Whether you’re searching for gift ideas or looking for ways to keep kids engaged and happy over winter break, these hands-on projects and design challenges are sure to make the season bright. Here are some of our favorite holiday projects for kids.
Create One-of-a-Kind Cards.
#1: Bring a little levity with a pop-up joke card.
Share your favorite corny jokes with surprising pop-up cards. All you’ll need is some paper, tape, rubber bands and your visionary powers to create cards that really pop.
If you’re scratching your head for a joke that will tickle your recipient’s funny bone, check out these wintery examples for inspiration.
- What do snowmen eat for breakfast? Snowflakes!
- What did the gingerbread man put under his blankets? A cookie sheet.
- What did one loaf of bread say to the other during Hanukkah? Happy challah days!
- What is a cow’s favorite holiday? Moo Year’s Day.
#2: Light it up with some illuminated art.
Here’s a bright idea: Hone your drawing and circuitry skills with a DIY project that’s also an awesome complement to any gift! This illuminating challenge takes you step by step through designing your own brilliant greeting card and wiring it with LED lights to make something that’s sure to delight its recipients.
Heads up: Once it’s wired, this card can be tricky to send through the mail. We recommend hand delivering it.
Design Delightful Decorations.
#3: Inspire others with a beautiful banner.
Get the message out! In this design challenge, you’ll craft an inspiring banner to hang in your window. You’ll need to be collaborative and incorporate ideas from everyone in your family about what words and colors to use in your banner.
#4: Create your crew in flag form.
Spruce up your window with some friendly family flags! In this design challenge, you’ll create animal flags that represent everyone in your family. You’ll need to be collaborative by using your family member’s ideas for the colors and animals to include on the flags.
Make Something Sweet to Eat.
#5: Whip up a batch of marvelous meringues.
What’s more classic than a day of cookie baking? Explore the fascinating world of kitchen chemistry as you whip up an impressive dessert classic—sugary, crisp meringues. The meringue-making process can sound daunting, but no need to fear! Be courageous by giving it a shot, and sweet treats will be your reward.
#6: Become a frosting phenomenon.
Sugar cookies are easy to bake, fun to decorate and make any holiday a little sweeter. But this Design-it-Yourself challenge serves them up with a visionary twist: It’s up to you to invent a whole batch of cookie decoration designs the world has never seen before! Take your cookies to the next level with these sugar cookie icing techniques.
Release Your Inner Artist.
#7: Snap a series of smashing shots.
Look through the lens of innovation as you create a picture-perfect work of art! In this challenge, you’ll take color-themed photos and arrange them into a coordinated collage. You’ll need to be reflective by thinking about the most interesting angles to photograph each object and how to arrange the photos in the most eye-catching way.
#8: Say it with a song.
Sing it loud and proud! In this challenge, you’ll create a song or poem to appreciate someone important in your life. You’ll need to be courageous and share it with them, even if you feel nervous about performing.
Don’t Toss Those Boxes!
#9: Redesign your room.
Build custom cardboard furniture you can actually use, then stylize it with your own unique look. In this challenge, you’ll learn cardboard construction techniques to create simple seats or small tables with cabinets. You’ll need to be courageous by putting your furniture to maximum weight tests, even if there’s the chance you may break it and have to rebuild.
#10: Let the good times roll.
Have a blast creating your own version of a classic arcade favorite. In this challenge, you’ll use household materials to create your very own skee ball game! As you design, you’ll have to be reflective to help you position your ramp and buckets just right.
Ring in the New Year.
#11: Build your own confetti popper.
Welcome the new year with a bang—or at least a spray of confetti! If you have a toilet paper roll, a balloon, some paper, tape, and scissors, then you have everything you need for these DIY poppers.
