These DIY silhouette Christmas cards just might be my favorite homemade cards this year. Kids color a bright base, then cover it with black paper cut into a tree or bauble shape, so the colors show through. No cutting machine needed, just scissors and black paper.
So bright and colorful and there are tons of ways you can personalise them. Great art project for a classroom too, as these can be very open ended when it comes to creating.
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Handmade cards are the best! They are great fun for all ages, kids and kids at heart alike and everyone enjoys receiving a well thought out and unique homemade Christmas card.
This particular one is crazy easy to make and will turn out gorgeous each and every time.
As it’s super simple it’s a great project to make with toddlers (let them decorate and you be the one assembling), preschoolers, kids in kindergarden and older kids. The older, the more of the process they will be able to make on their own.
There are many different ways you can make the base of the card, I’ll talk about them a bit later, so this one really is perfect to make in the classroom for kids to make a gift for their parents and family.
Ready to start making your own? Let’s get crafting!
How to Make Silhouette Christmas Cards for Kids
What you need
- a A4 sized or letter sized sheet of white heavier print paper or white construction paper – alternatively you can also use blank cards
- sheet of black paper
- coloring supplies (we used brush markers – Tombows are my pick)
- scissors
- glue
For decorating the base a number of materials can be used – watercolors, scrap paper, crayons, finger-paints, paints, stamps… You name it! Offer your kids a variety of coloring supplies and let them decorate their base however they see fit.
To make the cards even more festive, you can also use glitter glue or gemstones to add shiny accents.
Watch the Video Tutorial
Follow the Step by Step Tutorial
Fold the sheet of white paper in half. This large format is perfect for younger kids.
For older kids, cut the sheet of paper in half, and fold those in half – one sheet of paper will make 2 cards. Any other dimension is perfectly fine too.
Color your cards hovewer you see fit. Get as creative as possible!
I decorated mine with a “ombre” look-ish, alternating different matching colors with brush markers. Cover the whole surface (or leave white around the edges).
Place your card on top of a sheet of black paper and trace around it with a pencil.
Cut out the black rectangle.
Trim it down a little, both in width and length.
This will make the edges of the base card show, and will add a nice visual effect to the card.
Cut out a festive shape out of black paper.
Gently fold it in half (don’t crease) and cut out a Christmas tree shape. This should be easy for most kids, for younger kids you will have to prepare this step.
Apply glue on the back of the black paper.Glue it on top of your card.
Another shape that’s easy to make is the Christmas bauble. Trace around a round object, draw a straight line and a small rectangle shape on top of the circle shape.
Cut out the bauble – no need to fold this one as you will cut the hanging string.
Christmas Card Design Ideas for kindergarten and elementary school
This silhouette Christmas card is an easy Christmas card craft for KS1 and KS2 classrooms, and it works just as well for kindergarten and primary school. Here are the design ideas from the tutorial:
- Christmas tree: gently fold the black paper in half and cut out half a tree shape.
- Christmas bauble: trace around a round object, add a straight line and a small rectangle on top, and cut out the shape with its hanging string.
- Ombre base: alternate matching colors with brush markers.
- Other bases: watercolors, scrap paper, crayons, finger-paints or stamps.
- Festive accents: glitter glue or gemstones.
The cards are open ended, so every child’s card turns out different. Younger children can decorate the base while an adult prepares the black paper shape, and older children can make more of the card on their own. Each child can make a card as a gift for their parents and family.
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