Remember that time your kiddo’s school project asked for a diorama, and you were scrambling to find supplies?
The struggle is real! We’ve all been there, wanting to create something fun and unique without adding more waste to the planet. This Christmas, let’s change things up!
This post is all about DIY Zero Waste Christmas Crafts for Kids (and Adults!).
You’ll learn simple, creative projects that are fun to make, reduce waste, and bring some holiday cheer. By the end, you’ll have loads of craft ideas and ideas to start creating your own sustainable Christmas traditions, perfect for family fun and green celebrations.
The 10 Festive DIY Zero Waste Christmas Crafts for Kids (and Adults!)
Christmas is a time for joy, giving, and, let’s face it, a lot of stuff. Glitter, wrapping paper, plastic ornaments – it all adds up. But what if you could have a fantastic, festive holiday season while reducing waste and having a blast with the family? These DIY Zero Waste Christmas Crafts for Kids (and Adults!) provide some exciting creative options for the holiday season. They use recycled materials, natural elements, and are designed to bring the holiday spirit into your home in a fun and eco-friendly manner. Get ready to transform everyday items into unique decorations and gifts. Get ready for some fun, and get ready to be creative!
1. Pinecone Christmas Trees
Pinecones are a great starting point for a lot of craft projects, they’re free, and they look great! Finding pinecones outside is also a fun activity for children. You can transform these into mini Christmas trees with a little bit of paint, creativity, and a touch of glitter (optional, but festive!). This project is super simple and can be done by kids of all ages with some help. It encourages getting outside, appreciating nature, and reducing waste by using something that would otherwise just stay on the forest floor. You can place these trees on your mantelpiece, on a shelf, or as part of a larger Christmas village scene. This craft is also an opportunity to teach kids about the importance of reusing and repurposing natural materials.
Technical Term: Upcycling: Taking a material and giving it a new purpose.
- Collect Pinecones: Gather pinecones from your local park, forest, or even your backyard. Make sure you wash and dry them thoroughly before starting your craft.
This is where the fun begins. Taking a walk in the forest or park with children is a great way to bond while hunting for the perfect pinecones. Consider going during the autumn or early winter to make sure they’re fresh!
- Paint the Pinecones: Paint the pinecones with green acrylic paint. Let them dry completely before adding any decorations.
Using acrylic paint is a great option as it is washable and easy to clean up. Try different shades of green to make it seem more like a forest of trees! Also, consider the color of paint you use. Do you want to try silver? Or maybe a dark green?
- Decorate the Trees: Use small beads, sequins, or pieces of colorful paper to create ornaments. You can glue these on with craft glue.
Get creative with the decorations. You can use old buttons, small pom-poms, or even tiny pasta shapes painted gold or silver. Let your kids’ imaginations run wild and let them create their own unique designs.
- Add a Star: Glue a small star on top of each tree. You can make stars out of gold paper or buy small, pre-made stars from a craft store.
The stars are the finishing touch to complete the Christmas tree look. You can create the stars out of any material you wish. For example, using some shiny or glittery paper. The options are endless!
2. Paper Snowflake Garland
Paper snowflakes are a classic for a reason. They’re easy to make, require minimal materials, and look stunning. This craft uses scrap paper or recycled paper to create beautiful decorations for your home. You can create a whole winter wonderland using just paper, scissors, and a little creativity. This craft teaches children about symmetry and design while providing a quick and easy way to create amazing festive decorations. It’s a fun and easy way to decorate, and these snowflakes can be used in numerous ways. You can string them together to create a garland, hang them on your windows, or use them to decorate gifts.
Technical Term: Symmetry: Having the same shape and size on both sides of a dividing line or point.
- Fold the Paper: Fold a square piece of paper in half diagonally to form a triangle.
The first step sets the shape for the entire snowflake. The triangle shape is key for creating symmetrical designs. Kids can learn some simple geometry while making these.
- Cut Designs: Cut shapes along the edges of the triangle. Vary the shapes and sizes for unique snowflakes.
Get creative with cutting. You can cut out small triangles, squares, circles, or any shape you like. Remember that the more you cut, the more intricate your snowflake will be. Be sure to keep an eye on young children while they use scissors.
- Unfold and Admire: Carefully unfold your snowflake to reveal your design.
Unfolding the snowflake is the most exciting part! The suspense builds as you see your creation come to life. Gently open it up to avoid tearing the delicate paper.
- Make a Garland: String the snowflakes together using thread or yarn to create a beautiful garland.
Once you’ve made a bunch of snowflakes, string them together to create a garland. You can use needle and thread or simply tape them to a string. Hang the garland on your wall, across your fireplace, or along your window.
