3 simple Christmas crafts

Paper chain garland

Paper chain garlands can be made using any type of paper you have to hand — wrapping paper, tissue paper, craft paper, they’re all great for this!

You will need:

• Paper
• Glue, tape or a stapler

Directions

1. Give the children rectangular strips of paper — the bigger the pieces the bigger the chain, and the more colours and patterns, the better! 
2. Show the children how to do the first link by making a loop. They can either glue, tape or staple it together. 
3. The next link of the chain is created by threading another piece of paper through the hole and gluing, taping or stapling it together.
4. Tell the children to keep going until they’ve created a long, colourful garland that can be hung up on the wall or across the ceiling.

Christmas crackers

You will need (per cracker):

• Three toilet rolls 
• Two pieces of ribbon
• A sheet of paper (any sort will do, but tissue paper might rip)
• Prizes (such as a joke, a hat and a small toy)
• Tape
• Cracker snaps (optional)
• Cracker decorations (optional)

Directions

1. Roll the paper out and cut it so that it’s wide enough to wrap around a toilet roll and a little longer than three toilet rolls laid out end to end.
2. Fill one toilet roll with the prizes.
3. Lay out the toilet rolls on the paper, making sure the one with the prize is in the middle.
4. If you’re using them, insert a cracker snap through all three tubes and tape it to one of the end tubes.
5. Wrap the paper around all three tubes and tape it together.
6. Tie the ribbons in the gaps between the toilet rolls to make the cracker shape.
7. The children can now decorate the cracker if they want or pull them to see who wins!

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