Kids Christmas Paper Decorations to Make

Simple Xmas Paper craft for kids

These Danish woven hearts are a simple craft for kids, and make lovely Christmas paper decorations that you can either hang on the tree, or use as little baskets to put candy, sweets, gingerbread or chocolates into. 

They also make sweet Valentines gifts for kids to make as they are very cheap and easy to create and can be filled with a special treat for the chosen ‘loved one’!

To Make These DIY Christmas Decorations You’ll Need

  • 2 different colors of card, or paper stock
  • template- use our one and resize it depending on what size hearts you want to make. 

Template for woven heart paper baskets 

1. Fold each piece of paper in half, and line up the flat side of the template onto top of the fold. Using a pencil  to trace around the template and then proceed to cut around the outside and so that you create three flaps. 

easy Xmas paper crafts for kids

2. You should now have two halves of your heart, in contrasting colors, each with three flaps which are ready to be woven.

3. To make it easier we discovered that it is best to pick which color you will work with, we chose red, and use this to do most of the weaving with. ( you will still have to do a little bit of weaving with your opposite color)

4. Pick up your heart halves, with the round ends facing towards your body, take the first red flap and weave the first white flap through it (you’ll see red on top).

Now your red flap needs to continue threading. This time the 1st red flap threads through the 2nd white flap (you’ll see white on top).

Now the 1st red flap needs to have the 3rd white flap threaded through it, and you’ll have red on top again. Congratulations! You have just weaved the first flap, now time for the next two. 

kids Christmas paper craft

1st weave finished, ready to start on weaving the 2nd flap

5. Take the 2nd red flap, and thread it through the 1st white flap (you’ll see white on top) and continue this pattern of having white on top, then red on top so that it is opposite to the first flap that you wove.

6. Once you’ve finished the 2nd red, now you do the
3rd flap. The 3rd flap will be the same as the first in
terms of the pattern, with red on top, then white, then red. The last weave
will be the trickiest as the heart is coming together, this is where using
lighter paper will make it a little easier to work with as the paper is more flexible (but less strong as a
basket).

making woven paper hearts for Christmas - simple paper craft for kids

Weaving the final flap. Start with white threading into red, then red weaves through the middle of the 2nd white flap, and then white threads into red again – voilia- all finished!

You can check the middle of the hearts as you go to make sure you are weaving correctly. Once you get to the end, you will be able to open your heart and place chocolates, candy or other small treats inside. (If you have weaved incorrectly, your basket won’t open up properly, but it is easy to go back and fix.)

Finished woven heart baskets

 Completed Christmas paper decorations – Danish heart baskets – this what your baskets look like on the inside – plenty of room for some sweets!

You can finish your heart basket with a handle, simply cut a length of paper or card and glue or sticky tape it on the inside of the two sides of the heart. Otherwise if you have wool (we seem to have loads!) your kids can do some finger knitting, or just create a plait, and use this as a handle. This handle can also be used to hang the woven hearts on your Christmas tree. 

My daughter decorated hers with some stickers, but you could also use glitter, glue on some sequins or use fancy papers if you want them to be more decorative.

Christmas woven paper hearts - simple paper craft for kids

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