With Christmas just around the corner and approaching us soon the wheels have started turning on how to get in the holiday spirit with crafts and fun DIY ideas.
Christmas is that time of year when all of you would be decorating your house and in fact many people would be trying different sorts of things in the decoration process. The best thing here is to rope your kids in to do some DIY Christmas crafts.
If you have a toddler or a child who loves play dough then you will love having fun with these play dough Christmas tree ideas.
There are some benefits too of playing with play dough:
Self Expression.
Building and Strengthening Fine Motor Skills.
Eye and Hand Coordination.
Imagination and Creativity.
Problem Solving.
Spatial Awareness.
Social Interactions.
Here we bring you some ideas which you can consider for making your own play dough at home and use it for many days to come. Include your kids for the help or let them work on their own and decorate not only your Christmas tree but your house as well with play dough decoratives.
Play Dough Christmas Tree: You can make some homemade play dough for the play dough Christmas trees but you can also buy the different colors and do the craft.
Here are the supplies you’ll need for the Play dough Christmas Trees:
Play dough (homemade or store bought).
Cake Decorating Christmas Sprinkles –Using sprinkles will make the whole Christmas tree non-toxic and edible (although it is not recommended to eat if your little one puts it in the mouth it will be non-toxic. Some sprinkles are going to melt as you kneed the play dough which will make it a bit messy – but it’s still a lot of fun!).
Mini Star Cookie Cutter.
Christmas Tree Cookie Cutter.
Directions to make your own Play dough Christmas Trees:
Cut out a bunch of different Christmas trees for decorating from green play dough.
Collect all your sprinkles in a bowl to select from.
Using yellow play dough to place on top of the tree cut a small star and it is done.
Have fun in making different color combinations or using different sprinkles!
Play Dough Bag: You can make some play dough small bags and gift it to your kids and their friends on the holiday. It is different and very economical gift for the kids.
You will need:
Play dough.
Christmas Tree Play dough bag labels.
Snack sized zip lock bags.
Embellishments (star, sequins, beads, tinselly stuff, etc).
Scissors and stapler.
Directions:
To decorate the play dough tree from embellishments, use long lengths of thin tinsel and stars on the chains. You can cut them to divide between the bags. Additionally, you can add sequins and small beads to it.
Once you are done with your play dough making, divide it up between the snack size zip lock bags and add a star, some little decorations and some tinsel before sealing the bag.
Cut the play dough Christmas bag labels and fold in half over the bag’s top and staple it to keep in place.
Give a personal touch by adding a name or a message at the back side.
Play Dough Christmas Tree Set: We all love play dough in the house and it is a no big secret. People around the world love gifting gifts and so it is better to combine both. The play dough makes lovely gifts for friends and kids which are sure to bring a lot of fun to the winter festive break.
You will need:
Rolling Pin.
Green Play Dough.
Large Tree shaped Cookie Cutters.
Tiny Tree Decorations.
Ribbon.
Scissors.
Small Rubber Bands.
Clear Plastic Treat Bags.
Directions:
Roll your dough keeping it as thick as the cookie cutter’s depth. Once done, press the cutter down in the dough and remove the excess.
Use your craft parts to decorate the tree. Make sure that you press the pieces in the dough firmly so that they stay in place.
Add a star gem to the top of the tree if you desire using a tiny ball of play dough to help keep it firm and in place.
Slide it in a plastic treat bag once done and tie the bag tightly with a rubber band and then tie a ribbon in the form of a bow on top and you are done.
Play Dough Christmas Tree Kit: Play dough is something that people usually play with on daily basis and having a pre made kits filled with dough and interesting loose parts makes it easy to dive right in the fun.
To make a play dough from the kit, you can make 2 half batches of no cook play dough and add the essential oil to each.
You can also make one full batch of the dough and then work the colors and essential oils later.
Next thing to do is to add a Styrofoam cone. You can also use a wooden cone.
You can add beaded garland in silver, gold, red and some tear shaped gems for decorations.
Star shaped gems and jingle bells would work as a cherry on the cake.
2 large star shaped gems can also be included which will act as a tree topper.
Wrap the tree with beaded garland after covering with play dough. Add star to the top and start the decoration using gems.
Once the kit is assembled, you can start playing with the kids in the house.
Christmas Sensory Play: Play dough is the most favorite material of all the people out there for sensory play because it is not only inexpensive but also lasts long and takes a very little time to set up and clean up.
You will need:
Pine Scented Play dough.
Glitter.
Sequins.
Cookie Cutters.
Rolling Pins and Scissors.
Glass Gems.
Pipe Cleaners cut into Fourths.
Jingle Bells.
Craft Buttons.
Directions:
You can use collage caddies or muffin tins. Roll out the green play dough in to a ball. Using cookie cutter to decorate start making the Christmas tree. A leaf shaped cookie cutter would look wonderful. Make a leaf men and its entire family. You can use pipe cleaners to decorate. Using a scissor, you can pull out the pipe cleaners a little and top them up with glitter.
Play Dough Christmas Tree: Using the materials, the kids can create a triangle tree. You will need:
- Play-dough.
- Natural materials like Rosemary, Twigs, Cinnamon Sticks, Pine Needles.
- Small containers to hold the objects.
Directions:
On a tray or a table, set out green play dough. From your natural environment and art center, collect the materials. You can take help from the kids at this stage by encouraging them to think about the materials that would be the best to represent Christmas. Ask them to look for different objects in different shapes, sizes, colors and textures.
