Another winner Advent Activity, guys! Do this one, I am serious! I have been searching around for Christmas ornaments that toddlers/preschoolers can make themselves that actually look nice. And I found them!
First, I have to show you a picture of how cute Elizabeth was dressed today. And I say WAS dressed because she stripped everything off and put on her rattiest dress up dress, OF COURSE.
And the picture doesn’t even do it justice. It was the cutest outfit- that is now lying spread out around my house. (Now, she’s even taken off the ripped and torn princess dress and despite it being winter and 66 degrees in here, is parading around in nothing but underpants.)
ANYWAY. Christmas ornaments. Right.
Okay, the first thing you need are those clear plastic (or glass, if you have gentle children and are brave) ornaments. Then you give the child some red tissue paper and tell them to tear it up and stick it into the ornament.
Elizabeth (and her friend Adam, who joined us) thought this was really fun.
Get them as full as you’d like and put the lid back on. Then glue a piece of black ribbon around the outside (we used hot glue) and glue a silver square (we used sparkle paper) over the seam. Ideally, the belt would have been been a little more centered, but did I mention this was an ornament that toddlers can make?
Adam and Elizabeth were very pleased with themselves.
I think these turned out really adorable and pretty enough to go on any tree.
We also did I Spy ornaments. We started with bags of Epsom salt, which we colored with food coloring. (Perhaps you would be better served by measuring out how much you need in the ornament and then only coloring that, since I ended up dyeing WAY more than we needed.)
Then we had the kids put all these little Christmas themed trinkets into the ornaments. I did these totally spontaneously, so the trinkets were all one that I had lying around from other projects (see also: Mitten Advent Calendar) and we could really have used some better ones.
After they put in all the trinkets, we used a funnel and poured the colored Epsom salt over top. You will want to leave some empty space in the ornament for things to have room to move around. We glued the lids onto the ornaments with hot glue (and lots of it- these are not ones you want opening accidentally) and tied ribbons on to hang the ornaments on the tree.
Then Elizabeth and Adam hung them on the Christmas tree. (Adam’s was secretly removed later for him to put on his own tree at home.)
The point of the I Spy ornament is for the kids to be able to handle them and turn them around to move the Epsom salt and look for all the trinkets inside. But they also look pretty good on the tree.
Anyway, both these ornaments were easy and cheap and made mostly with things we already had around the house.
{ 16 comments… read them below or add one }
Love this too! Damn you. I’m planning on making those dough ornaments with the kids – have them put handprints on them and give them to the grandparents.
These turned out so cute! I love the I Spy ones the most – how fun! And yes, what a lovely outfit Elizabeth was wearing! I especially love the socks/tights. Festive and adorable!
Too cute! Little K and I will have to give these a try.
E’s outfits are the cutest! And these ornaments are so adorable! I love your advent activities.
These are wonderful. I’d love to try these with my kids. You are amazing.
Nice! My girls broke two glass balls ornaments just trying to help me decorate, I think we’d have to go with the plastic version.
Fun! I’ve been looking for some sort of ornament making thing to do with Kalena, but everything I’ve seen seems too complicated. This looks just right!
I like the idea of the I Spy ornaments. Those are great to put on the bottoming the tree near little hands. Did you get the clear plastic balls at michaels or someplace like that?
Michaels. Actually, when I went to Michaels, I bought the six pack, right next to the loose plastic balls. Then I was talking to Holly on the phone and she said that she didn’t see any six packs of plastic, only glass. So I said, “no, I found the six packs of plastic”, and then I said “oh, darn it”. So Holly actually bought the clear plastic balls at Michaels.
These look like easy and fun ornaments!! I spy the bear I gave you last year!! :)
I wondered if you’d notice that. ;)
I think for next year, I’ll just copy your entire list of Advent activities:)
Great idea. Love the little santa ones. That is perfect for the kiddos.
These turned out so cute! I think I’m making a mental note to make these next year!
Could you use the leftover dyed epson salts to make salt dough ornaments?
Love the eye spy. I need a craft for the 2 year old christmas party. I was thinking about using small empty water bottles and filling with the goodies. I need to check michaels for the small objects. Did elizabeth have any favorites inside her ornament?