Christmas is, by far, my favorite time of year to create activities. There are so many fun materials and themes to use! From snowmen to reindeer and jingle bells to ornaments, I just love it all!
Another one of my favorites is making salt dough creations. It’s extremely cheap to make and super easy too! Now that my 7 year old is big enough, he can even help with the creating. So, I thought, why not merge two of my favorite things into one fun activity for the kiddos?!
This Christmas tree salt dough activity is simple to make and will keep the kiddos entertained while you bake cookies, wrap presents, and get all of those last minute holiday things done!
My 3 year old actually asks to play with this throughout the year because he loves the jingle bells so much, haha! Here is what you need to get started:
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Materials
- Salt dough (click for the recipe)
- Knife
- Chick peas (or something else small) to create indents for the jingle bells on the tree
- Paint (green and brown)
- Paint brushes
- Mod podge
- Jingle bells
- Tongs or Tweezers
How To
This project is super easy and fun to involve your kids in!
1. Follow the salt dough recipe
2. Roll out your dough to about 1/2 inch thick
3. Using your knife, free hand a Christmas tree (or use a large cookie cutter if you have one on hand)
4. Use a jingle bell, chick pea or a Q-tip to make the indentations for the jingle bells to sit on the tree
5. Bake your salt dough tree at 250 degrees for at least 2 hours, but it could take longer. You’ll know it is done when the surface is hard and there are no more soft spots on the back. It could take up to 5-6 hours depending on your dough and oven!
6. Allow your tree to cool all the way
7. Paint your tree and allow to dry completely
8. Cover it in a thin coat of mod podge to seal it and allow to dry
9. Grab your jingle bells and a pair of tongs/tweezers, then let your kiddos decorate the tree!
Jingle All The Way!
This activity is full of fun and learning! The fine motor strength and coordination that it takes to pick up a jingle bell with tongs and place it in the tree is the perfect challenge for our littles!
If you don’t have jingle bells, you could always use painted chick peas for this activity instead. Not sure how to paint chick peas? Let me show you how here!
You know that sweet face your littles makes when concentrating really hard on something? It’s my favorite! And you’ll see a whole bunch of it during this activity!
My favorite use of this activity is as a distracter during dinner prep. My littles pull up the helper (if you don’t have one, you need this in your life – a great Christmas gift idea for this year!) and I set this on the counter while I get dinner ready. It’s a great way to keep those little hands busy and focus on fine motor skills all while making a meal!
Thank you so much for reading, sweet friend! I hope that you found this activity enjoyable and inviting. Looking for a real easy Christmas activity to throw together? Check out our Christmas Tree Sticker Ornaments! Engaging and enriching for the littles in your life. I hope that you have a wonderful holiday season with the ones you love!
