Who doesn’t love handmade ornaments? Today we’re sharing a selection of over 40 of the best, easiest, and most fun DIY ornaments kids can make.
There’s a range of ideas to suit all age groups from preschool and up.
You might also like these Free Christmas craft ideas.
Homemade Christmas ornaments are not only lots of fun, they also make great keepsakes.
One of the best parts of decorating the tree is pulling out the cute DIY ornaments your kids have made in years gone by. It’s always amazing to see how much older and cleverer they are since then and also to think back on how little they once were.
Kids’ ornaments are never going to look perfect, but that’s not why we love them, is it? The kid-made look has a charm to it all of its own. It adds something special to Christmas decorating that all the fancy, colour-themed, designer decor can’t replicate no matter how much you pay for it.
You can also get your kids to make ornaments as gifts for friends and family (Grandparents love them!). So get out the pom poms, ribbon, hot glue, beads, buttons, craft sticks and glitter and let’s get crafting for the holiday season.
These homemade ornament ideas are from our own archives as well as our blogging friends from around the world.
Over 40 DIY ornaments kids can make
Handmade clay and salt dough ornaments
You can’t get more homemade than making your own ornament dough. Then get out the cookie cutters or make them more personalised with hand and fingerprints.
- These polymer clay stars are super cute and easy to make. Polymer clay can be stiff to work with, so it’s best for ages 7 and up.
- How sweet are these salt dough handprint ornaments by The Best Ideas for Kids?
- Love this fingerprint Christmas tree made from salt dough, by Messy Little Monster
- Bake and decorate a gingerbread salt dough man. So cute! By Steam Powered Family
- This clay-stamped star ornament is so pretty. By Teach me Mommy
Printable paper ornaments
You know we adore all things printable here at The Craft Train. That love, of course, extends to Christmas ornaments. I once decorated our entire tree with them.
- These mini paper angels are always fun and add a splash of colour to your tree
- I adore these simple paper decorations by Picklebums
- Print and colour a reindeer bauble with this template from by Rediscovered Families
- My kids loved making these mini paper lanterns. You can put LED candles in them so they light up.
Snowflake ornaments
Nothing says it’s Holiday Season like snowflakes—unless you live in Australia where it’s mid-Summer! But we love making snowflake ornaments anyway because they’re just so pretty.
- Here’s an easy yet stunning beaded snowflake by Rhythms of Play
- Upcycle old jigsws into quirky-looking puzzle snowflakes like these ones by Red Ted Art
- These simple popsicle stick snowflakes are so pretty! By The Best Ideas for Kids
- Make some crystal snowflake ornaments using pipe cleaners, like these ones by Natural Beach Living
- Love these kid-made snowflake stick ornaments by A Little Pinch of Perfect
Hand Sewn Ornaments
Hand-sewn felt ornaments make the cutest keepsakes, don’t you think? They’re also a great way to introduce kids to a needle and thread.
- How sweet are these hand-sewn felt baubles with kids’ drawings on them? By Swoodson Says
- Adorable penguin felt ornaments with free printable pattern
- Easy Rudolph ornament sewing craft by Red Ted Art
- Make a felt pear ornament using our free printable pattern
- This hand sewn gnome Santa is so cute! By Big Family Blessings
If you want more sewing inspiration, here are 17 easy Christmas sewing crafts for beginners, all with free printable patterns.
Wood Slice Ornaments
Wood slices make fantastic bases for Christmas ornaments. Here are some fun ideas to get you started.
- These wood slice snowmen look festive and fun, by In the Kids Kitchen
- Get out the acrylic paint and make some super cute penguin ornaments, by Projects with Kids
- Here’s another snowman ornament idea, by Easy Peasy and Fun
- Make a natural look wooden owl ornament, like this one by Frugal Fun 4 Boys
- Love these string art ornaments, by Happy Brown House
Popsicle stick ornaments
Got craft sticks in your supply cupboard that need to be used up? Here are some ornament crafts you can make from them.
- Make a cute popsicle stick button snowflake, by Easy Peasy and Fun
- What could be easier than these craft stick reindeer? By The Kindergarten Connection. If you don’t like plastic googly eyes they’d work just as well with our free biodegradable printable googly eyes.
- These popsicle stick Christmas tree ornaments are so colourful and fun, By Fireflies and Mudpies
- Make a simple craft stick star, by Little Bins for Little Hands
- Super easy pop stick Santa hats, by Buggy and Buddy
DIY ornaments made from recyclables
Raid the recycling bin and upcycle trash into tree decorations. Recycled crafts are extra satisfying because we’re actually saving on waste instead of just creating more with our crafts.
- Turn paper rolls into some mini shadow box ornaments — older kids, tweens and teens will love making these
- Here are some cute recycled lid snowmen, by A Little Pinch of Perfect
- These recycled mason jar lid baubles are simple and fun, by Emma Owl
- Use our free printable Christmas shapes to make these recycled cardboard ornaments. My girls were preschoolers when we made these, but they’re great for any age and would also make good templates for hand-sewn felt ornaments
More DIY Christmas Ornaments
But wait… there’s more! There is no limit to what you can turn into a Christmas ornament. Pasta, leaves, foil, spoons, toddler finger painting…
- These spoon fairies are based on Characters from the Rainbow Magic chapter book series
- Yarn wreath ornaments look gorgeous and also make great fine motor practice!
- Love these shiny foil ornaments decorated with kids’ art, by Picklebums
- Here’s a cute finger painting ornament toddlers can help with, by Swoodson Says
- Turn gum leaves into ornaments with this leaf painting tutorial
- Can’t go past a classic spray-painted pasta ornament! This adorable pasta bell ornament is by Paper and Glue
- Sparkly nature ornaments are easy enough for preschoolers. We made these ones from pine cones and seed pods but you can paint and glitter-coat sticks and leaves too.
- These candy cane ornaments are fun fine motor practice. All you need are pipe cleaners, beads, and ribbon, by Glitter on a Dime
- Love these burlap reindeer ornaments by Kids Craft Room
- Heart-shaped cinnamon cookie cutter ornaments. Imagine how amazing they smell! By My Joy-filled Life
- Yarn, sticks, and twine are all you need for these yarn star ornaments.
- Christmas wish list ornament—so cheeky and fun by Artsy Fartsy Mama
Are you all inspired for Christmas tree decorating? I hope so!
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