Every year I get so caught up in Christmas shopping and card writing and decorating that I forget my kids have a whopping two weeks off from school. And then I hit the panic button.
Please tell me that I’m not the only one currently sitting here going, “Wait, there are HOW many days of school left?!” I’ve been so busy with everything else this season — buying gifts, writing out cards, getting toys for our Angel Tree at school — that I completely forgot that I actually have to entertain these kids for two weeks straight.
And while it’s so much fun to be home with them, the days can also be long and, well, kinda boring for them. We try to plan play dates and other things to do, but let’s be real: It takes a lot of creativity to come up with eight hours’ worth of activities that are toddler-appropriate. The iPad eventually gets old, and you can’t take your two-year old to a museum or expect him to sit through a movie. And who wants to visit every indoor playground in the area smack in the middle of cold and flu season? (Pass the hand sanitizer, please.)
One of my favorite ways to keep the kids occupied on the weekends — and during their upcoming winter break — is by stocking our play closet with craft kits.
In my quest to find some fun — and non-messy — Christmas craft activities for the kids to do over break, I rounded up this list for you in case you’re in the same boat and in need of something for the little ones to do aside from watching Nick Jr. for hours on end. (Yep, totally been there before.) And every craft kit here contains EVERYTHING you need to make the craft, minus maybe a glue stick. No last-minute trips to the craft store required.
Bonus: These craft kits make amazing holiday and birthday gifts too, which means they’re great for just about any moment year-round when your kids need some entertainment and you need to preserve your sanity (and the cleanliness of your home).
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My Favorite Non-Messy Christmas Crafts for Kids
I realize that you could go to the craft store and toss a bunch of sequins and crayons and pom poms into your cart, but here’s the thing: Sometimes that’s just too much work.
There, I said it. And I know that you’re with me on this one.
It’s okay to admit that we just don’t have the bandwidth to add one more thing to our to-do list.
So what’s not to love about finding an amazing craft kit that contains EVERYTHING you need, that’s also available on Amazon with two-day Prime shipping?! And if I don’t have to spend hours fishing glitter out of the tile grout?! I mean, that is totally a cause for celebration.
Here are a couple of my favorite brands that offer all-in-one craft kits, along with why I think they’re so rad. (Pssst — If you just wanna browse my favorites and snag one or two kits for your kiddos, then scroll down a bit and click on each image to add it to your Amazon cart.)
- Creativity for Kids: From make-your-own-book kits to DIY terrariums, this company is FULL of awesome ideas and products to cure kids’ boredom. I just ordered this ornament kit for the kiddos to do next week when school is out, and Santa is bringing this cool craft kit for my almost six-year old.
- ALEX Toys: This company has an awesome variety of craft kits — ranging from ones that teach kids to sew to another called “My Busy Box.” (I mean, just the name of that one sounds like a slam dunk for a rainy and cold weekend.) I love that they offer kits for kids of all ages. I bought some of their products for my daughter when she was just three — she loved these peel-and-stick mosaic projects that are super fun and also help kids master fine motor skills. And that was the beginning of our love affair with ALEX Toys.
- Melisa & Doug: I’ve never met a parent of young kids who doesn’t love Melissa & Doug toys and crafts. I mean, these people are basically geniuses when it comes to kids’ stuff. I am obsessed with their crafts because they offer a number of kits that feature peel-and-press stained glass kits, not to mention mess-free glitter and sand creations,. Somehow these people figured out how to take the messiest activities ever and turn them into something that doesn’t suck for parents. Dear Melissa and Doug: Please just go ahead and take my money.
Shop My Favorite Christmas Crafts for Kids
Click the links below to shop my favorite craft kits. Happy crafting, and hooray for five minutes of peace for YOU!
