Ornaments for Kids

Children love helping with holiday decorations. It's a perfect time to create keepsakes and memories, like these ornaments that both you and your children will enjoy now and for years to come. Making decorations with your children doesn't have to be expensive to be fun, and these ornament ideas are just as beautiful as more expensive options.

"Quilted" Fabric Balls

My mom and I used to make these every year, and I still make one each year for my own holiday decorations. They're simple, fun, and really allow your child's creativity and individuality to shine. Because this one requires tools, you'll want to help your child as they create their masterpiece.

What you need:

Styrofoam craft balls, any size you like for your tree

Gold or silver ribbon, cut into 6 inch lengths

Scrap fabric of any kind your child likes. You can use scrap fabric from your sewing, old clothes or blankets, or buy small quilting squares from your local craft of fabric store

A seam ripper for older children, or a plastic knife for younger children

Instructions: Cut scrap fabric into ovals, squares, and other shapes. Keep shapes simple. Place fabric shape onto ball, and use seam ripper or the thin edge of the plastic knife just a bit inside the edge of the fabric to push the edges of the fabric into the ball. Put another piece of fabric on any side of the already mounted fabric, with the edge just slightly overlapping. Again, use tool to push edges into the ball. Repeat this until the ball is covered in fabric, and looks "quilted." Use the seam ripper (a knife won't work for this, parents, so you may need to do this part yourself for younger children) to poke both ends of a piece of ribbon into on of the "seams," creating a hanger for the ornament.

Additions: There are a lot of things you can do with these ornaments to make them fancier, though they are beautiful without anything else. You'll find many of your own, but here are some I've used in the past:

Attach a tassel opposite the hangar by pushing the tassel loop into the ball with the seam ripper.

Attach sequins or beads using large-headed pins. Just put pin through bead or sequin hold, and insert anywhere into the ball over the fabric.

Use metallic fabrics. This creates an elegant, beautiful ball fit for even very fancy parties

Papier Mache Globes

These lovely ornaments are incredibly easy to make, and kids can do enough to decorate the entire tree in very little time. There are so many variations it's almost impossible to get bored with them! For those with an eye to the holiday budget, these beautiful globes are a wonderful way to decorate in style without breaking the bank.

What you need:

Small balloons

flour

water

strips of thin paper (colored or white), about ½ inch wide by 3 inches long

colored ribbon or string, long enough to reach around ornament plus 8 inches

large glass, tape roll, or other item to use as a base

Decorative items such as paints and glitter.

Instructions: Blow up the small balloon and tie it off. Set balloon on desired base for working. I use the inside cardboard ring from duct tape. Combine 1 part flour to 2 parts water and mix. Add more flour until you get a nice paste consistency. Run a strip of paper through the glue, then lay it on the balloon. Continue laying on sheets of glued paper, overlapping edges, until balloon is covered. Once the balloon is covered, allow to dry for 24 hours, then repeat the process. You can do this as many times as you like, but I prefer to do it only once so the ornament is light and rather transparent. When applying the final layer, tie a nice bow in ribbon using about 4 inches of ribbon. Place bow at bottom of balloon, then return balloon to base. Holding a loop of the ribbon at the top away from balloon, place strips of glued paper on top of ribbon all around to cover all but the top loop and bottom bow. Allow to dry completely, then decorate as desired. Using a pin between the strands of the top loop, pop the balloon. The top loop is, of course, your hanger and the bottom is a lovely bow for decoration.

Additions: There are many fun ideas for changing this ornament that it's difficult to list them all. Let your child use their creativity to come up with their own unique variations, or help them with some of these:

Use different shaped balloons.

Leave a "hole" in the paper mache, and after popping the balloon, insert figurines and fake grass to create a holiday scene.

Use colored paper, and sprinkle with glitter before paste dries.

Attach school pictures, copies of good report cards, or other personal items to the ornament.

Use two balloons taped together to make a large ornament for the hallway.

There are endless varieties with these two ornaments. This holidays season, let the kids help decorate, and get in some quality family time creating memories!