If you have kids, chances are you have a few homemade Christmas ornaments the kids made.    

Making ornaments is a fun way to pass the time as the kids count down to the big day.  These beaded Christmas ornaments are easy to make, and they look beautiful on the tree.  

Beaded Christmas Ornaments 

These homemade Christmas ornaments for kids to make would be fun to make when you’re stuck inside on a cold day.  Plus, they make cute gifts.

Young kids will also have fun making play doh ornaments. 

Affiliate links have been used below at no additional cost to you.  See my full disclosure for more details. 

Materials Needed:

• Pipe Cleaners (Chenille Stems)
• Transparent Faceted Round Beads
• Transparent “Sunburst” Beads
• Red and White Tri Beads
• Thin Red Ribbon
• Gold Thread (or invisible thread, for hanging)

Beaded Icicle Ornaments

To create your own beaded icicles, start off with a white pipe cleaner.  

For the one pictured we chose to use clear beads in 2 different sizes.  Thread the smallest ones on first to create the bottom of the icicle.  Then add your larger beads.

You can also use colored beads, if you wish.  These turn out beautiful when hanging near the lights.  

Once your icicle is as long as you wish it to be, add a drop of white glue to the ends of your pipe cleaner and fold the tips of the pipe cleaner over.  (The glue helps keep little fingers from undoing the beads later.) 

If needed, you can trim your pipe cleaner.  

Tie a loop of gold thread to the top for hanging.  If desired, you can add a bit of ribbon, flower, or other baubble to the top with hot glue. 

Pipe Cleaner Snowflakes with Beads

To create your DIY snowflake ornament, you will need 3-4 pipe cleaners. 

Twist the middles together to form 6-8 points of your snowflake. 

For the one pictured we used clear and gold beads. 

You can also do this ornament with “sunburst beads” in any color you wish, forming a star.  

Challenge little ones to create a pattern that they can repeat on each arm of the snowflake or star.  

Again, bending the ends of each pipe cleaner around the last bead will help secure them.  I also added a bit of craft glue on the ends to keep little fingers from taking them apart later.

Finally, add a loop of gold string to the top so you can hang your ornament.  

Pipe Cleaner Candy Canes with Beads

I remember making these tri bead Christmas ornaments when I was a kid.  I had so much fun making them with my own kids.  I’m sure you will too!

Once again start with a  pipe cleaner.  

We used opaque red and white tri-beads to create our candy canes.  I’ve also seen them done with round beads and transparent ones.  They all turn out pretty. 

Have your child thread the beads on, alternating between red and white.   Working on patterns like this is perfect for toddlers and preschoolers.  

Once you have enough beads on the pipe cleaner, simply bend the top to form a candy cane.  (And, yes, I bent the tips on these and added a bit of glue, too!)

We like to hang ours by just sliding the hooked end over a tree branch, like a real candy cane.  You could also add a bit of gold thread to it for hanging.  

Beaded Wreath Ornament

To make a wreath ornament with beads, start with a pipe cleaner and green beads.

We used green sunburst beads and alternated them with silver round beads.  You could also use red beads between your green ones.  

Once your pipe cleaner is full, bend it into a circle and twist the 2 ends together.  

Add a pretty ribbon bow to the top.  You can tie it, or use hot glue if you wish.  We chose to add a loop of matching ribbon to hang it with.

What I love about beaded Christmas ornaments is that they are easy to make and each one is unique!  You can create an unlimited variety using different beads and adorning them with various ribbons, etc.

Looking for more homemade ornament ideas?

• Wire and Bead Ornaments for Tweens
• DIY Beach Ornament 
• Pine Cone Ornament
• Puzzle Piece Wreath
• Recycled Christmas Card Ornament

Originally published December 15, 2013. 

The post Beautiful Beaded Christmas Ornaments Kids Can Make first appeared on There's Just One Mommy.

For years moms have cherished tiny hand prints and other colorful ornaments their child made them with salt dough.  But salt dough isn’t the only way for kids to make those ornaments. 

Kids of all ages will have fun making these different play dough ornaments.

One of the best parts about making playdough ornaments is that kids can have fun squishing the material and playing with it before they shape it into their tree decorations.  

For more sensory play fun, you may want to check out these homemade playdough recipes.  

Play Dough Ornaments 

Play Doh Ornaments —  Have cans of Play-Doh that are drying out?  It’s super simple to use that store bought play dough to make colorful Christmas ornaments.  

Cranberry Playdough Ornaments—  Kids will have fun playing with this festive homemade play dough.  Afterwards, roll it out to create cranberry-colored ornaments that stand out against that ever green tree.  

Salt Dough Ornament Recipe —  Looking for a traditional salt dough recipe?  This one is perfect for rolling out.  Or, use it to make ornaments with your child’s hand print.  Once baked and sealed, they will last for years.  

