Try these fabulously festive Christmas crafts for kids this December

You’ll need:

• Cardboard, at Spotlight
• Glue, at Spotlight
• Scissors, at The Warehouse
• Curtain rings, at Spotlight
• Paints and brushes, at Woolworths
• String, at Spotlight

Step 1: Cut out lots of very small leaves from the cardboard. Depending on the size of the curtain ring, you will need about 50. If you want berries on your ring, cut out some small berry-shaped spots as well.
Step 2: Glue leaves to your ring in sets of two, working from the bottom (opposite the metal hook) and fanning all the way around in both directions.
Step 3: Add some berries to the centrepiece or scatter them around the wreath.
Step 4: Paint your leaves and berries, then leave to dry.
Step 5: Attach a string for hanging.

Fancy the fun of decorating but not the admin of creating the craft from scratch? These simple ceramic Christmas decorations are ready to unpackage and be brought to life with a splash of colour.

For extra points, consider buying some additional glitter or a wider range of paint colours to give the kiddies some more creative freedom. If you don’t already have some laying around, you may also need some ribbon to thread through the decorations once they’ve dried, too.

Also consider:

• Glitter, at Spotlight
• Ribbon, at Spotlight

You’ll need:

• Old toy blocks, wooden bits and bobs, like old door knobs
• Hot glue gun and glue sticks, at Spotlight
• Scissors, at Kmart
• Cord or ribbon, at Spotlight
• Large wooden beads, at Spotlight
• Paints and brushes, at Woolworths
• Markers or paint pens (optional), at Amazon
• Varnish or clear glue, at Spotlight

Step 1: Experiment with stacking toys until you are happy with your arrangements. Glue together with hot glue.
Step 2: Cut a loop of cord or ribbon and glue it into a large wooden bead, then attach this to your stacked decoration.
Step 3: Paint with your favourite Christmas colours.
Step 4: Add some special details with a smaller brush, markers or paint pens.
Step 5: Coat in varnish or clear glue to seal.

Many kids are happiest with a belly full of sugar…

Get their little fingers busy in the kitchen with some easy gingerbread house ornaments, or save yourself the hunting and gathering with KitKat’s Christmas Cabin.

The best part about these projects is that they can take anywhere between 45 minutes to a couple of hours, so whether you’re looking to fill a spare hour or an entire afternoon, these will work in your favour.

You’ll need:

• Scissors, at The Warehouse
• Egg carton
• Paints and brushes, at Woolworths
• Single-hole punch, at The Warehouse
• String, at Spotlight
• Small bells (optional), at Spotlight
• Treats (for the treat holder version), at New World
• Cotton thread (for the tassel version), at Spotlight

Step 1: Cut out cone shapes from inside egg carton. There should be five of these in a standard dozen egg carton. Trim them so their edges are straight.
Step 2: Paint and decorate, then leave to dry.
Step 3: Punch a hole in each side of each of the cones.
Step 4: Poke a small hole in top of one cone using a skewer or similar and thread through a loop of string (with a bell attached, if you like). Tie a knot underneath so it doesn’t pull through the cone.
Step 5: Add a small treat inside one cone.
Step 6: Using a piece of thread, lace up two sides of cone and tie with a ribbon on the front.
Step 7: To make the tassel version, use one cone per decoration. Loop through several lengths of string through each hole and tie off to make a tassel. Alternatively, make one big tassel and tie onto the loop of string you have added to the top of the cone.

Advent calendars are such a fun way to build the festive excitement leading up to the big day. There are many available for purchase – not all are filled with chocolate, either – but how much fun is the idea of making your own! Not only will the kids feel proud to open a door (or in this case, a house) that they built themselves, they’ll look forward to the treats they hid inside to!

This kit does not include glue, but if you don’t have any on hand it’s an easy fix. Kill two birds with one stone at Spotlight, and pick some up in the same purchase.