Christmas is just around the corner, which means it’s time to pull out all the DIY projects you can think of to keep the little ones busy (and merry!).

One of our favorite Christmas projects is this adorable elf name craft! 

It’s a simple activity that’s tailored to toddlers, preschoolers, and pre-K kids, but anyone can join in on the fun!

The best part about this craft? It doubles as Christmas décor, so you can swap out the old stuff for something your little one made with their hands. 

And if you’re looking for more Christmas crafts to make with the little ones, we’ve got you covered with these elf activities for kids. These are simple activities for toddlers and preschoolers, like coloring sheets, paper bag puppets, and Popsicle stick projects. 

We’ve also got educational activities for older kids with greater motor control so everyone can enjoy themselves and learn at the same time. 

Now, who’s ready to get crafty?

Preschool Elf Craft

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Supplies

• Colored cardstock or construction paper
• Scissors
• Glue
• Elf template (enter your email in the form at the end of this post to have the link sent to you)

Directions

Download the elf template, print, and cut out the pieces you need. Note that the elf name template accommodates names up to 7 letters long.

Begin to make the elf by gluing the nose in the middle of the face, above the mouth.

Place one eye on each side of the nose and glue them in place.

Next, take the hair and glue it to the top of the head.

Position the elf’s collar at the bottom of the elf’s head and glue it to the back.

Take the elf’s hat trim and glue it to the base of the hat. You can edit the template to write in the child’s name or you can have the child write their name.

Glue the hat pom at the tip of the hat.

Finish up by gluing the hat to the top of the elf’s head.

We’re sure that your little ones loved making this fun elf craft. Be sure to check out our many other Christmas crafts this season to keep your kids entertained!

Christmas Ideas For Kids

From reading books together to more crafts, keep reading for more Christmas activities for kids that need almost zero prep and are simple to make.

As a bonus, many of these ideas double as gifts or handmade cards that would look great under the tree. After all, is there anything like giving your friends, family, or teachers something your kids made with love?

Christmas Books For Kids

This Christmas season, make some time to cozy up with your kids and read aloud to them. It may seem like a small thing, but reading aloud to your kids has some big benefits.

For one thing, it helps them to develop a love for reading. When you make reading enjoyable and engage their imagination, they’ll be more likely to want to pick up a book on their own.

Additionally, reading aloud helps kids to develop their language skills. As they hear you pronounce words correctly and use proper grammar, they’ll start to pick up on these things themselves.

Finally, reading aloud is just plain fun! You and your kids can bond over the story, laugh together at the characters, and get lost in the world of the book.

Below are some of the top Christmas books to read to your kids!

Dasher: This wonderfully illustrated Christmas book for kids gives you the back story on one of Santa’s favorite reindeer, Dasher! Girls will especially love to read this since Dasher is a girl.

Construction Site On Christmas Night: Fans of the fun characters of the construction site books have to add this Christmas-themed story to their collection. See how the trucks get ready for Christmas!

How To Catch An Elf: Kids everywhere love the silliness of this Christmas story. The rhymes and the illustrations will draw the kids in as well. This is a Christmas book kids will want to read every year!

Christmas Crafts For Kids

We can almost hear Santa sliding down the chimney! Take a little inspiration from the man himself and slide down this list of Christmas crafts for kids.

They’re LOTS of fun and they only require basic art supplies like cardstock, paper, paint, and glue.

Create an entire Christmas unit based around these crafts or save them for a chilly day! 

Reindeer Name Craft – Santa wouldn’t be Santa without his trusted team of reindeer! These little guys are ready to help the kiddos pass the time before the big day. All you’ll need is some colored cardstock, glue, and the reindeer name printable.

Paper Plate Grinch Craft – Make Christmas even more magical by adding some Seuss-inspired flair. This paper plate craft is great for children who love over-the-top characters like the Grinch. Plus, you can easily adapt it to kids of all ages. Toddlers and preschoolers will love sticking glue and playing with paint, while older kids can play around with different materials and create their own version of the Grinch. 

Santa Handprint Craft – It doesn’t get any sweeter than this DIY craft that immortalizes your child’s handprint for years to come. Grab some colored cardstock, a red or pink pom pom (you can also swap for cotton balls), and trace your child’s handprint. If your little helper is still learning how to work with scissors, pre-cut all the pieces and give them a little hand gluing everything together. 

Elf on the Shelf Gingerbread Man Disguise – Encourage creative thinking with this adorable craft that blends two of our favorite fairy tales – the gingerbread man and Elf on the Shelf. Print the free template and cut out all the parts. Color the elf’s eyes, draw on the nose and cheeks, and add some eyelashes. Finish up by gluing his hat and the rest of the body and you’ve got the cutest Christmas keepsake! 

Christmas Activities For Kids

Looking for fun activities to keep your little one busy? This gingerbread man dot-to-dot activity pack is a great way for kids to practice counting, fine motor, and problem solving skills. We kept these printable activities really simple, so the highest number you’ll find is 25. Just download the templates, print them, and connect the dots to unveil this holiday cutie. 

Need a low-prep activity you can whip together with just a few materials? Spread cheer in the classroom or at home with these elf worksheets. Kids of all ages can handle these basic learning activities, which teach letter recognition, handwriting, and scissor skills.  

This Christmas matching game will keep the little ones busy whether they’re in the classroom or lounging around on a chilly afternoon. Matching games can help kids work on language skills, concentration, hand-eye coordination, and memory skills. 

Has Netflix played babysitter too many times this year? Switch things up with these Santa do a dot printables that definitely SLEIGH! Your kids will get a kick out of dotting, drawing, and solving different puzzles as they learn a variety of skills. 

Christmas Fun

• Grab this custom Santa sack to stuff your kids’ presents in for Christmas!
• This felt Christmas tree will keep the kids busy rearranging their tree instead of yours!
• Get one of these personalized gingerbread man ornaments for each of your kids.

Share With Us

Did you make this activity with your kids or students? We’d love to feature them on our social media!

For a chance to have your child’s project featured, simply snap a picture of the completed project and post it to our Facebook page, email it to us directly by clicking here, or use #simpleeverydaymom on your social media!

Elf Name Craft Template