White Clay Ornaments  —  You will love how white this dough is!  With just 2 ingredients, you can create a dough that stays snowy white after it dries.  

No-Cook Cinnamon Ornaments —  Discover how easy it is to make your very own homemade cinnamon scented play dough.  It’s perfect to play with during the holidays.  Or, roll it out and use cookie cutters to make ornaments that give off the gentle scent to remind you of gingerbread.  

How to Make Play Dough Ornaments

If you use a recipe that requires baking, you will want to set your oven at 200 degrees Fahrenheit.  

The length of time needed will depend on which recipe you use, as well as how thick you roll your dough.  Be sure to check the ornaments every 15-20 minutes to avoid over-cooking them.  

Can You Bake Play Doh

Yes, you can bake store bought Play Doh. 

Start with a low oven temperature (200 degrees Fahrenheit) and check after 10 minutes.   

If you roll your dough to 1/4 inch thickness, it should only take 10-15 minutes.  

Your child will have fun making each of these play dough ornaments.  And they will make beautiful keepsakes for years to come.  

You may also enjoy:

• Homemade Beaded Christmas Ornaments 
• Candy Cane Games for Kids
• New Year’s Fizzy Science for Kids
• Simple New Year Game

The post Play Dough Ornaments first appeared on There's Just One Mommy.

Out of all the bling on the Christmas tree, some of my very favorites are homemade, especially ones my children have made over the years.

If you’re like me and treasure those kid-made ornaments, than you will love this collection of  beautiful handmade Christmas ornaments for kids.

If you are looking for fun kids Christmas crafts to do this season, you just can’t go wrong with something for the tree.  

These Christmas ornaments kids can make are perfect if you are looking for fun activities to add to your Christmas countdown.

You might also enjoy some of these Christmas STEM activities. 

Homemade Christmas Ornaments

DIY Jesse Tree Ornaments —  A Jesse tree is a beautiful way to teach kids the reason for the holiday season.  These homemade Jesse tree ornaments are perfect for kids to make to go with the scripture readings.  

Beaded Christmas Ornaments  — From simple red and white beaded candy canes, to sparkling icicles and beaded star ornaments, kids of all ages will have fun making these 4 beautiful Christmas tree ornaments.  

Christmas Flower Ornament   — Find out how your child can recycle old cardboard tubes to make stunning red flowers that sparkle.

Melted Plastic Cup Ornaments  — Add a bit of science to your crafting with this Christmas ornament for kids.  

Play-Doh Ornaments  — This homemade ornament idea is a great way to use that play dough that’s starting to dry up.  

Lego Ornament  — This fun idea is a must for kids who love Legos.

Recycled Christmas Card Ornament — Create ornaments with memories of last year’s cards.

Craft Stick Snowman   — This kid made Christmas ornament is super easy and perfect for toddlers and preschoolers. 

Crystal Icicle Ornaments — Mix science with art and create beautiful crystals you can hang on the tree. 

Pine Cone Reindeer — Kids will have fun transforming a pine cone into an adorable reindeer for the tree.  

Dragonfly Ornament  — You will love these whimsical tree decorations.  

Sparkly Craft Stick Snowflake — Every tree needs a little sparkle.  Your child will love making these simple snowflakes.

Ribbon Christmas Tree  — These ribbon trees look elegant and would make a cute homemade teacher gift.

DIY Beach Ornament —  This plastic ball ornament is a fun way to keep vacation memories alive all year long.

Styrofoam and Button Ornaments  –This is a super easy ornament for even the youngest to make.

Button Wreath   — Kids will have fun making this ornament with discarded buttons.  

Puzzle Piece Wreath — Here is a fun way to recycle those puzzles with missing pieces.

Yarn Wrapped Trees — Kids love to play with yarn.  This simple tree ornament would be perfect for kindergartners. 

Paper Straw Wreath —  Toddlers and preschoolers will have fun working on patterns while making these. 

Plastic Cup Bell   — Every tree should have a bell.  Your child can make this one in just a few minutes. 

Scrap Ribbon Christmas Tree   — I love the simplicity in these easy to make ornaments.  

Craft Stick Stars — Looking for something super simple?  Make these stars ahead of time and let your toddler or preschooler decorate them with glitter glue and sequins.  

Pine Cone Ornaments — Every tree needs a bit of sparkle.  Gather the kids together to create these glittery pine cones to decorate the tree.

Cinnamon Ornaments  — Kids will love how fragrant these ornaments are.

Once the tree is decorated with plenty of homemade Christmas ornaments for kids, be sure to check out our  free printable Christmas scavenger hunt.

You’ll also like:

• How to Have a Candy Cane Hunt
• DIY Handprint Reindeer Sweatshirt
• Melting Snowman Activity 
• Homemade Present Wreath

Originally published November 26, 2017. 

