It’s the most wonderful time of year! The holidays are full of whimsy and magic, making them fun for kids and adults alike.
A Christmas favorite filled with magic, The Nutcracker inspired our newest craft. We love how the Nutcracker comes to life to journey through magical lands with Clara, so our Nutcracker comes to life, too!
Kids will love how they can move the arms and legs on their photo nutcracker craft customized with their picture. They’ll have fun putting together their nutcracker soldier; our template will make it easy.
Continue the holiday fun with more photo crafts for kids that they will love. Check them out and save the ones you’d like to create with the kids this December!
Turn Your Child Into A Nutcracker

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This nutcracker craft encourages creativity and imagination when moving them into different poses. With each pose, they can pretend he’s fighting off the Mouse King!
This photo craft documents your kid’s sweet little face as a favorite Christmas character, so it makes a wonderful keepsake as well. Grab the template to get crackin’ on making memories.
Supplies
- Photo of your child
- White cardstock
- Scissors
- Glue
- Brads
- Small hole punch
- Crayons or markers (if using the color in version)
- Nutcracker template (unlock the image at the end of the post to go to the download page)
Directions
Start by downloading and printing the template. Once the template is printed, gather the materials for this fun activity. Get those scissors ready, and let’s help the kids bring this Nutcracker to life!

First, guide your child in gluing the hat to the top of the child’s photo.

Take the hole punch and punch out all four circles on the nutcracker’s body, the circles on the nutcracker’s arms, and the circles on the nutcracker’s legs.

Attach the arms by stacking the arm on top of the body and push the brad through to the back. Flip the nutcracker over and push both prongs of the brad down, towards the center of the body. Repeat for the other arm.

Next, help your child to attach the legs by placing the legs behind the body and pushing the brad through. Flip the nutcracker over, open the brad, and push them both down. Repeat for the other leg.

Finally, encourage your child to glue the head to the top of the nutcracker’s body.

Your kids will love displaying their photo nutcracker craft all Christmas season! Be sure to check out our other Christmas crafts this year to create even more memories!

Christmas Ideas For Kids
If you’re looking for more Christmas ideas to make this time of year special for the kids, you’re in the right place!
We have lots of fun and educational crafts and activities that will keep them engaged and excited for the holiday.
Keep reading below to check out some of our favorite Christmas projects to do this holiday season.

Christmas Books For Kids
Reading Christmas books to your kids is a great way to get into the holiday spirit! It’s a fun activity that can spark their imagination and bring a bit of magic to the season. Plus, it’ll give them something to look forward to each night before bed.
What kid doesn’t love reading about elves and reindeer? Not only that, but it’s also a wonderful opportunity for them—and you—to slow down from all the hustle and bustle of the holiday season and connect.
Christmas books are an easy way to spend quality time with your children while immersed in an enchanting story.
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
Crafting is an activity that kids love to do, and it also helps them learn.
They can develop important skills such as fine motor skills, problem-solving, following directions, scissor skills, and more when they make a craft.
Crafting is a great creative outlet that boosts children’s self-confidence and can even reduce stress. Get your kids inspired to craft today with some of our favorites below.
Related: Grinch Worksheets
Paper Bag Grinch Craft – Dress the Grinch up in his Santa suit with this fun and easy puppet craft. Take some household craft supplies and transform them into a holiday favorite, Mr. Grinch! It’ll be a fun addition to play pretend with!
Angel Handprint Christmas Craft – Your little angels will love making this special craft and personalizing it with their own handprints. This craft is a great way to incorporate the nativity at home or be a perfect addition to a Sunday school lesson.

Mickey Mouse Gingerbread Man Craft – The gingerbread man decided to hide out at Disneyland as Mickey Mouse this year. He thinks this is the best disguise to keep him from being eaten this holiday season.
Grab our template to see how easy it is to give your gingerbread man the same costume to keep him safe.

Handprint Reindeer Card – This will be the cutest handmade card anyone receives this Christmas. Rudolph is made from your little one’s handprints and decorated to look like he’s harnessed with bells ready for Santa’s sleigh.
Christmas Activities For Kids
There are a few quintessential plants we think of at Christmastime. This free set includes poinsettia, holly, and mistletoe coloring pages your kids will love to color in! It’s also great for them to learn the difference between holly and mistletoe!
Try this Paper Plate Santa Craft
These cute reindeer worksheets are a fun holiday-themed activity for kids to work on. Rudolph will help kids with letter recognition, handwriting practice, scissor skills, and more! It’s a merry way to bring some fun to learning!

These gingerbread man color by number printables are a great way for kids to stay entertained and build their skills simultaneously.
They’ll work on number and color recognition, plus their fine motor skills, when they color in these pages to reveal the sweet gingerbread pictures.

For a fun and easy Christmas game, be sure to check out this roll a Santa game. The kids will love to play it with siblings or friends this holiday season. While they’re having fun playing the game, it’s also teaching them how to take turns, to count, and match colors.
All you’ll need to get started is this free printable, a die, and pom poms!
Elf On The Shelf Paper Plate Craft
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!

Photo Nutcracker Craft For Kids
This photo nutcracker craft encourages kids' creativity and imagination when they make them and move them into different poses.
Materials
- Photo of your child
- White cardstock
- Scissors
- Glue
- Brads
- Small hole punch
- Crayons or markers (if using the color in version)
- Nutcracker template
Instructions
- Download the nutcracker template and print it out. If you're using the black and white version, have the kids color in the nutcracker. Cut out the pieces.
- Begin by gluing the hat to the top of the child's photo.
- Take the hole punch and punch out all four of the circles on the nutcracker's body, the circles on the nutcracker's arms, and the circles on the nutcracker's legs.
- Attach the arms by stacking the arm on top of the body and push the brad through to the back. Flip the nutcracker over and push both prongs of the brad down, towards the center of the body. Repeat for the other arm.
- Next, attach the legs by placing the legs behind the body and pushing the brad through. Flip the nutcracker over, open the brad, and push them both down. Repeat for the other leg.
- Finish up by gluing the head to the top of the nutcracker's body.
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Sam is the crafter and founder of Simple Everyday Mom. She has been featured in Oprah Mag, Good Housekeeping, The Spruce Crafts, Country Living, The Bump and more. Read more.
Ashley
Thursday 12th of December 2024
This is great, please send the template
Sam
Saturday 14th of December 2024
Thanks! To get the template, click the “Click To Unlock!” button on the image at the end of the post, sign up or log in to your free SEM+ account, and then click the unlocked image to go to the download page.
Claudia
Tuesday 10th of December 2024
This is so amazing! Please send me the template
Sam
Tuesday 10th of December 2024
Thank you! To get the template, click the “Click To Unlock!” button on the image at the end of the post, sign up or log in to your free SEM+ account, and then click the unlocked image to go to the download page.
Teng Teng
Monday 9th of December 2024
Cute nutcracker template! Thanks for sharing!
Sam
Tuesday 10th of December 2024
Thank you! So glad you like it!
Sumaiya
Monday 2nd of December 2024
cool
Sam
Monday 2nd of December 2024
Thanks!
rhonda
Friday 29th of November 2024
this looks like such a fun craft for my kinder board so excited
Sam
Friday 29th of November 2024
Love that idea! Wishing you lots of fun putting it together!