Ready to celebrate the festive season with some delightful Christmas crafts for kids? How about creating a charming Santa craft with cotton balls?
This fun, hands-on activity is perfect for preschool and kindergarten children and is a great way to develop their fine motor skills.
All you’ll need are a few common craft materials to create a Santa with a fluffy beard. This craft is not only an engaging and educational activity but also a wonderful way to usher in the holiday spirit.
It’s amazing to see the spark in their eyes as those little hands dive into crafting their very own Santa. The joy of creating something from scratch, especially something as magical as a holiday craft, is truly unmatched.
Kids absolutely love the process! It’s not just about the craft itself, but also the anticipation of the holiday season that these crafts bring.
It’s a fantastic way to make their holiday season even more special, and trust us, the excitement of your little ones will be contagious!
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Preschool Santa Crafts
When we think of Christmas, the iconic image of jolly old Santa Claus is one of the first things that comes to mind. His cheerful face, twinkling eyes, and that unmistakable hat!
Yes, Santa-themed crafts are an all-time favorite among kids and adults alike. But did you know that the magic of Santa can be captured in more ways than just his full image?
Crafts that feature Santa’s hat, his shiny belt, or his sturdy boots are also a wonderful way to celebrate the festive season.
Let’s explore some exciting preschool Santa crafts that go beyond just creating Santa himself and bring elements of his charming attire to the craft table.
- Coffee Filter Santa Craft
- Paper Plate Santa Craft featuring Santa peeking out of a chimney.
- This Santa Door Hanger Craft focuses on his famous red suit and belt buckle.
- Clothespin Santa Hat Ornament Craft
Benefits of Making This Santa Craft
Engaging in this Santa craft with cotton balls offers a multitude of educational benefits aside from the sheer fun and holiday joy it brings.
Following instructions and completing steps in order is a core aspect of this activity, which helps improve a child’s cognitive development and problem-solving skills.
As they paint, glue, and cut materials, it helps develop their fine motor skills, which are crucial for tasks like writing, buttoning their clothes, or using utensils.
Additionally, counting out cotton balls not only reinforces their number recognition but also aids in honing their mathematical abilities.
Books About Santa
Pairing reading with crafting is a fantastic way to enhance the fun and educational experience for your little ones. It not only stimulates their imagination but also helps to develop their language skills and expand their knowledge.
With the holiday season around the corner, why not combine our exciting Santa craft with some delightful Christmas stories? Here are three top-rated books about Santa, perfect for preschoolers:
How to Catch Santa: A Christmas Book for Kids and Toddlers (How To Series)The Night Before Christmas Hardcover: The Classic Edition, The New York Times Bestseller (Christmas Book)Santa’s Workshop: A Christmas Lift-a-Flap Board Book for Babies and Toddlers (Chunky Lift-a-Flap)
How to Catch Santa by Jean Reagan – This exciting and funny book is perfect for children who’ve always wanted to catch a glimpse of Santa. It’s filled with humor and creativity, offering “tips and tricks” on how to catch Santa on Christmas Eve. But be warned, Santa is more elusive than you think!
The Night Before Christmas by Clement C. Moore – An absolute classic, this story has been read to children worldwide on Christmas Eve. It brilliantly captures the anticipation and magic of the night before Christmas when Santa visits. Your little ones will be enchanted by the beautiful illustrations and rhyming text.
Santa’s Workshop by Holly Berry-Byrd – This engaging lift-the-flap book takes preschoolers on a tour of Santa’s bustling workshop. They’ll enjoy discovering the busy elves, reindeer, and of course, Santa Claus as they prepare for Christmas. This interactive read is sure to keep young children entertained and eager for the festive season.
Each book provides a whimsical take on Santa’s tale, making them the perfect bedtime stories during the holiday season!
Santa Craft Supplies
Ready to bring some holiday cheer into your home? Let’s get started! Below, we’ve compiled a list of supplies you’ll need for our festive Santa craft. Gather these simple materials and let your child’s creativity shine.
Paper Plates – For the paper plates, you can use either standard dinner-sized plates or smaller dessert-sized plates. Adjust the number of cotton balls accordingly.
Craft Paint – You’ll need red for the hat and flesh tones for the face. I only had peach on hand but you can use any skin tone paint colors.
