Seven Easy Christmas Gifts and Decorations Kids Will Love to Make

Give kids a few craft items, and maybe some recycled items from around the house, and they'll get plenty creative. Cheap craft items, like pom poms, chenille pipe cleaners, buttons, stickers, markers or even fake jewels, can go a long ways towards creating some fabulous Christmas gifts and decorations. And the best part is, kids will be so busy crafting it'll give you plenty of extra time for gift wrapping or other preparations.

Pins are one of the easiest things for kids to make. Whether you purchase small wooden shapes and let them glue the pin hardware to the back, or the kids make little snowmen from pom poms and add the hardware, the tiny pins are great gifts or a cute accessory for the kids to wear themselves. Try shaping pipe cleaners into candy canes, snowflakes, or just circles, then decorate the shapes with beads, and glue on the hardware. The possibilities are endless.

Paper plates can provide hours of decorating fun. Glue on a piece of beige felt, some wiggly eyes, a red felt hat, and lots of cotton balls, to form a Santa that's great for hanging on bedroom doors. Staple two plates together and kids can cover them with cotton balls to make a fabulous snowman. Use black felt for a top hat and something orange - like the lid off a marker - to make the nose. Add wiggly eyes and tie a small strip of felt around the neck area.

An empty tin can, or paint can, will be fun for kids to decorate and fill. Make sure there are no pieces of metal around the opening, which might cut the child. Let the child glue on Christmas fabric, construction paper, faux jewels, faux fur or other craft items. After decorating, the child can fill the can with inexpensive candies, small activity books, craft or art supplies, or just photos.

A simple piece of felt will make a handy holder with a little help from your kid. Let kids glue lace onto the perimeter of a rectangle of the felt, then glue on pockets from old garments, or cut your own pockets to attach. A really long rectangle can have one end tucked under the mattress, to hold eyeglasses, tv guide and remote control. A smaller one can be placed over the arm of a chair to hold needed items.