DIY Christmas Ornament Craft Ideas for Kids from Family Fun

I love our Christmas tree because each ornament represents a memory. Each and every one of them tells a story, but the handmade ones can bring me back to my childhood. Whether it’s the cardboard set of bears I made when I was five or the foam photo frame my brother brought home in third grade, looking at those ornaments for a few weeks every year is such a bittersweet reminder of how much time has gone by since we made them.

Now that Shane’s a little older, I’m looking forward to making some ornaments with him! I’m hoping that it’ll be a fun experience {he loves arts and crafts} and I am really excited for him to have his own beloved, handmade ornaments to look at fondly every year.

We haven’t decided which ones to make yet, but Family Fun Magazine shared these DIY ornament crafts with me and I think we are going to give at least one a try! If you decide to try them out, definitely let me know how they turn out.

Petite Gumball Machines

Add a bit of sweetness to your holiday with this tiny version of a childhood favorite.

• Roll a 3/4- by 5-inch strip of card stock into a 11/4-inch-diameter tube and secure it with tacky glue {clamp it with a clothespin until the glue dries}.
• Glue one end of a small rectangle of silver glitter card stock to the tube.
• Fill a 1 1/2-inch diameter clear glass ball ornament with small beads.
• For the base, glue the tube to a large button {ours has a 11/2-inch diameter}, then glue the ornament in place.

Tiny Tinsel Trees

Small tannenbaums with bold colors and lots of sparkle have a big impact on a tree.

• Form a small loop at one end of a 4-inch length of metallic pipe cleaner- this will be the top of the tree.
• Make branches by wrapping six to eight 2-inch lengths of pipe cleaner around the trunk, then trim them so that the branches at the top are narrower.
• Adhere a glass bead to the end of each branch with a dab of tacky glue.
• Use a utility knife to cut a cork to the width of washi tape {an adult’s job} and wrap the tape around the cork.
• Make a hole in the cork with a pushpin, then glue the tree trunk in the hole and allow it to dry.
• Add a length of string for hanging the trees.

Mini Snow Globes

A drift of Epsom salts helps set the scene in this winter wonderland!

• Trace the opening of a clear plastic shot glass {we got ours at a dollar store} on card stock.
• Use pinking shears to cut a circle slightly larger than the traced line, then use a glue dot to adhere a small plastic figure to the center.
• Add 1 tablespoon Epsom salts to the plastic cup, then line the rim of the cup with tacky glue and adhere the card stock base.
• When the seam is dry, glue a piece of metallic pipe cleaner around the bottom of the globe.
• Thread string through a button for a hanger, then glue the button in place.

Have you ever made ornaments? What kind?