Creating DIY Christmas ornaments with kids is not only a fun holiday activity but also a wonderful way to make lasting memories. In this blog post, we will explore some of the best DIY Christmas ornaments that you can easily make with your kids, adding a personal touch to your festive decorations.
1. Salt Dough Ornaments
Salt dough ornaments are a delightful and easy way for kids to engage in holiday crafting. This simple mixture of flour, salt, and water creates a safe and pliable dough that children can shape and mold. After cutting the dough into various shapes using holiday cookie cutters, kids can express their artistic side by painting and decorating the dried ornaments. These handmade creations not only allow children to showcase their creativity but also become treasured keepsakes that can adorn your Christmas tree for years to come.
2. Popsicle Stick Snowflakes
Popsicle stick snowflakes are a creative and fun way for children to make their own winter wonderland decorations. With the versatility of popsicle sticks, kids can arrange them in an array of patterns, glue them together, and then embellish them with paint, glitter, or sequins. This activity not only fosters creativity but also results in charming snowflake ornaments that add a whimsical winter touch to any Christmas tree or holiday display.
3. Handprint Ornaments
Handprint ornaments offer a personal and sentimental touch to your holiday decor. Using either homemade salt dough or ready-made clay, children can press their handprints into the material, creating a unique and personal mold. Once dry and painted, these ornaments serve as a precious reminder of the small size of your child’s hand, capturing a moment in time and making for a heartfelt addition to any Christmas tree.
4. Beaded Candy Canes
Beaded candy canes are a fantastic craft for younger children, fostering both creativity and fine motor skills. The process is simple and enjoyable: kids thread red and white beads onto a pipe cleaner, following a pattern to mimic the classic candy cane stripes. Once they have filled the pipe cleaner, they can bend it into the iconic candy cane shape, creating a charming and colorful ornament that’s perfect for hanging on the Christmas tree or decorating gift packages.
5. Button Wreaths
Button wreaths are a delightful and easy craft for children of all ages. Using green buttons of various sizes and shapes, kids can thread them onto a wire, arranging them to their liking. Once the wire is filled, it can be shaped into a circle and secured, topped off with a festive ribbon for hanging. This simple yet effective ornament adds a homemade charm to any Christmas tree and can be a great way to use up assorted buttons from around the house.
6. Paper Plate Angels
Paper plate angels are an enchanting and creative way to engage kids in making holiday decorations. Starting with a paper plate, children can cut it into the shape of an angel, paint it, and sprinkle glitter to give it a sparkling effect. Adding a personal touch, such as using a photo of the child for the angel’s face, transforms this simple craft into a cherished keepsake that families will treasure for years to come.
7. Yarn-Wrapped Stars
Yarn-wrapped stars are not only visually appealing but are also great for developing children’s hand-eye coordination. Kids can start with a star-shaped cutout from cardboard and wrap it in colorful yarn, covering the entire shape in a snug, neat pattern. For an added touch of creativity, they can embellish their stars with beads, buttons, or small sparkles, making each star a unique piece of art.
8. Pinecone Elves
Pinecone elves are a creative and natural way to bring the charm of the outdoors into your holiday decor. By adding small felt hats and colorful pom-poms for noses to pinecones, children can create a forest of adorable elves. These rustic ornaments are perfect for adding a whimsical touch to the Christmas tree or for creating a festive display on mantels or shelves.
9. Glittery Pinecones
Glittery pinecones are a simple and fun project that can bring a touch of winter sparkle to your home. Children can paint pinecones with glue and then roll them in glitter, choosing colors that match your holiday decor or their favorite hues. Once dry, these shimmering pinecones make beautiful ornaments for the tree or can be arranged in a bowl as a dazzling centerpiece.
10. Felt Christmas Trees
Felt Christmas trees are an easy and enjoyable craft for kids, allowing them to experiment with basic sewing or gluing. By cutting tree shapes out of green felt, children can decorate them with small embellishments like buttons, sequins, or pom-poms, creating a variety of festive designs. These soft and charming ornaments can be hung on the Christmas tree or used as decorations around the house, adding a cozy, handmade touch to the holiday season.
