Fun Christmas ornament ideas to make with children:
Glitter Ornaments
Trace a simple star or whatever design on paper (tape the paper to the table). Lay wax paper over the top so you can see the design (also tape it to the table). Have the kids put glue over the outline of the design and then sprinkle on the glitter. Dry overnight and then peel from wax paper. Add a ribbon to hang on tree.
Pipe Cleaner Ornaments
This is quite easy, you need pipe cleaners and tri-colored beads. Take the pipe cleaner and thread on the beads so they nest together. Can make a wreath, candy cane, star, etc. For older kids you can have them weave ribbon with holes in it through the pipe cleaner and between each bead.
Styrofoam Ball Ornament
Styrofoam ball (about 2 1/2 inches), glue, paper clips, paint, misc craft items – glitter, jewels, ribbons, ect. Put some glue on one end of a paper clip and push it into ball, this will be the hanger. Paint and decorate as desired. *another idea: Paint with glitter paint, glue on “jewels” & tiny shells, ribbons – all kinds of stuff.
Jigsaw Ornament
Popsicle sticks, glue, jigsaw puzzle pieces, child’s picture, light weight cardboard, ribbon. Glue popsicle sticks together to form a triangle. Glue the puzzle pieces onto the triangle to make a frame. Glue the picture behind the frame, and then glue the cardboard behind the picture. Add a ribbon for hanging.
Christmas Ornaments
wax paper, glue, glitter, yarn (various colors). Cut yarn into various lengths. Dip yarn in glue and lay on wax paper, over lapping each piece. Let dry. Pull yarn off wax paper, attach a string to the top, apply glue and add glitter. Hang to dry.
Drum Ornament
toilet paper rolls, red and white contact paper, felt, or paint, glue, gold metallic yarn, toothpicks. Cut the roll in thirds. Cover with red paper, felt, or even paint or markers, just so it is covered. Glue 2 circles of white felt, paper or fabric just big enough to go over each end and glue around the edge about 1/8″.
Using gold metallic yarn (like the plastic canvas stuff), anchor one end to the top edge of the covered roll, then glue to the other edge going down and at an angle, then angle back up to the top and continue around in the fashion. Glue a couple of round toothpicks to the top, add a string for hanging.
Wreath Ornaments
Use green tempera paint to paint seven 2 1/2 in. wide pieces of paper towel of toilet paper tubes. When the paint is dry thread a pipe cleaner through all the tubes and twist to secure them together. Cut out at red paper bow, and glue it to the wreath. Thread a piece of red ribbon through the tube on top and tie to make the hanger for the ornament or wreath.
Pine cone Ornaments
Gather pine cones (they don’t have to be large). Spray paint some gold, some silver, and some with clear sealer and while still wet sprinkle glitter on liberally, then spray again with clear sealer. This should be done in a well ventilated space.
You could also have the kids paint the pine cones by hand with gold or silver paint, or dabbing glue on the cones and sprinkling with glitter. When the cones are dry, tie a beautiful ribbon around the top (ones that still have a bit of stem attached at the top work best), and you have a very nice ornament.
Swirled Ornament Balls
You need clear plastic balls (ornament balls) with a gold top and loop, to pull string through. Different colors of acrylic paint and the kids squeezed different colors into the ornament ball. When each color is squeezed in the ball, the children turn the ball around and around to spread out the color. Each one is different &beautiful!
Christmas Snowflake Ornament
Using craft sticks, spray paint them white. Or the children could paint them white. I like to use the cut out craft sticks for this project. Glue 3 of the sticks together to form a snowflake design. Start by making a “X” shape with a dot of glue in the center of the sticks. Lay the next stick horizontally on top like this > —- . Let the sticks dry. The children apply glue & white glitter. Glue a paper clip to the top of the stick to use as a hanger. Add a green or red ribbon to the paper clip.
Candy Cane Ornament
Using Tri-beads thread the beads onto a pipe-cleaner. Use two red beads then two white beads.Thread the beads so they nest together.When you like the length bend the pipe-cleaner to hold & cut. Bend the length to make a candy cane shape that will hang on the tree.
Ornaments out of glue & glitter
Trace a simple star or whatever design on paper (tape the paper to the table), lay wax paper over the top so you can see the design (also tape it to the table). Have the kids put glue over the outline of the design & then sprinkle on the glitter. Dry overnight & then peel from wax paper.
Pipe cleaner ornaments
You need pipe cleaners & tri-colored beads. Take the pipe cleaner & thread on the beads so they nest together. They can make a wreath, candy cane or star. For older kids you can have them weave ribbon with holes in it through the pipe cleaner & between each bead.
Crayon Ornaments
Using inexpensive crayons hot glue them together in bunches of 5 or so, tie a bow around the bunch and then hang them with additional ribbon or string.
Clear ball-type ornaments
Gently stuff them with icicles (tinsel). The eraser end of a pencil worked great to stuff the icicles down the hole. They are beautiful!
Plaster Ornaments
Supplies: Faster Plaster, Christmas Candy Molds, Paint or Markers. Use the Faster Plaster & Christmas candy molds to make ornaments. Decorate them with paint or markers. Attach a hanger, pin backs, or magnets to the plaster mold.
Yarn ornament
Wax Paper, Glue, Glitter, Yarn – various colors. Cut yarn into various lengths. Dip yarn in glue & lay on wax paper, over lapping each piece. Let dry. Pull yarn off wax paper, attach a string to the top, apply glue & add glitter. Hang to dry.
Popcorn ornaments
Here’s a twist on traditional Christmas trims. Instead of stringing popcorn on string for your tree, string it onto medium-gauge wire and bend the wire into shapes such as bells, hearts, or stars. Add a ribbon to the top!
Mouse Ornament
Cut an oval out of felt but make one end pointed for the mouse’s nose.Glue some wiggly eyes on and for whiskers you can add some fishing wire where the whiskers would be. Glue two felt ears on. Then cut two slits so that a candy cane can be the “NOSE” and the “TAIL”. PS Someone else said to cut an * shape out of felt for the ears then cut a vertical cut in the felt for the ears to go through?
Christmas Tree Balls
Clear glass or plastic tree balls (ornaments), small Christmas accessories or toys, ribbons, cotton, sequins, glitter, glue Remove the top hook part from the bulb. Fill the ball with such things as: cotton puffs, a sprig of holly or mistletoe, a small toy, bright strands of ribbon, etc.
You can also add a small picture. Roll it up and stick it through and it will unroll itself. You can also decorate the outside of the bulb, just be sure to not cover up what is inside the bulb. When finished, put the top back on.
Paper Tree Ornaments
Cut out 4 triangle tree shapes. Fold each one in middle. Glue together. Add sequins or holes punched from colored paper for decorations. Cut out circles or heart or shapes & do the same as the tree for different ornaments.
Bear Ornaments
Precut bear shape from green or red poster board. Make hole punches all around and allow the children to sew in and out of the holes with red or green ribbon. Glue a pocket on the front of their bear and add a message in the pocket. “One big bear hug. Just for you. Merry Christmas Love _______”. We added a ribbon string for hanging. Also used old Christmas wrap cut into heart shapes to decorate the pocket etc.