The post 25 Beautiful Christmas Ornaments Kids Can Make first appeared on There's Just One Mommy.

Once the dough starts to dry out, it just gets too hard for little ones to work with.   So, what do you do, pitch it?

Don’t toss that can yet! 

You can turn that old play dough into colorful homemade Play Doh ornaments. 

Yes, you can still use it to make some fun Homemade Ornaments Kids Can Make.

Affiliate links have been used below for your convenience.  See my full disclosure for more information.

This play dough craft is perfect for toddlers and preschoolers.   You may also love these other play dough ornaments.  

Older kids will have fun making these beaded Christmas ornaments.  

Play Doh Ornaments

You can use any of your child’s favorite colors of Play Doh to make your own play dough Christmas ornaments.  For a quicker drying time, use a can that is starting to dry out.  

Our playdough was particularly stiff, so I rolled it out for the kids.  

Once the dough is rolled out to 1/4 inch thickness (6 mm), have your child use cookie cutters to cut out shapes.  

You can use Christmas shapes, or to personalize them even more, let your child cut whatever shapes they want.  

We wound up with a few pink and lavendar kitty cats and a blue car.  Years later I still treasure these ornaments because that’s what my kids were in to when they made them as preschoolers. 

Want to add a little sparkle to your play doh decorations?

My daughter had so much fun adding glitter to our pine cone ornaments, that I decided to get out the glitter to add to these.  She had fun pressing the glitter onto the surface of the dough.  

Once your child is finished with their creations, use a toothpick to poke a hole at the top of each one so you can add a ribbon to it later for hanging.  

Then set the Play Doh in a safe place to air dry.  

Depending on how old the dough is that you used, it should only take a couple days.   Flip them over after a day or two to speed up the process.

Can You Bake Play Doh

If you want the playdough ornaments ready sooner you can bake them in the oven.  

Set the oven to 200 degreees Fahrenheit and bake them 5-10 minutes.  

Once they are dry, add ribbons to each ornament for easy hanging.  

You can also use permanent marker to personalize ornaments if desired.  We added names and the year to several of ours.  

Got some old cans of Play Doh hanging around? 

Give this easy playdough craft a try, and make a few Play Doh ornaments for the tree.  

You could also tie them on packages for a simple addition to any gift.  

You may also like:

• Craft Stick Ornaments — Easy homemade ornaments kids can make
• Jingle Bell Bracelets — Preschoolers will love this simple Christmas craft.
• Playdough Monsters — Kids will have fun making these silly monsters.

Originally published December 19, 2011.  

The post Play-Doh Homemade Ornaments first appeared on There's Just One Mommy.

This year the kids have enjoyed making homemade Jesse tree ornaments.   The ornaments have been a fun way to teach kids about the Bible, and they look super cute, too. 

These are DIY ornaments for the second half of Advent.

You can also find our ornaments for days 1-7 and days 8-14.

Homemade Jesse Tree Ornaments

Day 15:   Today’s ornament is for David.

A lot of Jesse trees use a crown to represent King David, but one of my son’s favorite Bible stories is from before he was king.

We made a sling out of felt and yarn to represent David’s fight with Goliath (1 Samuel 17).  Then we hot glued a crown on it made from a thin cardboard tube.

Day 16:  Solomon was known for his wisdom.  As a mother I am particularly fond of the story with the baby (1 King 3:16-28).

To create our ornament we used half a large craft stick.  We drew a face on it and glued a felt blanket around the baby.  Then we drew a line down it, as if cutting it into half.

Day 17:   This day’s reading has to do with Elijah (1 Kings 18:30-46).

To make your ornament, cut a craft stick in half and hot glue the two pieces together.

Then take a red and a yellow pipe cleaner and cut them into 3 pieces.  Bend the pieces into V shapes and hot glue them in the center of the sticks to form a fire.

Day 18:   This reading tells about one of the great turning points in the history of Israel.  (1 Kings 12; 2 Chronicles 10)

To represent the story of Jeroboam and Rehoboam we cut a castle shape from a piece of craft foam and then divided it with a jagged line to show how the kingdom was divided.

Day 19:   The ornament for today is for Isaiah.  One of the major themes in the book of Isaiah is that of a spiritual light.  “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned”  (Isaiah 9:2).

This ornament is super simple.  Just cut a piece of pipe cleaner to form a candle and add a small snippet of yellow pipe cleaner for a flame.

Day 20:  Today’s reading focuses on the prophet Jeremiah.  Jeremiah is sometimes called the “crying prophet.”  (Jeremiah 13:17 and Jeremiah 13:21).

To remind you of Jeremiah, make an eye out of felt and glue several tears to it.

Day 21:  Instead of focusing on Ezekiel, like the Jesse tree schedule we are following says, we opted to read about Daniel and the Lion’s den (Daniel 6).

