Five Creative Uses for Cookie Cutters in Preschool Holiday Crafts

By Joanna Young

Cookie cutters, especially seasonal ones like pumpkins, ghosts, snowflakes and autumn shapes, are so fun and versatile, it’s almost impossible not to incorporate them into your preschool holiday crafts! Far beyond their most practical purpose—cutting out cookie dough—cookie cutters can be used for a variety of holiday craft purposes. Here are five creative uses for cookie cutters in preschool holiday crafts.

Use cookie cutters to trace shapes onto paper. Cookie cutters come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes and make perfect templates—as good as die cuts—for any preschool holiday craft that involves cutting paper shapes. Unlike die cuts, however, tracing cookie cutter shapes onto paper allows your preschooler to exercise his fine motor skills while gaining an understanding of various shapes and figures.

Use cookie cutters to trace shapes onto fabric. A little trickier than tracing onto paper, using cookie cutters for fabric templates may involve some adult help. But once you’ve traced the cookie cutter shape onto fabric, your preschooler can then fill in the shape with fabric paint to make wonderful decorations on t-shirts, tote bags, backpacks, aprons, potholders, etc.

Use cookie cutters to trace shapes onto solid objects. For example, a ghost cookie cutter could be used to decorate a pumpkin for Halloween, and an autumn leaf cookie cutter to decorate another pumpkin for Thanksgiving. Cookie cutters could also be used to create shapes on a chalk board or magnetic drawing pad.

Use cookie cutters to emboss paper. Your preschooler can make simple and elegant greeting cards by placing a piece of paper onto a soft surface (a tablecloth will do) and then pressing hard onto the paper with the cookie cutter. Decorate further with glitter or watercolor paints. Emboss with cookie cutters to make gorgeous Christmas, Mother’s Day, Hanukkah and other holiday greeting cards.

Use cookie cutters to stamp decorations. Perfect for younger preschoolers who may have difficulty tracing cookie cutters, stamping with cookie cutters merely involves letting your preschooler dip them into paint and then stamping onto paper or fabric. Stamp cookie cutter shapes to make beautiful decorations on paper, fabric or solid objects such as wood or metal.

More Fun Uses for Cookie Cutters

PreschoolRock.com Executive Editor, Stacey Lloyd, shares some additional great ideas for using cookie cutters:

 - Use as ornaments to decorate the Christmas tree.
 - Attach to “make-your-own-recipe” gifts.
 - Place a cookie cutter in a skillet, pour pancake batter in it and make fun shaped pancakes!
 - Cut unique sandwich shapes with them and use small cookie cutters to cut shapes into fruit, such as cantaloupe and watermelon.
 - Make shapes with them in wet sand, mud or play dough.
 - Use them in Flour Play
 - Make a batch of crispy rice treats and use the cookie cutters to make fun holiday shapes! Decorate with frosting for an extra-yummy holiday treat.

Preschool Holiday Crafts Using Cookie Cutters

Preschool Halloween Trick or Treat Bag
My Holiday Book
Stuffed Tummy Teddy Bear
Gingerbread Man Ornaments
Christmas Tree Paper Cone Hats
Valentine’s Day Macaroni Necklace
Stuffed Shamrock Preschool Craft

Share Your Ideas

Do you have a creative cookie cutter idea? Send it in and we’ll publish your preschool holiday crafts cookie cutter crafts here!

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