Arrange and sort the items in small bowls or baskets.
Ask your children to decorate triangle play dough trees and help them in preparing it.
Play Dough Ornament: The Play Dough ornament recipe can be used for Christmas tree decoration, heart shaped gifts, pendants, etc. To make this ornament you will need:
Plain Four: 4 Cups.
Cooking Salt: 1 Cup.
Warm Water: 360 ml.
Additional Flour for the work surface.
A Rolling Pin.
Cookie Cutters.
Paints and Varnish.
String.
Directions:
Keep your oven on preheat to 145 degree C and meanwhile line a baking tray with baking paper and set it aside.
Combine salt, flour and 240 ml warm water with a spoon in a bowl. Add remaining water as required until you get soft pliable dough.
On a floured work surface, roll out the dough and cut shapes with cookie cutters.
For ties, poke holes with a straw.
For one hour or until it gets firm, bake it in an oven. After 30 minutes, turn over to dry evenly. Once done, paint and varnish each shape and through the holes, tie a string to hang.
Salt Dough Ornament Recipe: The salt dough recipe is as easy as 1 – 2 – 3. If you are looking forward for some fun project then this is the real one to go for. For this recipe, you will need:
Flour: 1 Cup.
Salt: ½ Cup.
Water: ½ Cup.
Acrylic Varnish: Non Toxic.
Rolling Pin.
Cookie Sheet.
Drinking Straw.
Holiday Shaped Cookie Cutters.
Acrylic Paints.
Ribbon.
Glitter.
Directions:
Measure salt and flour and add them in a mixing bowl and stir and gradually add water and mix. Sprinkle parchment paper with flour and knead until the dough gets soft. If it is sticky then add more flour. Meanwhile, turn on your oven and preheat to 250 degree F.
Take a lightly floured rolling pin and roll the dough to ¼ inch thickness and with the help of a cookie cutter, cut your ornaments in different shapes. Peel the dough and lift the cut out and place them on an ungreased cookie sheet.
Create a hole with straw for the ribbon through which you can hang the ornament. Bake the ornaments in the oven for 2 to 3 hours or until they are completely dry.
Once the baking is done, flip it and then remove from the oven and let it cool down.
Once the ornaments cools, decorate them with glitter and paints.
Once your decorative paint dries, seal your ornaments with a 5 coats of non toxic acrylic varnish to make them last for years. To prevent moisture from getting in, coat the entire surface.
Play Dough with Natural Dye: This DIY dough project uses stuffs which you might have in your fridge and there is also a gluten free option, in case you need it. The ornament is squishy, crumbly and it also crunches like a bean bag when you squeeze it tight. You can smash and mold it as well. It is a Moon Sand.
It’s sand which is smooshy and moldable like wet sand yet crumbly like dry sand. It is completely non toxic and can be made with all food grade ingredients.
For this idea, you will need:
Corn Starch or Arrow Root Powder: 4 Cups.
Melted Coconut Oil: 1 Cup.
Food Coloring, if desired.
TIP: If you want then you can also use olive or an avocado oil but it will change the color of your moon sand to yellow from white.
Directions:
In a medium bowl, add corn starch or arrow root powder.
Add a tea spoon of coconut oil to your food coloring, if you are using it. Whisking with a fork will distribute the color evenly and once the oil gets combined with the flour, the dye will mix in.
Add corn starch or arrow root powder to coconut oil and mix up together.
If the color is light then, toss some non – gmo glycerin and few blue berries in a pan on low heat for few minutes. Once the glycerin gets a deep ruby color, stain off the liquid, add it to the mixture.
Roll out some paper on the table and dump the sand on it and let your kids do some mess because clean is easy.
You can store your moon sand in a glass storage jar for further use.
Ornament Dough: The baked ornaments harden fast and nice so you need not wait overnight for decorating it.
For the purpose, you will need:
Flour: 4 Cups.
Water: 1 ½ Cups.
Salt: 1 Cup.
Directions:
Mix salt, flour and water and knead to make dough, roll it on a floured surface.
Cut shapes with cutters and make holes for hanging it.
Bake for around 30 minutes and let it cool.
Decorate it with tube or poster paints and let it dry. Spray some polyurethane on both the sides to preserve. Hang with the help of a ribbon.
Minty Candy Cane Scented Play Dough Ornament: Minty candy cane ornament is an open ended opportunity to play in an unstructured way that allows your child to explore their imaginations and creativity.
The Minty Candy Cane will heighten the sensory experience which you can use to make play dough ornaments which can further be decorated with sequins and metallic confetti.
For this idea to implement, you will need:
Flour: 1 Cup.
Oil: 1 TBSP.
Water: 200 ml.
Peppermint Essence: 50 ml.
Salt: ½ Cup.
Cream of Tartar: 2 TBSP.
Green Food Coloring.
Red Glitter: 1 TBSP.
Directions:
In a saucepan, pour flour, glitter, salt and cream of tartar.
Add oil, peppermint essence, water and food coloring to dry ingredients and whisk before you move ahead towards heating.
Whisking will help you get rid of lumps and it will blend your ingredients well.
Constantly stir and cook over medium heat until you get a thick blob.
Once you get a blob, stop cooking, turn it down on a clean surface and knead to make it a smooth blob.
Let your play dough cool down before you start playing with it.
Store it in a plastic bag or an air tight container for further use.
Now that you have various DIY ideas in hand, go ahead and implement them to make your kids happy this holiday season and do not forget to experiment because the possibilities are endless. So, let’s play!
