The holiday season is the perfect time to slow down, spend quality time together, and create meaningful memories. One of the most enjoyable ways to do this with children is by making homemade ornaments. These simple crafts are more than just decorations. They become keepsakes that families treasure for years. Whether you are looking for toddler friendly projects or fun activities for older kids, homemade ornaments are an easy and affordable way to bring creativity into your home.
In this blog post, you will discover ten homemade ornament ideas that kids will love to make. Each idea is simple, customizable, and designed to be fun for little hands. These crafts also make wonderful gifts for grandparents, teachers, and friends.
Why Homemade Ornaments Are a Holiday Favorite
Homemade ornaments offer many benefits beyond holiday decorating. They help children practice fine motor skills, encourage creativity, and build confidence. Instead of buying store bought decorations, creating ornaments together allows kids to express their personality and feel proud of their work.
Another beautiful thing about homemade ornaments is the memories attached to them. Years from now, when you pull these ornaments from storage, you will remember the laughter, the messy hands, and the special moments spent crafting together.
Now lets explore ten easy and fun homemade ornament ideas that kids can help create.
- Salt Dough Handprint Ornaments
Salt dough ornaments are a classic holiday craft and for good reason. They are easy to make, use simple ingredients, and create lasting keepsakes.
To make salt dough, mix two cups of flour, one cup of salt, and one cup of warm water. Knead the dough until smooth and roll it out to about a quarter inch thick. Help your child press their hand into the dough to create a handprint. Use a straw to make a small hole at the top for hanging.
Bake the ornaments at a low temperature until fully dry. Once cooled, kids can paint them in festive colors. Add the year and their name to make it extra special.
- Clear Plastic Photo Ornaments
Photo ornaments are a beautiful way to capture memories from the year. Clear plastic ornaments can be opened and filled with special items.
Print small photos of your child or family moments. Let kids roll the photos and gently place them inside the ornament. You can also add glitter, fake snow, ribbon, or small confetti.
These ornaments look lovely on the tree and make thoughtful gifts for family members who live far away.
- Pinecone Snow Ornaments
Nature inspired ornaments are simple and charming. Pinecone snow ornaments are easy for kids to make and look beautiful on any holiday tree.
Start by collecting pinecones during a family walk. Once cleaned and dried, let kids paint the tips of the pinecones with white paint to resemble snow. Sprinkle a little glitter while the paint is still wet.
Tie a ribbon or string to the top and allow the ornaments to dry completely before hanging.
- Paper Plate Snowman Ornaments
Paper plates are inexpensive and versatile, making them perfect for kids holiday crafts. Creating snowman ornaments from paper plates is both fun and simple.
Cut small circles from paper plates to use as the snowmans head. Let children draw eyes, a nose, and a mouth using markers. Add buttons with paint or stickers. Use small scraps of fabric or paper to create scarves and hats.
Punch a hole at the top and add string for hanging.
- Cinnamon Stick Ornaments
Cinnamon stick ornaments are wonderful for adding a natural holiday scent to your home. They are safe and easy for kids to help assemble with supervision.
Bundle several cinnamon sticks together using twine or ribbon. Kids can help choose ribbons and glue on small decorations such as mini pinecones, buttons, or felt shapes.
These ornaments smell amazing and look rustic on the tree.
- Popsicle Stick Snowflake Ornaments
Popsicle stick crafts are always a hit with kids. Snowflake ornaments made from popsicle sticks are simple and allow for lots of creativity.
Glue three or more popsicle sticks together in a snowflake shape. Once dry, let kids paint the sticks white, silver, or any color they like. While the paint is still wet, sprinkle glitter on top.
Attach a string loop on the back to make it ready for hanging.
- Beaded Candy Cane Ornaments
Beaded ornaments are great for developing fine motor skills. These candy cane ornaments are colorful and fun to make.
Bend a pipe cleaner into a candy cane shape. Provide red and white pony beads for kids to slide onto the pipe cleaner. When finished, twist the end to secure the beads and attach a ribbon loop.
These ornaments look bright and festive on the tree.
- Paper Dough Clay Ornaments
Paper dough clay is a fun alternative to traditional salt dough. It creates lightweight ornaments that are perfect for little hands.
To make paper dough, mix shredded paper with warm water and blend into a pulp. Add flour and a bit of white glue to form a moldable clay. Kids can shape stars, hearts, and other holiday shapes by hand.
Once fully dried, the ornaments can be painted and decorated.
- Thumbprint Reindeer Ornaments
Thumbprint ornaments are simple but incredibly meaningful. They capture the tiny fingerprints of children which parents love to keep.
Paint your childs thumb with brown paint and press it onto a clean ornament base or thick paper. Once dry, kids can add antlers, eyes, and a red nose with markers or paint.
Add the year and a name to turn it into a keepsake.
- Felt Christmas Tree Ornaments
Felt is easy for kids to work with and comes in many festive colors. Felt Christmas tree ornaments are soft, safe, and fun to decorate.
Cut two identical tree shapes from green felt. Kids can decorate one piece with buttons, sequins, or fabric glue and small felt shapes. Glue the two pieces together, adding a small loop of ribbon at the top.
These ornaments are lightweight and perfect for young childrens trees.
Tips for Making Ornament Craft Time Fun and Stress Free
When crafting with children, it helps to prepare your space ahead of time. Cover tables with paper, set out all supplies, and dress kids in old clothes. Allowing children to create freely, without worrying too much about perfection, makes the experience more enjoyable and meaningful.
Crafting should be about fun, not perfection. Let kids choose their own colors and designs. The imperfections often make the ornaments even more special.
How to Use These Ornaments for Gifts and Decor
Homemade ornaments are more than just tree decorations. They make beautiful, thoughtful gifts. Wrap them with simple brown paper and twine or place them in small gift boxes.
These ornaments also work well as gift tags or stocking stuffers. They can be used to decorate wreaths, garlands, or even tied to door handles for a festive touch.
Creating New Holiday Traditions
Making homemade ornaments with kids can become a treasured family tradition. Each year, you can add new ornaments to your collection and watch how your childs creativity grows. Over time, your tree will tell a story of your family through handmade decorations.
These traditions teach children the value of time spent together and the joy of creating something with their own hands.
Final Thoughts
Homemade ornaments are simple, affordable, and full of heart. They turn ordinary craft supplies into meaningful keepsakes and turn ordinary afternoons into lifelong memories. By trying these ten homemade ornament ideas, you will not only decorate your home, but also build traditions your family will cherish for many years to come.
Leave a Reply