It’s the most wonderful time of the year, full of delicious cookies, fun holiday songs, and gorgeous decorations. But for parents, this time of year can be incredibly stressful as they struggle to fulfill their kids’ wish lists and figure out how to entertain them over long holiday breaks.
One great way to help keep your kids busy is by taking advantage of the joy of the season with fun, do-it-yourself Christmas tree ornament options. Putting together a gorgeous Christmas tree doesn’t have to mean spending a lot of money or only using matching ornaments. Some of the most beautiful trees are those that are decorated with love. This holiday season, take the time to make ornaments with your kids. You’ll have fun doing it — and will cherish the ornaments for years to come. Here are some simple ideas to get you started with your holiday crafting.
Cinnamon Ornaments
If your kids are younger, these festive, homespun ornaments may be the perfect option for your tree. Made of just a few simple ingredients (flour, salt, cinnamon and water), these ornaments are a great way for toddlers and small kids to have some hands-on fun and work on their fine motor skills. Simply mix together 1 cup of flour with half a cup of salt and half a cup of cinnamon in a bowl, and then add 3/4 cup of warm (not hot!) water. Your kids can do the mixing themselves, and then turn out the dough onto a table to knead it for a few minutes. If the dough is sticky, just dust it lightly with flour. Then roll out the dough, let your kids cut out shapes with holiday cookie cutters, and add a small hole at the top using a straw.
The ornaments will be dry in approximately 24 hours; you can then paint them or simply hang them up as they are. The dough holds up well to little hands, making it an ideal choice for anyone with independent kids who want to take on the rolling and cutting out duties.
Peppermint Ornaments
For anyone who remembers the fun of shrinky dinks, melted peppermint ornaments are a fun and easy way to add some cheer to your tree. All that you need are some metal cookie cutters, peppermints, cooking spray, a skewer or toothpick, parchment paper and an oven. Line baking sheets with the parchment paper, and ask your kids to place unwrapped peppermint candies inside of the metal cookie cutters of their choice. Pop the sheet into a pre-heated 350 degree oven, and turn on the oven light to let your kids watch as the peppermints melt and fill the molds (approximately 3 to 9 minutes). When the candy is melted, take the sheet out of the oven and use a toothpick or skewer coated in cooking spray to make a hole. Allow them to cool, pop them out of the cutters and there you have it: a pretty, fragrant ornament that is super easy for even the youngest of kids to make.
Melted Crayon Ornaments
If you have kids, chances are that you have a bin (or two) of broken crayons. Put them to work this holiday season with an easy craft. Just pick up empty ornament balls, and let your kids choose small chunks of unwrapped broken crayons to put inside. Give them a hairdryer to blast the crayons, and have them move the ornaments around as the crayons melt. The result is a unique, colorful ornament that your kids can hang with pride on your tree!
Snowman Handprint Ornaments
This simple craft involves a bit of mess — and a lot of fun! All you need is a ball ornament, white acrylic paint and permanent markers. The process is super simple: paint your kids’ hands white, making sure to get their whole hand. Have them grab the ornament carefully, pressing their fingers onto the surface. Set the ornaments aside to dry, and then draw on snowmen faces, scarves, hats and arms directly onto the surface. Add their name and the year that they were made, and voila! You’ve made a very giftable snowman ornament that will be a great memory in years to come.
Birdseed Ornaments
If you’d like to spread the holiday cheer to the outdoors — and provide a treat for the birds — then these ornaments are a great choice for your little ones. Just mix together flour, water, unflavored gelatin and corn syrup and add birdseed. Spray cookie cutters with cooking spray and let your kids fill them with birdseed. Use a straw to poke a hole through the top of each ornament, and allow it to dray in the cutter for several hours. Then remove them from the molds and let them dry overnight. Add a ribbon or a string and hang them outside on your trees. Your kids will love seeing the birds flock to your yard to nibble on these delicious and pretty ornaments!
Popsicle Stick Ornaments
Older kids might want more of a challenge when it comes to ornament making. One of the best ways to encourage their creativity is to provide them with popsicle sticks and various craft supplies (glue, googly eyes, glitter pom poms, pipe cleaners, markers, paint and more) and tell them to go to town! Using the sticks, they can make stars, reindeer, trees or sleds — and then decorate them however they’d like! If your kids love art, this might be the perfect craft for them.
Paint Chip Christmas Trees
A quick trip to a hardware or paint store will get you started on this fun and simple holiday ornament. Pick up some paint chip cards in shades of green and brown, and have your kids (depending on their age) cut them into tree shapes, complete with a trunk at the bottom. Let them decorate the trees with ribbon, buttons, jewels, glitter, paint and more to personalize their Christmas tree, and then just punch a hole in the top to complete the ornament. Don’t forget to have them sign and date the back!
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