3. Cardboard Tube Christmas Characters
Don’t throw away those empty toilet paper rolls or paper towel tubes! They’re fantastic crafting materials. With a bit of paint, paper, and imagination, you can turn these cardboard tubes into adorable Christmas characters like Santa Claus, snowmen, or reindeer. This is a great craft for kids of all ages and a simple way to use what you already have. This craft encourages children to think creatively about how they can reuse items that are often thrown away, promoting eco-consciousness. This craft is cheap and easy and will keep kids occupied for a good while.
Technical Term: Repurposing: The act of taking something and giving it a new use.
- Prepare the Tubes: Clean and prepare the cardboard tubes by removing any remaining paper or glue.
Make sure the tubes are clean and dry. This will make them easier to paint and decorate. It’s best to remove any labels or glue residue that could interfere with your craft.
- Paint the Tubes: Paint the tubes with the colors needed for your chosen characters (e.g., red for Santa, white for a snowman).
Choose your colors according to the character you wish to create. Let the paint dry completely before adding any details or decorations. This step is a good chance to talk about mixing colors.
- Add Details: Use construction paper, markers, or paint to add facial features, clothes, and other details.
This is where you bring your characters to life. Use your art supplies to draw the faces, add clothes, and create accessories. Think about the unique features of your characters. For example, Santa’s beard or a reindeer’s antlers.
- Attach Accessories: Add any accessories like cotton balls for beards, small buttons for eyes, or pipe cleaners for antlers.
Now, make your characters even more interesting. For instance, use cotton balls to make fluffy beards and hats, pipe cleaners for reindeer antlers, or small buttons for eyes. These additions will make your characters stand out.
4. Cinnamon Stick Ornaments
Fill your home with the warm scent of cinnamon! These ornaments are easy to make, smell fantastic, and look beautiful. You can make these by using cinnamon sticks, twine, and a few other simple supplies. This project is a great way to add a natural element and a wonderful fragrance to your Christmas decorations. This project shows children how to use natural materials to create beautiful and sustainable decorations and provides a sensory experience. These ornaments make great gifts and can be used to decorate your Christmas tree, your presents, or your home.
Technical Term: Aromatic: Having a pleasant and distinctive smell.
- Gather Materials: Collect cinnamon sticks, twine or ribbon, glue, and any additional decorative elements you want to include (e.g., dried orange slices, star anise).
Make sure to gather all your materials beforehand. Consider using various sizes of cinnamon sticks to create interesting designs. The glue can be craft glue, or hot glue if the adults are assisting.
- Attach Twine: Wrap twine or ribbon around the cinnamon stick to create a loop for hanging. Secure with glue.
This creates a functional loop to hang the ornament. Ensure the twine is securely glued so the ornament can safely hang from the Christmas tree. Consider using different textures or colors of twine.
- Add Decorations: Glue dried orange slices, star anise, or other small decorations to the cinnamon sticks.
This is where you add your creative flair. You could also include small beads, buttons, or any other elements that fit your theme. Consider the overall balance of your design.
- Let Dry: Let the glue dry completely before hanging your ornaments.
Allowing the glue to dry fully is important to ensure your decorations stay in place. Place the ornaments on a flat surface while they dry to ensure they do not become damaged.
5. Salt Dough Ornaments
Salt dough ornaments are a classic for a reason! They’re simple to make, durable, and can be customized in endless ways. This craft involves mixing simple ingredients to create a dough, molding it into shapes, baking it, and then decorating it. It’s a great project for kids as it involves mixing, rolling, shaping, and painting. This project teaches children about basic baking principles and provides a wonderful opportunity for creativity. Salt dough ornaments make beautiful gifts or can be used to personalize your Christmas tree decorations. Also, you can keep them for years!
Technical Term: Texture: The feel, appearance, or consistency of a surface or a substance.
- Make the Dough: Mix one cup of salt, two cups of flour, and one cup of water to create a dough.
This step is where it all begins. It is an opportunity to learn about measurements and proportions. Make sure the dough is not too sticky. If it is too sticky, add some more flour. If it’s too dry, add a little water.
- Shape and Bake: Roll out the dough and use cookie cutters or your hands to shape ornaments. Bake at a low temperature until hard.
This is where you can personalize your ornaments. You can use Christmas-themed cookie cutters or get creative with freehand shapes. The baking time depends on the thickness of your ornaments. Thicker ornaments require more time.
- Paint and Decorate: Once cooled, paint the ornaments and add details with markers or glitter.
This is the fun part! You can use acrylic paints, watercolors, or markers to decorate your ornaments. Add glitter, sequins, or any other embellishments to create unique and festive designs. You can also personalize the ornament with names or dates.
