Now that it is Christmastime, it is time to create ornaments with the children. All of these supplies can be brought for under $20 at the dollar store or craft shop. All of the ornaments are meant for children 5-8 years-old. Before starting any of the crafts, make sure the work area is covered in old newspapers.
The first ornament is the Pinecone Christmas Tree; I first did this craft in kindergarten and my mother still hangs the ornament on the tree. The materials needed include: pinecones, green acrylic paint, paint brushes, glue, scissors, glitter, small pieces of tissue paper of various colors, pipe cleaners, ribbon, and poms poms. Have the children paint the pinecones green then sprinkle glitter on the pinecone. After the paint has dried, it is time to decorate the “tree”. Wrap the pinecone with the pipe cleaners while gluing the pom poms and tissue paper onto the pinecone. After the glue has dried, tie ribbon around the top of the pinecone; this will be used to hang the pine cone on the tree.
When I was young, the neighborhood children use to come over and partake in this project due to the fact that it is easy and fast. This Glitter Ball ornament involves large Styrofoam balls, straight pins, glue, paper plates, glitter, and ribbon. First, pour each color of glitter onto a different paper plate. Next, pour glue onto a paper plate and roll a ball in it until the ball is covered in glue. Then roll the ball in glitter. Once it dries, insert a straight pin through a piece of ribbon and into the ball; tie the ends of the ribbon together in order to hang up on the ornament on the tree.
The final ornament is the Rein Deer Ornament, a popular project for elementary schools since it only involves popsicle sticks, googly eyes, red pom poms, glue, and ribbon. Glue the top of one popsicle stick and add another popsicle stick on top of it, creating a V-shape. Glue another popsicle stick perpendicular to the popsicle sticks, about an inch away from the top. Glue on a red pom pom at the bottom of the V-shape, creating a nose, then glue on googly eyes. Tie the ribbon in the middle of the perpendicular stick and wait for the reindeer to dry. Once it is dry, hang it on the Christmas tree.