When we think of Christmas we think of tons of different ideas, but one thing that really stands out are Christmas trees!

We all either have a fake or real Christmas tree each year in our homes. There’s picking out the Christmas tree, decorating the tree, and taking family pictures with the tree!

It’s a wonderful time of year to specifically focus on our family and kids. This recycled Christmas tree craft is the perfect activity to do just that!

Since it uses cardboard and simple craft supplies, it’s a cheap way to create lasting family memories and amp up the creativity of your kids!

This simple Christmas tree craft is perfect for young kids of all ages, from toddlers to preschool, kindergarten, and early elementary.

If you want to learn how easy it is to make these DIY ornaments, read our step-by-step tutorial below or watch our quick video!

Also, be sure to check out all of our Christmas crafts for kids for more ideas!

Cardboard Christmas Tree Craft

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Supplies

• Cardboard or cereal box
• Acrylic paint
• Buttons in various colors
• Green yarn (optional; if you want to wrap the tree)
• Glue
• Paintbrush
• Scissors
• Baker’s twine (optional; to make into an ornament)
• Christmas tree template (enter your email in the form at the end of this post to have the link sent to you)

Directions

Download the Christmas tree template and print it out on paper. Cut out, then retrace onto the cardboard and cut out the pieces.

Lay the cardboard out onto some newspaper or a paper plate and paint the trees green. Paint the tree stumps brown and the stars yellow. Let dry completely.

Optional: Take the green yarn and wrap it around the Christmas tree. There’s no right or wrong way to do this. Wrap as much or as little as you want, then glue the yarn to the back of the cardboard.

Glue the stump to the bottom of the Christmas tree.

Glue the star to the top of the Christmas tree.

Take the buttons and glue all over the tree.

Optional: If you’re going to make this Christmas tree craft into an ornament, take the baker’s twine, loop it around and glue it to the back.

Can you believe how simple and fun this Christmas tree craft is?! It’s a quick and inexpensive way to spend time crafting together as a family, plus it makes a thoughtful homemade gift.

All you need to do is write your child’s name and the year on the back, wrap it up and give it to your favorite family member or friend! They’ll love receiving this cute homemade ornament!

Looking for some more fun Christmas activities to keep the kids busy? We’ve got you covered with this Christmas printables bundle! There are color by numbers, pattern block mats, do a dot printables, letters from Santa and so much more. No more hours of screen time – these activities will keep them engaged and happy!

Making This Tree Craft With Young Kids

This craft is best suited for older preschool or kindergarten children. Although this craft is for young kids, there are a few considerations to make when doing it with toddlers or young preschoolers.

To have the best experience possible, we recommend having all the cardboard cut out and ready to go. If you’re using a cereal box, older children with more fully developed fine motor skills may be able to cut the pieces out themselves.

No matter what age the kids are, all of them will enjoy painting the cardboard! Put down an art drop cloth and let them all have a blast painting their pieces.

Once the pieces are dry and they’re ready to move on to the yarn wrapping, they may need a little adult assistance getting it ready. Help them do this by wrapping the yarn a couple of times around the tree and then modeling how they can continue to wrap the tree up. After they’ve completed wrapping an adult will need to glue the yarn down in the back.

Christmas Ideas For Kids

As the holidays approach, many parents find themselves wondering how to keep their kids entertained. Fortunately, there are plenty of Christmas activities that are both fun and educational.

We’ve gathered up some of our readers’ favorite ideas so you don’t have to waste time searching! So go ahead and gather up some holiday fun – your kids will be sure to thank you for it!

Christmas Children’s Books

Christmas is a time for joy, laughter, and beloved traditions. One tradition that has stood the test of time is reading Christmas stories together as a family. There are so many reasons why parents should consider reading Christmas books to their kids this year.

First, it’s a great way to spend time with your children and create lasting memories. Second, reading aloud helps to develop your child’s literacy skills. Third, Christmas stories are simply delightful, and they can help to get your kids into the holiday spirit!

So whether you’re looking for quality family time or simply want to spread some holiday cheer, be sure to pick up a few Christmas books to read with your kids this year.

Below are some of the top Christmas books to read to your kids!

Dasher: This wonderfully illustrated Christmas book for kids gives you the back story on one of Santa’s favorite reindeer, Dasher! Girls will especially love to read this since Dasher is a girl.

Construction Site On Christmas Night: Fans of the fun characters of the construction site books have to add this Christmas-themed story to their collection. See how the trucks get ready for Christmas!

How To Catch An Elf: Kids everywhere love the silliness of this Christmas story. The rhymes and the illustrations will draw the kids in as well. This is a Christmas book kids will want to read every year!

Kids’ Christmas Crafts

Making Christmas crafts helps kids to get into the holiday spirit. It also allows them to express their creativity and gives them a sense of accomplishment. Additionally, crafting can be a fun way for families to spend time together!

If you want some more crafting ideas, check out these popular choices:

Mickey Mouse Gingerbread Man Craft – This Mickey Mouse gingerbread man craft is the perfect activity for a cold winter day! The kids will have so much fun decorating their own little gingerbread men, and you’ll love seeing their creative results.

Elf On The Shelf Paper Plate Craft – This holiday season, bring the Elf on the Shelf into your home with this fun and easy paper plate craft! All you need is a paper plate, some paint, and our free template.

Santa Cone Craft – This Santa craft is so easy and fun for kids to make! It’s perfect for getting into the Christmas spirit. All you need is some paper, markers, scissors, and tape. Your kids will love the results so much, they’ll want to display them around the house!

Grinch Craftivity – This craftivity is designed to help your kids or students think about how they could help cheer up the Grinch. Kids can first make a paper Grinch and then write about how they would help him feel better. What a fun and festive way to work on social-emotional skills!

Kids’ Christmas Activities

Looking for a fun and easy way to keep your kids entertained? Why not try coloring pages! These free printable elf coloring pages are perfect for kids of all ages and they offer a variety of benefits. Not only are they great for stimulating your child’s imagination, but they can also help promote fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination.

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas! Add some extra holiday cheer to your family game night with this free printable roll a Santa game. Players take turns rolling the dice and filling the spots on the game board. The game is great for kids of all ages, and it’s a fun way to practice taking turns and fine motor skills. So put on some holiday music, gather around the table, and get ready to have a jolly good time!

These Christmas pattern block mats are a fun and educational toy for kids of all ages. By placing the blocks in the correct slots, kids can finish the festive holiday images. They can also learn about shapes and colors, as well as develop fine motor skills.

Christmas Fun

• This personalized Christmas book for kids is so cute and sweet!
• Get the kids excited about bathtime with these adorable snowman bath bombs!
• Kids will love this personalized Santa’s Christmas plate to set out all the goodies.

Share With Us

Did you make this craft with your kids or students? We’d love to feature them on our social media!

For a chance to have your child’s craft featured, simply snap a picture of the completed project and post it to our Facebook page, email it to us directly by clicking here, or use #simpleeverydaymom on your social media!

More Christmas Ideas For Kids

Free Christmas Tree Template