- Add a String: Before baking, use a straw to make a hole for hanging the ornament. Once decorated, thread ribbon or string through the hole.
This allows you to hang your ornaments on a tree or around the house. You can either use a straw, skewer, or toothpick to create a small hole before baking. Once your ornaments are dry, thread a string or ribbon through the hole.
6. Christmas Tree Card Decorations
Recycle those old greeting cards! They often feature beautiful Christmas imagery that can be repurposed into new decorations. This craft involves cutting out shapes from old cards and using them to create ornaments, tags, or even mini-garlands. This project encourages children to see the value in recycling and reusing materials. Also, it’s a way of breathing new life into old cards and reducing paper waste. These decorations can be used to embellish gifts, trim the tree, or as festive wall decor.
Technical Term: Composition: The arrangement of visual elements within a design.
- Gather Old Cards: Collect old Christmas cards that you no longer need.
You can get these cards from your own collection or ask friends and family for theirs. Aim for a variety of designs and colors. The more cards you have, the more creative you can be.
- Cut Out Shapes: Cut out shapes like Christmas trees, stars, or other festive images from the cards.
Use scissors or craft knives to carefully cut out the images. If you have younger kids, provide pre-cut shapes or supervise them during cutting. Consider the composition and arrangement of your shapes.
- Create Ornaments: Attach a string or ribbon to the back of the cutouts to hang them as ornaments.
Use glue or tape to attach the string or ribbon to the back of the card cutouts. Consider using different types of ribbons or string to add a variety of textures and visual interest.
- Make Gift Tags: Use smaller cutouts as gift tags by writing messages on the back.
This is a great way to personalize your gifts. Write your own messages and add details, such as the recipient’s name. This adds a special touch to your gift-giving.
7. Fabric Scrap Christmas Ornaments
Do you have a stash of fabric scraps? Turn them into cute Christmas ornaments. This craft uses fabric scraps to create various decorative pieces, like simple ornaments, fabric-covered baubles, or even small stuffed characters. It’s a great way to use up those leftover fabric pieces and teach kids about different materials and textures. It helps in developing sewing skills if the child is interested and reduces the amount of textile waste. These ornaments add a unique and personalized touch to your Christmas decor. They can be placed on a Christmas tree or even used as a gift.
Technical Term: Texture: The feel, appearance, or consistency of a surface or a substance.
- Gather Fabric Scraps: Collect fabric scraps of different colors, patterns, and textures.
The more diverse the fabrics, the more exciting your ornaments will be. Don’t be afraid to mix different fabrics. You can use cotton, felt, velvet, or any other fabric scraps you can find.
- Cut and Shape: Cut the fabric into shapes, or create shapes around styrofoam balls or other base shapes.
You can create various shapes depending on your preferred designs. You can also use cookie cutters to make different shapes. Try layering different fabrics to add a bit of detail to your ornaments.
- Sew or Glue: Sew or glue the fabric pieces together to create your ornament.
For more basic ornaments, you can use craft glue, but if you want to add some extra details or are comfortable with it, you can sew the edges together. Sew the edges for a more durable and professional look.
- Add Embellishments: Add buttons, beads, or other embellishments to the ornaments.
This is where you add the finishing touches. Use beads, buttons, sequins, or any other decorative elements to make your ornaments unique. Adding different textures and colors can add interest to the ornaments.
8. Dried Citrus Slice Garland
Create a beautiful and fragrant garland using dried citrus slices. This craft involves drying oranges, lemons, or other citrus fruits and stringing them together to make a decorative garland. It’s a simple, natural craft that smells amazing and looks great. This is a very creative and fun way to make decorations. It’s an opportunity to teach children about food preservation while adding a natural and aesthetic element to your Christmas decor. This garland can be used to decorate your Christmas tree, your mantel, or your walls. It also makes your home smell wonderful!
Technical Term: Dehydration: The removal of water from a substance.
- Slice the Citrus: Slice citrus fruits like oranges and lemons into thin rounds.
Aim for about 1/4-inch thickness. This ensures they dry properly without taking too long. Use a sharp knife for clean cuts. Be careful with sharp objects.
- Dry the Slices: Dry the slices in the oven or dehydrator until they are hard.
You can use your oven at a low temperature (around 200°F or 93°C) for several hours, or you can use a dehydrator. Check on the slices every hour or so. The drying time may vary depending on the thickness of the slices.
- String the Garland: Once dry, string the slices together using twine or thread.
Use a needle to thread the string through each slice. You can add extra elements like cinnamon sticks or star anise to add some detail to your garland.
- Hang and Decorate: Hang your garland and decorate as desired.
