Christmas Tree Ideas for Kids

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Make decorating the Christmas tree a family affair by encouraging kids to create their own decorations using yarn, cotton balls, tinfoil, and other items found around the house. Here are nearly a dozen kid-friendly tree themes that are easy, beautiful, and practical.

Photography: Bill Batten

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Foil Christmas Tree

Make a tree that sparkles throughout the holiday season. Turn foil cupcake liners inside out; stack, and then glue back-to-back; tie on yarn to hang. Poke string lights through small liners for a radiant glow. Scrunch sheets of foil into stars, balls, and canes, and hang with yarn.

How to Make the Foil Christmas Tree
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Cotton Ball Tree

With a few bags of cotton balls, you can blanket a tree with the softest snow. Thread a needle with 15 inches of fishing line, and sew through two or three cotton balls, leaving gaps between (dab white glue next to each so it won't slide); make loop for hanging. Use a sieve to add a dusting of cornstarch over the branches; cut batting for a skirt.

How to Make the Cotton Ball Tree
Photography: Bill Batten

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Office Supply Tree

Office supply stores have all the trimmings for a tree that belies its workaday origins. Key tags decorated with stickers, ornaments cut from file folders, and paper-clip chains dangle from the branches. A bubble-packaging tree skirt and presents dressed up in graph paper, stickers, and rubber bands circle the base.

How to Make the Office Supply Tree
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Paper Snowflake Tree

This tree twinkles with a dusting of paper snowflakes. Help kids iron their cut-out designs flat to smooth out the folds. Just hang with a paper clip bent open to form an S. The beauty of paper snowflakes is that, even with slight imperfections, when they are massed together, they're breathtaking to behold.

How to Make Paper Snowflakes
Photography: Annie Schlechter

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Snowball Tree

For a tree that would make Frosty proud, hang spheres of snow on a tree in the yard. This project is best when the snow is neither powdery nor slushy; it's easiest if you use a snowball-making tool.

How to Make the Snowball Tree
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Photography: Lucas Allen

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Felt Animal Christmas Tree

These felt animals are so adorable, you and your kids will be tempted to make a whole stampede for your tree.

How to Make the Felt Animal Christmas Tree
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Candy Christmas Tree

Help kids decorate with candy ornaments for a special Christmas tree that looks good enough to eat.

How to Make the Candy Christmas Tree
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Mini Christmas-Stocking Tree

These stockings are just large enough to hold a small gift or sweet for each of the 24 days of Advent. If your tree is too small to hold 24 stockings, hang the rest from a ribbon swag.

Print the Stocking Template

How to Make the Mini Christmas-Stocking Tree
Photography: Sang An

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Unbreakable Christmas Tree

Curious little hands can't help but be drawn to the irresistible magic of a Christmas tree. With an unbreakable tree, you can let them explore without worry. Nylon threads provide invisible support for a small tree, which you can decorate with paper chains, punched dots, and gingerbread.

How to Make the Unbreakable Christmas Tree
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Dot Garland Christmas Tree

Make a colorful tree by transforming plain white self-adhesive dots into cheerful garlands.

How to Make the Dot Garland Christmas Tree
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