Easy, Affordable Christmas Tree Craft for Kids Class Christmas Parties

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I’ve been a room mom for one (or both) of my kids for six years now, and one of the tasks that’s always required of the room mom is to provide a few Christmas crafts for the kids to do at their class Christmas party.

The problems I always run into when trying to find a craft for them to do are…

 

1. The craft requires a ton of items, so the project is costly.
2. The craft requires glue, and the glue doesn’t dry in time to send the project home with the kids after the party is over.
3. The craft is too complicated for the kids to do on their own and they all need assistance.

 

Well, my friends, last year I finally came up with my own craft that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg, it doesn’t require glue, and it’s so easy that even the littlest kids can do it all by themselves.  I had hoped to get this up earlier in the season, but since I missed the boat, free to save it on Pinterest for next year.  ;o)

The best part is that you can change up the colors of the pipe cleaners and beads to customize it completely.

All you need for this craft is the following (per person):

 

-       1 pipe cleaner (This green glittery version is only $6.29 for 200)

-       8-10 pony beads (This pack of 1,000 red, white, and green is only $8.99)

-       8-10 inches of twine, ribbon, or string (This red and white twine is only $7.99)

 

The total for these items is less than $25 and it provides an ornament for about 100 kids, plus you’d have a ton of pipe cleaners and some twine leftover.

So, see?  Very inexpensive.

To make these, simply bend the bottom of the pipe cleaner around the 1.5-inch mark.  Add a bead on the end and in the corner.  This first corner will be the bottom branch of the tree.

Bend again, ensuring that the next bend is slightly less wide than the bottom branch, and add another bead to the corner.  Continue this process, making sure each bend is slightly shorter than the next (to make the Christmas tree shape), until you run out of pipe cleaner.  And feel free to place beads wherever you'd like along the tree.

At the end, stand the last ½ inch up to make the top of the tree, and clamp the pipe cleaner around a piece of twine to attach the hanger.  Tie the twine at the top to close off the loop, and you’re done!

These step-by-step instructions sound more complicated than it really is… you can probably get a better idea of what to do by just looking at the pictures.  And when I’m explaining to the kids how to do this activity, I always make my own with them so I can give them a demonstration. 

The finished product is oh-so-cute, and it makes a great keepsake for years to come!