To make your own lion ornament, cut a mane from orange craft foam and glue a yellow lion face onto it.  Make a body with 2 small, yellow pom-poms that have been glued together and add pipe cleaner legs and a tail.

Day 22:   Today’s reading deals with John the Baptist(Matthew 3).

We chose water to symbolize John the Baptist.  My daughter used a blue piece of felt and hot glued it into a shell, to represent the waters of baptism.

Day 23 and Day 24: (or do both for Day 23) Joseph and Mary were Jesus’ parents here on earth.  To represent Joseph, who was a carpenter, make a small hand saw with a piece of cardboard and use aluminum foil to make the blade.

To represent Mary (Luke 1:26-38) cut a pipe cleaner in half and put 10 pony beads of one color onto it.  Then add one different colored pony bead to it, twist the pipe cleaner into a circle and form a cross to make a mini rosary.

Day 25:  (or day 24 if you don’t plan to do it on Christmas Day)  The last ornament for the Jesse tree is Jesus.

You could make a cross to represent Him, but we decided to focus on his birth.

You can use half a craft stick to make a baby, just like the ornament for Solomon.  We had a small baby Jesus given to us and we decided to use that, gluing a small felt blanket around it.

Decorating the Jesse tree with a new ornament each day of December is a simple way to keep the focus of Christmas where it belongs.  These homemade Jesse tree ornaments help make the experience even more meaningful for kids.

• Homemade Jesse Tree Ornaments for Days 1-7
• Homemade Jesse Tree Ornaments for Days 8-14
• 25 Homemade Ornaments Kids Can Make
• Go on a Candy Cane Hunt!
• Science Activity Demonstrating How God Removes Sin

The post Homemade Jesse Tree Ornaments for Days 15-25 first appeared on There's Just One Mommy.

This year we have been making homemade Jesse tree ornaments to add to the tree.

So far we have the ornaments for days 1-7 on the tree.  Today I am sharing with you the ornaments we have ready for days 8-14.

There is still time to start your own Jesse tree tradition!  Gather the children and make these simple ornaments each day after the Bible passage reading.

Affiliate links provided below. 

Homemade Jesse Tree Ornaments

Day 8:  To represent Joseph, make a robe of many colors (Genesis 37).

You can cut a robe shape from colorful cloth you already have, or use a piece of white fabric and draw a rainbow of colorful lines on it with permanent markers.   Use a snipped piece of pipe cleaner (chenille stick) to form a clothes hanger to attach it to your tree.

Day 9:  When it comes to Moses, everyone thinks of the 10 Commandments (Exodus 20).

To make the ornament, cut 2 tablet shapes from craft foam and write Roman numerals 1-5 on one and 6-10 on the other. Glue the two tablets together and add a loop of yarn for hanging.

Day 10:  This day focuses on Joshua and the walls of Jericho (Joshua 6).

To remind the kids of this passage, create your own tumbling walls.  Cut a wall from red craft foam and draw bricks on it.  Then cut the wall in half and hot glue the pieces together to look like the wall is falling down.

Day 11:  The bravery of Rahab (Joshua 2) is one of my daughter’s favorites.

To represent her, cut several craft sticks in half and hot glue them together side-by-side to form a wall.  Cut a piece of aluminum foil in the shape of a window and glue it with a small piece of red ribbon behind it, just like the red cord Rahab hung from her window.

Day 12:  Today’s reading focuses on Sampson (Judges 16).

To make the Jesse tree ornament for Sampson, cut a silver or gold pipe cleaner in half.  Form a loop on the end of each pipe cleaner half and then twist the 2 halves together to make a pair of scissors.  Hot glue a few strands of yarn to the scissors like Samson’s hair being cut.

Day 13:  The ornament for today represents Ruth (Ruth 1:16-17) who wanted to marry an Israelite so she could worship God.

Her ornament is simple.  Form 2 small rings with silver and gold pipe cleaners and join them together.

Day 14:  Jesse was a shepherd who had many sons, the youngest was David who became king of Israel (Samuel 16:10-13).

To remind us of his humble beginnings, we chose a sheep for his ornament.  Make your own sheep by cutting a black face from felt or construction paper and gluing it to a cotton ball.  Add a couple wiggly eyes and a loop of yarn for hanging.

Making their own homemade Jesse tree ornaments is a fun and meaningful Christmas tradition the kids will love.    And these ornaments are perfect for saving and pulling out again year after year as your children learn about these important Bible stories.

• Homemade Jesse Tree Ornaments for Days 1-7
• 25 Homemade Ornaments Kids Can Make
• Go on a Candy Cane Hunt!
• Science Activity Demonstrating How God Removes Sin

The post Homemade Jesse Tree Ornaments for Days 8-14 first appeared on There's Just One Mommy.