Favorite Homemade Christmas Ornaments Made By My Kids (And How to Make Them)

As much as I love themed trees and really primitive trees, I can't bring myself to change anything about our big tree in the living room.  It's so full of memories!  It's mostly just things the kids have made, ornaments my mom gives them every year, and special ornaments we've collected or been given.  Each one has a story.  We have so much fun remembering as we're decorating the tree.  There's stories about Colt and Joy, and now Luke will have his own to add to the tree as well.

Today, I thought I'd share some of my favorite homemade ornaments made by the kids with you, and how they were made.

This particular one is really a favorite because I look at it and see a special piece of art work and my kids' interpretation through drawing means so much.  The kids were asked to draw the nativity scene or "when Jesus was born in the stable". 

It's made with 3 craft sticks glued together in the shape of a triangle and a white piece of triangular paper or cardstock glued to the back.  (We didn't use them then, but I'm thinking glue dots would be easy now).  Add a little ribbon at the top to hang it.  Let the kids draw the manger scene.  I think it would be cute done with colored pencils, although my kids used a regular pencil.  Add some raffia or straw to the bottom for the hay in the stable.  Add a stick on star at the top (this one below is missing the star).  That's it and it's so precious.

This one is an old stand by, but a favorite, because it includes a photo.  For this one, you glue 3 craft sticks together in a triangle.  Then glue another 3 craft sticks together in a triangle.  Then place one of the triangles upside down over the other one and glue them together.  Then let the kids cover them with glitter (the fun part) :).  Then crop a picture to glue to the back.  Add a ribbon for hanging.

We've made these lots of times to keep kids busy for awhile.  Save your pringle lids (or other plastic lids in similiar sizes).  Pull out your Christmas cards from previous years and let the kids go through them picking out favorites.  They then crop the cards to fit the top of the pringle lid and glue it on the lid.  Put a border of glue around the edge of the lid on the cropped card and add glitter. Punch a hole in lid (this can even be done with an ice pick or a knife).  Add a hook for hanging or even a small ribbon.

This one is made from a circle cut from a piece of poster board and covered on the back with a piece of Christmas fabric.  Add your child's thumbprint and make a design from it.  Add decorative trim around the edge and a ribbon for hanging.

Salt dough ornaments are always fun for kids too.  They love getting their hands in the messy gooey stuff!  This one was made from a gingerbread cookie cutter and Colt used markers to decorate it like a tiger cub scout during a cub scout meeting.  You can use a straw to punch the hole before baking it.  They then used yarn for hanging it. 

This snowman was made from a plastic spoon and pieces cut from felt.  A face was drawn on the back side of the spoon for the snowman and a hat, body and scarf cut from felt.

And this one is definitely one of a kind. :) His name is Llama Bob.  He kind of reminds me of Squidward of Sponge Bob.  I'm not sure if anyone would ever want to make him and I'm not even sure exactly how he was made, but I had to show him to you.  When Colt got older (and Joy was little and happily making lots of ornaments), I asked him to make me an ornament for the tree.  You know it was during the time that he thought he was too big for such a thing (as boys tend to do) and this is what he came up with.  But it definitely tells a story and was "so Colt", that I love it.

Maybe I'll be back to share some other favorite ornaments, not necessarily homemade, but just some of my favorite ornaments from our big tree.  

So what about you....do you have favorite homemade ornaments made by your kids that you treasure?  I'd love to see them.  We enjoy counting down the days to Christmas and try to do an activity a day.  Making ornaments is usually on the advent list!

Thanks for stopping by today! Have a great day!  :)