The holidays are a magical time of year, and even the littlest ones in your care can enjoy the festive fun! While crafting with infants may seem challenging, plenty of simple, safe, and sensory-friendly activities allow them to explore the holiday spirit creatively. The key is to focus on crafts that engage their senses while keeping the process safe and enjoyable.

Here are some easy holiday craft ideas designed specifically for your infant room. These ensure a fun and festive experience for both babies and caregivers.

1. Handprint Christmas trees

What you’ll need:

• Non-toxic green paint
• Construction paper
• Washable markers or stickers for decorations

How to make it:

Paint the babies’ hands with non-toxic green paint and press their handprints onto construction paper in a tree shape (stacking them vertically works best). Once the paint dries, caregivers can add colorful dots or stickers for “ornaments.” This adorable craft makes for a wonderful keepsake that parents will treasure.

2. Footprint reindeer

What you’ll need:

• Non-toxic brown paint
• Construction paper
• Washable markers or stickers for decorations

How to make it:

Paint each baby’s foot with non-toxic brown paint and press it onto construction paper. Once the paint dries, caregivers can add antlers, a red nose, and googly eyes to transform the footprint into a reindeer. These reindeer prints are adorable holiday crafts parents will cherish for years.

3. Holiday handprint wreaths

What you’ll need:

• Non-toxic green and red paint
• Construction paper
• Glitter glue or other to decorate as needed

How to make it:

Using green and red paint, create overlapping handprints in a circular shape on a piece of construction paper to form a wreath. Once it dries, decorate with glitter glue, stickers, or small bows. This activity encourages sensory exploration and creates a festive keepsake for parents to hang at home.

4. “Mistle-Toes” keepsake

What you’ll need:

• Non-toxic green paint
• Construction paper
• Red and black markers or other to decorate as needed

How to make it:

Paint the babies’ feet with non-toxic green paint and press them onto construction paper. Use red paint to add small holly berries or bows around the footprints. Label the craft “Mistle-Toes” for a cute holiday pun. Punch a hole in the top and thread ribbon through to create a festive keepsake parents can hang on their tree.

5. “Silent Night” photo frame

What you’ll need:

• A photo of the baby (sleeping is ideal!)
• Jumbo popsicle sticks
• Glue
• Washable markers or stickers for decoration

How to make it:

Create a simple frame by gluing popsicle sticks into a square or rectangle. Attach the baby’s photo inside the frame and let it dry. Decorate the popsicle sticks with washable markers, stickers, or sparkly holiday accents. Add the caption “Silent Night… Yeah Right!” to the frame for a humorous, adorable touch. This quick craft is easy to make and adds a personal, festive element that parents will love to display.

How it helps

These crafts are not just fun activities; they’re a way to foster creativity, celebrate the season, and strengthen connections between your daycare and the families you serve. Parents will cherish these keepsakes for years to come, each a heartwarming reminder of their baby’s first holiday experiences. For infants, these crafts provide valuable sensory experiences encouraging exploration, engagement, and early developmental skills like hand-eye coordination and texture recognition.

Crafting with infants also offers a meaningful way for caregivers to bond with the babies in their care. These shared creativity and exploration moments help build trust and connection, laying the foundation for a nurturing daycare environment. Plus, the joy of seeing parents’ smiles when they receive these handmade treasures makes all the effort worthwhile.

Support for caregivers and teachers

At LilyPad, we understand how important it is to create environments where children thrive emotionally and socially. We genuinely want to give you the resources you need to be a stellar daycare teacher. Our software helps teachers and caregivers stay connected with parents, manage daily tasks, and focus on what really matters—supporting the children in their care.

Interested in learning more about how LilyPad can streamline your daycare operations? Book a free demo today and see how we can help make your classroom run more smoothly.