Googly Eyes – You can opt for either two plastic wiggly eyes or paper googly eyes. Alternatively, you can also draw or paint them on.
Cotton Balls – To create Santa’s hat and beard, you’ll need several cotton balls. In my case, I used approximately 26 cotton balls with a regular-sized paper plate.
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How to Make a Santa Craft With Cotton Balls
About halfway down, draw a light line across the paper plate as a guide for where to paint the hat. You can keep the plate as a circle, or trim the top to create a triangular hat shape.
Next, paint the top section of the plate in a vibrant red color. Apply an additional coat of paint if necessary. Then, paint the remaining inner circle with a flesh-tone color to represent Santa’s face.
Once the paint has dried, gather some cotton balls. Attach one to the top of Santa’s hat using glue. Take two cotton balls and gently stretch them out, then affix them to the edge of the hat where the red paint meets his face.
Apply glue to the unpainted areas and add cotton balls to create a fluffy beard. Add more cotton balls as needed to fill in the bottom of Santa’s face.
Finally, attach the eyes. Allow your Santa craft with cotton balls to dry completely before proudly displaying it.
More Easy Christmas Crafts for Kids
Ready for more festive fun? Check out these easy Christmas crafts for kids! These activities not only entertaining, but they also serve as a wonderful tool to stimulate your child’s creativity and fine motor skills.
From homemade ornaments to adorable reindeer crafts, all of these crafts can be created with simple materials that you likely already have at home.
Using our free printable template, your little ones can create their own adorable felt snowman ornaments without the need for any sewing – perfect for adding a touch of homemade charm to your festive decorations.
Experience the joy of holiday crafting with a delightful Santa Handprint Craft. Watch as your child’s little hands trace to create Santa’s fluffy beard, turning their creativity into festive keepsakes. The craft comes with a printable template, making it an easy, yet engaging activity for your little elves this Christmas season.
Utilizing our free Christmas tree suncatcher craft printable template and some colorful tissue paper, your kiddos can create dazzling decorations that will beautifully catch and refract the winter sunlight.
Encourage your child’s creativity with a simple Christmas Wreath Craft using foam stickers. This enjoyable activity aids in developing fine motor skills as your child peels and sticks the foam stickers to form a vibrant wreath.
Let your little ones channel their inner artist with a clothespin reindeer craft. Watch their delight as they easily transform ordinary wooden clothespins into enchanting reindeer using just a bit of paint!
So, why not add a touch of magic to your festive season by creating this adorable Santa craft with cotton balls? It’s an engaging, fun, and educational activity that your little ones will absolutely love.
The craft is easy to create, uses materials you likely already have on hand, and it’s excellent for developing fine motor skills.
Creating this Santa craft can turn into a memorable bonding moment for parents, caregivers, and teachers alike. So roll up those sleeves, gather your kiddos around the table, and let the joy of holiday crafting begin!
Santa Craft With Cotton Balls
Get your kids in the holiday spirit and have fun crafting together with this easy Santa craft using paint and cotton balls! Perfect for developing fine motor skills, it's a great way to make math fun.
Materials
- 1 Paper Plate
- Red Paint
- Flesh Tone Paint
- Cotton Balls (approx 26)
- 2 Googly Eyes (optional)
Tools
- Glue
- Scissors
Instructions
- Draw a light line across the paper plate almost halfway down. You can leave the plate as a circle or trim the top of the plate to create a triangular hat shape.
- Paint the top section of the plate red. Apply another coat of paint as needed. Then paint the rest of the inner circle with your choice of flesh-tone paint. This will be Santa's face.
- Once the paint has dried, count out the cotton balls. Glue one to the top of Santa's hat. Use two cotton balls and pull gently on each end to stretch it out. Attach it to the edge of the hat where the red paint meets his face.
- Apply glue to the remaining unpainted areas and add cotton balls to make a fluffy beard. Add additional cotton balls as needed to fill in the bottom of his face.
- Add the eyes. Allow your Santa craft with cotton balls to dry completely before displaying.
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Darcy is the founder of “Life With Darcy and Brian,” where she combines her love for education, board games, and crafting to create engaging learning experiences for kids. Her creative projects and writing have been featured in outlets like The Toy Insider, CafeMom, Mom.com, Parents.com, Country Living, and The Pioneer Woman.