No matter how many pretty or expensive ornaments you might have, you’ll find that as the years go by it’s the slightly naff PVA-glued homemade Christmas tree decorations that you love unboxing each year. So take some time this festive season to make your own Christmas tree decorations with your children, and every time you see them hanging on the tree you’ll be reminded of happy memories. Here are some ideas for easy Christmas decorations to make with children, from fingerprint ornaments to pinecone reindeer.
Need some ideas to spark festive inspiration? Check out our massive range of Christmas cards and gifts to get you in the seasonal mood.
Cupcake case Christmas tree
If you’ve had a go at some Christmas baking, put your spare cupcake cases to use to create these festive paper Christmas decorations. Get your little ones folding, gluing and painting the trees, and then they can decorate them however they like using sequins, buttons or by drawing with pens. Don’t forget a star for the top – then just add a little loop of ribbon and your tree is ready for, well, the tree.
Image source: Sitters
Pinecone reindeer
These cute homemade Christmas tree decorations are great if your Christmas tree has more of a rustic feel – these pinecone reindeer from One Little Project won’t stick out too badly alongside more natural wooden and red ornaments. Make the most of a cold December weekend, and take the kids on a wintry walk to search for pinecones and twigs. Once you get home, you can sit down for an afternoon of crafting, and make your own Christmas tree decorations using your foraged pinecones, googly eyes, pom-poms and felt.
Image source: One Little Project
Fingerprint heart ornaments
Let your kids really make their mark on your tree with these sweet homemade Christmas tree decorations – one day, you might look back and wonder how their fingers were ever that tiny! This how-to guide from CBC Parents uses inexpensive clay made from bicarbonate of soda, but you can use air-drying clay, cut into circles using a cookie cutter. These are really easy Christmas decorations for children to make, as they just need to press their thumbprints into the dough to make a little heart, and they make lovely keepsakes for your tree or for gifting to grandparents.
Image source: CBC Parents
Spiral Christmas tree
Paper Christmas decorations are great to make with children – you might have to be in charge of cutting out the spiral in this DIY from Parents, but it’s easy for kids to decorate these charming spiral trees using pens and glitter glue. Even better, these hanging homemade Christmas tree decorations can be stored flat and brought out for future years without risk of breaking!
Image source: Parents
Toilet paper roll snowmen
If you’re looking for thrifty Christmas tree decorations to make with children, try these sweet snowmen from Craftaholics Anonymous. They’re super easy to make, and kids will love personalising them. Make sure they’ve got a choice of ribbons and pipe cleaners to pick from to create scarves and earmuffs! The earmuffs create a convenient little loop for hanging on the tree, or you could create a little Christmas scene where the snowmen can hang out.
Image source: Craftaholics Anonymous
Christmas paper chains
An old classic – these timeless paper Christmas decorations are easy to make, look effortlessly festive on the tree, and will keep the kids occupied. All you need is scissors, paper, and glue to create loops of paper that fasten on to each other to create colourful chains. If your children are too little for scissors, you can pre-cut your paper into strips – and make it extra fun for them by using strips of wrapping paper featuring their favourite characters, from Paw Patrol to Disney Princesses! Bonus save-the-planet points if you can recycle the leftover scraps of last year’s wrapping paper.
Image source: Good to Know
It’s easy and fun to make your own Christmas tree decorations, and your kids will be delighted to see their hard work displayed on the tree. Whether you get crafty with paper or break out the glitter glue, the wobbly homemade Christmas tree decorations will bring a smile to your face, and you’ll make some wholesome memories that will last for years to come. If you’re looking for more inspiration for Christmas, check out our range of funny Christmas cards, and find more Christmas DIYs and how-to guides at the thortful blog.
