Learn how to make marbled Christmas cards with your students! Be sure to add this to your list of Christmas activities for preschoolers. The abstract Christmas card activity not only makes a great gift, but it is also a great opportunity for the kids to get some sensory input!
Related: Christmas Five Senses Book Free Printable
Over the summer, our preschool campers made homemade marbled cards for their families. We had such a blast that I wanted to recreate it for the holidays! The children loved the process of making the cards, so it was a win-win.
Marbled Christmas Cards
We had such a blast making these homemade Christmas cards with the marbling process! It can get a bit messy, but I think that just adds to the fun.
Materials
Below are the various items we used when making the marbled Christmas cards. You can make adjustments to this list based on what you already have on-hand. We enjoyed testing out different types of paint, but you can always just choose one type for your own cards!
I may get commissions for purchases made through links in this post.
- Shaving cream
- Shallow pan or tray
- Toothpick or plastic knife
- Card stock, construction paper, or white cards
- Paints – we used the following:
Related: Snowman Fingerprint Ornament
How to Make Marbled Christmas Cards with Kids
First, spray shaving cream onto a shallow tray. Then spread it into a mostly-even layer.
It doesn’t have to be very tall – just enough that none of the tray below is peaking through.
Then, add little drops of paint sporadically onto the top of the shaving cream. I just let the kiddos do this straight from the paint bottles.
If that doesn’t work with your children, they could use eye droppers for watercolors or paint brushes for other paints.
Related: Messy Art
Once the paint is placed to your liking, use a toothpick or plastic knife to marble the paints together.
When I showed the preschool children how to do this, I likened it to connecting the dots and slicing into the shaving cream.
Related: Christmas Process Art
Take the paper (we used white cards) and place it face down on top of the shaving cream and paint.
Gently press the card into the shaving cream, rubbing along the entire piece of paper.
This is how the paint is transferred to the paper, thus creating a print.
Gently remove the paper/card and place on another tray, face up.
Using a sturdy piece of cardboard or a ruler, press down and wipe the entire length of the card. This removes the shaving cream, but leaves the paint behind. Let everything dry!
Once the paper is dry, fold it in half to create a card (if not using a card). Let the children ooh and aah at their beautiful marbled Christmas cards!
Related: Pony Bead Christmas Tree
Then let the kids write their Christmas greetings inside the cards!
If there is paint on the inside of the card, cut out a piece of white paper and let the children write on that.
Then glue or tape the message inside the card!
A Few Tips and a Word About Paints
Be sure not to roughly mix the shaving cream and paint together, as that doesn’t yield a marbled effect.
You will likely notice some streaking after you’ve scraped off the shaving cream. If it bothers you, be sure to use a very steady hand and something long and even like a metal ruler.
Depending on the thickness of the paper, there may be some curling along the edges once everything is dry. We fixed that by placing some heavy books on top of the cards for a while.
I let the preschoolers choose which paints they wanted to use. I had green and red tempera, acrylic, and glitter watercolors available.
The acrylic paint yields the boldest colors, with the watercolors creating a pastel-like effect. The tempera paint seemed to come out in between.
No matter the paint, the children loved how their marbled art cards came out!
Related: Christmas Popsicle Stick Crafts to Make with Preschoolers
Please keep in mind that acrylic paints aren’t really washable if they get on clothes (not all tempera paints are, either). I had the kids wear smocks while they painted, just to be sure!
Have you ever tried shaving cream marbling? Would your child like making a homemade Christmas card this way?
More Ideas for Homemade Christmas Cards
If your students love making marbled Christmas cards, and we know some preschoolers really do, then be sure to check out these additional ideas:
- Washi Tape Christmas Cards from Mama Smiles
- Washi Tape Baubles from Crafty Kids at Home
- Buttons and Cardboard Cards from Teach Me Mommy
- Hanging Star Card from Witty Hoots
- Nativity Thank You Cards from 3 Dinosaurs
- Gingerbread Man with Candy Cane from The Gingerbread House
- Kid Made Fingerprint Wreath Card from Mum in the Madhouse
- Merry and Bright Kids’ Christmas Cards from Books & Giggles
- Santa Hat Christmas Card from Hands On As We Grow
Christmas Resources for Preschool Teachers
Save time planning (and, really, you can use all the time you have around the holidays!) with already done-for-you resources from Preschool Teacher 101. There are lesson plans, math and STEM activities, and literacy resources just for you! Be sure to check out the membership options for even more savings. You can also find us on Teachers Pay Teachers.
Click on the photos below for more information about Christmas resources:
Originally published November 2015.
Kids would love making these Christmas cards!
i was wondering if i Can do this on a canvas with my kids ??? was wanting to do a christmas painting from kids ??
That is a great question, Laura! I’ve never done so, but now I want to try it out with the kids. I think it would work – just make sure you set up the surface of the shaving cream so it’s the right size for the canvas. If you try it before I do, be sure to let me know!!