft a cute keepsake card, Christmas ornaments and more with the best ideas for kids.
Personalized Christmas card craft project
Plan holiday crafts that tap into your students' creativity and give them a handmade gift for their families. For this paper craft, your students will need to plan ahead and bring family photos, including pictures of pets, to art class with them.
Provide large, blank note cards, poster board and construction paper, as well as glue, scissors, stickers, glitter, painting materials and craft pens. Instruct the 6th-grade students to cut out card or construction paper frames for their photos. Tell them to glue the photos in the frames and then decorate the frames with glitter, stickers, paint and other materials. You can even provide magnets for them to apply to the back of this simple craft photo frame.
Tip
Reuse cardboard boxes as eco-friendly backing for the cards. Cut the cardboard to size and glue it to the note card, poster board or construction paper.
Christmas ornament kids' craft
Reindeer ornament anyone? Your 6th-grade students can craft their own holiday season decor. This Christmas tree craft is easy and awesomely artsy! Give your students clear plastic ornaments to decorate with craft paint. This DIY Christmas craft is easy to customize. The kiddos can use cotton balls to stamp snowflakes onto the outside of the ornaments, paint reindeer (use pipe cleaners and glue to add antlers) or make a silly snowman ornament.
If you're searching for a Christmas craft that doesn't have a snowman, reindeer, Santa Claus or another obvious seasonal symbol, use a popsicle stick to drip white paint into the ornament. This creates a snow globe effect! Swap the white paint for the primary colors to create STEM-inspired abstract ornament crafts.
Warning
Craft paint and 6th graders may not mix. Avoid a major mess and cover the work surface with scrap cardboard.
Gingerbread house Christmas art project
This is a great 6th-grade project for small groups of middle school kids. Limit the groups to two or three students per group. You'll need to provide glue, white cake frosting, icing decorator bags with tips, graham crackers, milk cartons from the school cafeteria, a 4x4-inch square of cardboard for each group, shredded coconut, gumdrops, mini marshmallows, licorice sticks and any other types of small, decorative candies.
Give each group white glue, a handful of graham crackers, a milk carton, a cardboard square, white icing and a decorator bag. Instruct them to glue the milk carton to the cardboard and then secure graham crackers on all four sides of the milk carton. They will use the white frosting as glue to place the graham crackers in position. Instruct them to angle two graham crackers to create a roof for the house and then use frosting to keep it in place.
Tip
Add in a math lesson on architecture and engineering. Ask the students to draft blueprints and create an IRL scale for their gingerbread houses.
Allow them to decorate the house and the rest of the cardboard square to their own tastes. They can use marshmallows to build a mini-snowman outside the house, add candy cane columns, or sprinkle the coconut to look like snow.
Fancy Christmas candle craft ideas
Make DIY Christmas decorations! This 6th-grade art project can be done at school, or you can send it home as an assignment. Provide the students with cheap glass jar candles in red, green and white, as well as tacky glue, beads, pom poms, paint and glitter. Ask your students to decorate the exteriors of the candle jars with the craft items. For example, they can paint winter scenes, such as snowflakes or Christmas trees. If they prefer, they can just glue beads around the candle's rim to create simple designs.
Now you're ready for a fun Christmas season getting crafty in class! Christmas tree ornaments, candles and other cute holiday season activities are easy and artsy, and each little project is perfect for giving as a gift.