Display your garland on a Christmas tree, mantelpiece, or doorway. You can add some fairy lights to enhance the effect. The warm colors of the citrus slices create a warm and inviting look.
9. Cork Reindeer Ornaments
Turn old wine corks into cute reindeer ornaments! This craft involves using wine corks, craft glue, and a few other materials to create adorable Christmas decorations. It’s a great way to reuse wine corks, which are often thrown away, and teach children about recycling. The reindeer are quick and easy to make, and they are a great way to use up things that are usually thrown away. These ornaments can be placed on a Christmas tree, used as gift tags, or as part of a Christmas scene in your home.
Technical Term: Recycling: The process of converting waste materials into new materials and objects.
- Gather Corks: Collect clean wine corks.
The corks will form the bodies of your reindeer. Gather a number of corks depending on the number of reindeer you plan to make. Make sure the corks are clean and dry.
- Add Antlers: Glue pipe cleaners to the top of the corks to create antlers.
You can use brown pipe cleaners for a classic look, or you can use other colors. Bend and twist the pipe cleaners to shape the antlers. Make sure they are secured firmly.
- Add Facial Features: Glue on googly eyes and a red pom-pom nose.
Googly eyes are a fun element. You can also use other materials to create a nose. Consider using a small red bead or even a painted dot. Let your children explore.
- Add String for Hanging: Attach a string or ribbon to the back to hang as an ornament.
This allows you to easily display your reindeer. Ensure the string is secured so your ornament does not fall down. You can also glue a piece of string on top of the cork to create a loop.
10. Seed Paper Christmas Cards
Make cards that give the gift of flowers! Seed paper is paper embedded with seeds. When planted, these cards grow into flowers. This craft involves creating cards from seed paper and decorating them with festive designs. It’s an eco-friendly alternative to traditional Christmas cards and it’s a great opportunity to teach children about sustainability. It teaches kids about the lifecycle of plants and the importance of sustainability. These cards are perfect to give as gifts or to send to loved ones. They also promote a green message of care and growth.
Technical Term: Biodegradable: Able to be broken down naturally and safely by the action of bacteria, fungi, etc.
- Obtain Seed Paper: Purchase seed paper or make your own.
Seed paper can be found online or at many craft stores. Making your own involves soaking used paper, blending it into a pulp, adding seeds, and drying the mixture.
- Cut and Fold: Cut the seed paper to the desired card size and fold it in half.
This creates a nice presentation for your Christmas card. Make sure the edges of the seed paper are smooth. Use a ruler to make sure the fold is even.
- Decorate the Cards: Decorate the cards with markers, paints, or other eco-friendly materials.
The beauty of these cards is that the paper eventually decomposes. Be sure to use non-toxic materials. You can write your Christmas messages inside the cards and add other details.
- Add Planting Instructions: Include instructions on how to plant the card to grow flowers.
This ensures the recipient knows what to do. The best way is to instruct the recipient to plant the card in soil, water it regularly, and give it sunlight. This is a very cool feature to the card.
FAQ
What makes these crafts zero waste?
These crafts are designed to minimize waste by using recycled, repurposed, and natural materials instead of buying new, single-use items. They focus on reusing materials to give them a new life.
Are these crafts suitable for all ages?
Most of these crafts can be adapted for different ages. Younger children will need more assistance, while older kids can complete projects more independently. Be sure to adapt each project as needed.
Where can I find materials for these crafts?
You can find materials around your home, at the park, or by visiting craft stores. Think about asking friends and family for materials they might be discarding. The goal is to reuse and recycle materials.
How can I make these crafts safe for kids?
Supervise children closely, especially when using scissors, glue, and other tools. Use non-toxic and child-safe materials whenever possible. Provide a safe and comfortable workspace.
Can these crafts be adapted for different themes?
Yes, absolutely! The crafts are versatile and can be adapted to many themes and occasions. You can alter colors, materials, and designs to reflect any time of the year or holiday.
Where should I plant seed paper cards?
Plant your seed paper cards in well-draining soil with good sunlight. Make sure to water them regularly until the seeds germinate and start growing. The best soil will vary depending on the seeds.
How can I reduce waste while crafting?
Try to use all the materials you have, and limit single-use supplies. Consider using washable materials and cleaning them instead of throwing them away. Also, avoid unnecessary packaging.
Final Thoughts
Creating DIY Zero Waste Christmas Crafts for Kids (and Adults!) is a fantastic way to celebrate the holidays while being kinder to our planet. You have learned how to use recycled materials, natural elements, and your creativity to make beautiful decorations and gifts. Get ready to have fun with these crafts. Reduce waste and make this Christmas both special and sustainable! So, gather your supplies, call the family together, and let the crafting begin. Happy holidays!