11. Photo Ornaments
Photo ornaments are a heartfelt way to personalize your Christmas tree and celebrate family memories. Using family photos, kids can cut them into various shapes, such as stars or circles, and then laminate them for durability. Embellishing these ornaments with glitter, colorful stickers, or ribbons not only adds a festive touch but also makes these ornaments treasured mementos for years to come.
12. Sock Snowmen
Sock snowmen are a creative and whimsical way to repurpose old white socks. By filling socks with rice or cotton balls, children can form the base of a snowman, securing the top with a rubber band or string. Adding details like buttons for eyes, a small piece of felt for a scarf, and drawing a smiley face completes this adorable and cuddly snowman, perfect for decorating any nook of the home.
13. Recycled Card Ornaments
Recycled card ornaments are a fantastic way to upcycle old Christmas cards into new, unique decorations. Kids can cut out interesting shapes or images from the cards, exercising their creativity and artistic skills. By adding extra decorations like glitter or paint and attaching a ribbon for hanging, these ornaments breathe new life into old cards and add a personal touch to the holiday season.
14. Cinnamon Stick Bundles
Cinnamon stick bundles are not only visually appealing but also bring the delightful scent of the holidays into your home. By tying a few cinnamon sticks together with a festive ribbon or rustic twine, kids can create a simple yet elegant ornament. Adding small embellishments such as dried orange slices or sprigs of pine transforms these bundles into fragrant and natural decorations for the Christmas tree or around the house.
15. Paper Snowflakes
Paper snowflakes are a timeless winter craft that allows children to explore their creativity and practice their cutting skills. By folding and cutting paper in various patterns, each snowflake becomes a unique creation, much like the real ones in nature. Hanging these delicate snowflakes on the Christmas tree or in windows brings a magical winter wonderland feel to any space.
16. Miniature Gift Boxes
Miniature gift boxes are a charming and imaginative addition to holiday decor. Children can create these tiny boxes from small jewelry boxes or by carefully folding paper. They can then decorate these boxes with colorful paint, shiny ribbons, or festive stickers, and hang them on the tree as miniature presents, adding a whimsical touch to the holiday atmosphere.
17. Fabric Scraps Ornaments
Fabric scraps ornaments are a great way to utilize leftover fabric pieces, turning them into unique and personal holiday decorations. Kids can cut the fabric into shapes like stars, Christmas trees, or hearts, and lightly stuff them to add dimension. These handmade ornaments are not only a creative way to recycle fabric scraps but also add a warm, homespun feel to your Christmas decor.
18. CD Snowflakes
CD snowflakes offer a modern and reflective twist on traditional holiday decorations. Children can cut old CDs into intricate snowflake shapes and then decorate them with glitter, sequins, or colorful markers. These shimmering snowflakes catch the light beautifully and add a contemporary flair to your Christmas tree or window displays.
19. Clay Pot Bells
Clay pot bells are a delightful project that transforms small terracotta pots into charming bell ornaments. Kids can paint and decorate the pots, then add a ribbon at the top for hanging. Placing a small jingle bell inside each pot adds a lovely, gentle sound to your tree, making these ornaments both visually appealing and musically enchanting.
20. Bottle Cap Snowmen
Bottle cap snowmen are an innovative and eco-friendly way to create festive ornaments. Children can collect and paint bottle caps white, then stack and glue them to form a snowman shape. Adding a colorful ribbon scarf, drawing a face, and attaching buttons turn these recycled caps into adorable snowmen, perfect for decorating the tree and teaching kids about recycling.
Conclusion
DIY Christmas ornaments are a wonderful way to spend quality time with children while fostering their creativity and making lasting holiday memories. From the simplicity of salt dough creations to the personal touch of handprint ornaments, each of these projects offers a unique opportunity for kids to express themselves and contribute to the family’s festive decorations. Not only do these activities provide fun and engaging experiences, but they also result in beautiful, homemade ornaments that can be cherished for years to come. These crafts are more than just decorations; they are tangible memories of shared laughter, creativity, and the joyous spirit of the holiday season.