Kids' Christmas Ornament Craft

Each year we dress the Christmas tree up in adorable little ornaments that my son has picked out. We have Rudolph, a fancy gold guitar, Frosty the Snowman and just about every character from every TV show that a preschooler would like (my son is 13 now, so I only put those ones out for the shear embarrassment factor). That said, my favorites are the handmade ones.

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Kid-created holiday ornaments are the best (at least in my opinion). They don’t look like Martha Stewart crafted them and they aren’t picture-perfect, but they are precious mementos of a time that will too-soon be long gone. Take it from someone with a newly-turned teen, you’ll miss those 3-year-old moments when you have a 13-year-old. That’s not to say you won’t still be making memories when your child is a teen – they will just be different. What’s the point of this brief digression? Take the time to savor the moment, let your child express his artistic self and don’t worry too much about the ornament coming out like something that you bought at the store.

This is a fun project that sparkles and shines with gobs of glitter and glue. So, go ahead and get messy. Prep for the process and let your little artist make his ornaments his own way (with your supervision of course)!

Here’s What You’ll Need:

·        A cardboard paper towel roll

·        Tempera paint

·        Clear-drying school glue

·        A hole punch

·        Yarn

·        Scissors

·        Glitter

·        A plastic bag (reuse a shopping bag)

Here’s What to Do:

1.     Cut the roll into pieces. Vary the sizes, making big and small segments. Have your child compare the sizes, sort them into categories (i.e., big and little) or order them by length.

2.     Paint the cardboard pieces. Use Christmas themed colors such as red and green, go with a winter white or create a dandy cane red and white pattern. Your child could use a paintbrush, but it’s so much more fun to finger paint. It’s also easier to paint the inside of the tubes (which your child will need to do) with fingers than a brush. Let the paint dry.

3.     Cut the tubes into slivers and shapes. Make diagonal cuts to create a swirl or chop pieces from the sides to make a more abstract, artsy form.
 

4.     Punch a hole near the top of the tube.

5.     Coat the outside of the painted tube with glue. Apply a layer of it over the entire surface or design a pattern.

6.     Pour a handful of glitter into a plastic bag.
 

7.     Put the glue-covered ornament in the bag and shake it around. You can even put on some Christmas tunes and encourage your child to shake the bag to the music.

8.     Take the tube out of the glitter, shake off any excess (back into the bag) and set it aside to dry.

9.     Cut a piece of yarn. Thread it through the hole at the top of the holiday ornament as a hanger.

If you like this kids' ornament craft, check out the paper poinsettia Christmas art activity! Click on the picture to see the how-to instructions:

Are you looking for more winter activities? Follow my Pinterest board for ideas!

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