When the holiday decorations come out, it’s normal to want to spruce up the tree with a few brand new ornaments. While there are plenty of options available in stores, it can be extra fun and magical to craft some DIY Christmas ornaments of your own.
Christmas ornaments make great crafts for kids and adults alike. Whether you’re designing colorful ornaments to match your decor or looking for a unique way to create treasured holiday memories with kids, these Christmas crafts provide a fun project that helps everyone get in the holiday spirit. Plus, they’re the perfect winter activity for kids to help pass a cold, snowy day.
Here, you’ll find 20 DIY Christmas ornaments for kids to make that are just as fun for the adults. Plus, they still look cute and classy enough for almost any Christmas tree. Grab some ribbons, glitter and glue (with adult supervision!), and get started on these easy Christmas ornament ideas to make the holiday season merry and bright.
1. Popsicle stick train DIY ornament
Move over, Polar Express. These customizable popsicle stick train ornaments from Studio DIY are the perfect addition to any tree (and the perfect activity for a chilly craft day indoors). Kids can choose what colors to paint their trains and even take silly train conductor photos to include.
2. DIY gnome Christmas ornament
Holiday crafting doesn’t get cuter (or easier) than making these simple DIY gnome ornaments from One Little Project. All you need is some yarn, glue, wooden beads and miniature terracotta pots. For an extra burst of creativity, let kids choose how to paint or decorate each little gnome hat.
3. Salt shaker Christmas ornaments
Who knew simple glass containers and bottle brush trees could make such stunning holiday decor? The folks behind the blog Mason Jar Crafts sure did! These salt shaker ornaments are easy for all ages, and they add a bit of sophistication to any Christmas tree. Plus, you can dye the tiny Christmas trees any color to match your decor.
4. DIY Rudolph Christmas ornament
Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer had a very shiny nose… and adorable felt antlers. Kids will love helping with these cute custom reindeer ornaments from Studio DIY. They can pick out the colors for the ornaments and antlers and help put everything together. Then, all they need is a grown-up to help with the glue.
5. Easy felt wreath DIY Christmas ornaments for kids
Put those felt scraps to good use with these simple and adorable DIY felt wreath ornaments from During Quiet Time. The felt scraps can be cut into small squares or other shapes for texture, and you can choose whether to keep the wreaths green or multi-colored. You can also invest in a soft plastic felt needle to make it easier for kids to string the pieces together.
6. Salt dough handprint ornaments
These aren’t just cute Christmas ornaments for kids to make; they’re precious memories. A Beautiful Mess provides the recipe and the inspiration for beautiful and unique salt dough ornaments. Use kids’ handprints to make Santa’s face or cut out other shapes using cookie cutters. The final step is paint, and then they can be cherished for holidays to come.
7. Gumball machine ornaments
Holiday crafts and colorful candy come together in this DIY gumball machine ornament tutorial from Aww Sam. Kids will love filling the plastic ornaments with gumballs (or rainbow pom-poms, if you prefer), and these simple handmade Christmas ornaments will add a delightful pop of color to any tree.
8. Cinnamon stick Christmas tree ornaments
For a DIY Christmas ornament that smells as good as it looks, check out these easy-to-make cinnamon stick Christmas trees from See Vanessa Craft. This Christmas craft uses budget-friendly supplies, and it’s easy enough for kids of many ages to participate — just make sure a grown-up supervises to avoid any choking hazards.
9. Christmas diorama ornaments
Build your own cozy winter scene inspired by these Christmas diorama ornaments from Clumsy Crafter. The diorama ornaments can be purchased at a craft store, and kids can easily customize the interior using whatever characters or decorations they like. These would make a great, easy activity for a holiday party or to keep kids busy on a snow day.
10. DIY ugly Christmas sweater ornaments
Make ugly Christmas sweaters in miniature form using this tutorial from Crafts By Amanda. These ugly Christmas sweater ornaments are made using felt, beads, glitter and any other craft supplies you have on hand. Though they are sewn together, the stitch is a simple one that almost anyone can pull off. This could be a great way to introduce big kids to using a needle and thread, or you can use a dab of glue instead.
11. Melted peppermint candy ornaments
Peppermint candies and cookie cutters can be used to make a simple, cheap and totally adorable DIY Christmas ornament. To make these melted peppermint candy ornaments, the blogger behind I Heart Arts and Crafts lined a baking sheet with aluminum foil and then arranged the candies inside each cookie cutter. The result is visually stunning and probably smells delicious, too.
12. Colorful no-sew donut ornaments
For those who love colorful Christmas decor, check out these easy no-sew donut ornaments from A Piece of Rainbow. Held together by glue, these festive DIY ornaments are easy to make and endlessly customizable. Kids will have a blast designing their favorite donut. You could even incorporate construction paper or fabric scraps for more options.
13. Crystal candy cane ornaments
If you’ve ever wanted to grow crystals at home, take it to the next level by growing your own crystal candy cane ornaments. As the tutorial at Little Bins For Little Hands explains, these ornaments look elegant and double as a fun science experiment for all ages. All you need is some pipe cleaners, mason jars, ribbon and a few other simple ingredients — plus help from a grown-up.
14. Pressed flower Christmas ornaments
Go on a nature walk, then use the plants and flowers you find to make beautiful pressed flower ornaments from Little Pine Learners. The ornaments themselves are made from recycled cardboard and clear contact paper, then filled with local flora. It’s an inexpensive way to keep kids engaged, learning and working on something lovely for the holiday tree.
15. DIY Grinch ornaments
The Grinch may be a mean one, but we’d be willing to bet these DIY Grinch ornaments from Happiness Is Homemade would make his heart grow three sizes. All you need are some empty glass or plastic Christmas balls. Then, you can fill them with green beads, feathers or glitter and add a simple heart sticker.
16. Easy stick Christmas tree ornaments
Yes, these Christmas tree ornaments are made of sticks. But, they’re so whimsical and cute, you can’t even tell. Following the tutorial from Easy Peasy Fun, these trees are dressed up with rustic twigs and charming gold stars. They’re an easy holiday DIY, even for young kids, and they’ll add a bit of warmth to the tree.
17. DIY burlap reindeer ornaments
It doesn’t get easier (or cuter) than these DIY burlap reindeer ornaments from Resourceful Mama. Using burlap scraps, miniature clothes pins and some red puff balls, kids will love putting together these curious reindeer. Put on a holiday movie and make some hot chocolate while you craft, and you’ve got the perfect December afternoon.
18. Canning lid wreath ornaments
If you have some extra mason jars lying around, grab the lids and make these charming DIY wreaths from Sadie Seasongoods. Using different types of string, sequins and even paint, each wreath is unique and customizable for any age level. They’d also make adorable gift tags.
19. DIY painted Santa ornaments
Keep it classic with some easy painted Santa ornaments. This tutorial from Skip To My Lou shows how to achieve a quaint, adorable painted Santa face, even if you think your crafting skills are limited at best. Learning together with kids will be the most fun part of this craft, and the Santa ornaments can be treasured for years to come.
20. DIY cookie cutter Christmas ornaments
Cookie cutters aren’t just for holiday baking. It turns out they can also be used to make unique Christmas tree ornaments. DIY Candy has the how-to for these cookie cutter ornaments that are made using scrapbook paper and holiday shapes. The main work of this craft is cutting and gluing, so it’s kid-friendly and might even help the youngest crafters get some extra Kindergarten prep.
