Many of my "pre-child" Christmas decorations have been tucked away in a cabinet in my garage. After all, glass ornaments, sharp hooks and pointy icicles are hardly suitable for children. After a recent trip to our local craft store, I found plenty of kid-friendly holiday decorations. Using paint, glue, paper, glitter and adhesive accents, I was able to come up with five simple decorations that will make our house festive this holiday season.
Plastic Jeweled Ornaments
Supplies: Clear plastic ornaments, adhesive jewels, ribbon
We found clear plastic ornaments on sale for only $0.86. I already had some star jewels at home with adhesive backing. The clear ornaments were quickly dressed up with about 12 star jewels. A pretty ribbon around the top made this DIY ornament ready to hang on the tree. My four-year-old daughter did this project with ease. However, this is a simple craft that even a three-year-old could do. Since this craft only takes a few minutes, you could easily make enough ornaments to decorate your entire tree.
Gingerbread Garland
Gingerbread garland
Supplies: five squares of brown felt (or construction paper), markers, buttons, adhesive jewels, glue, yarn and scraps of material
Gingerbread garland will create a warm atmosphere in your household. After cutting out five gingerbread people from the brown felt (or construction paper), kids can use markers for the facial features. Scraps of material and buttons or jewels can be used for clothing or other details. Finally, glue or thread the gingerbread together on a piece of yarn or string. This looks nice over a doorway or around a mirror.
Foam Christmas TreeFoam Christmas Trees
Supplies: Foam trees and adhesive foam ornaments
I needed a craft for my daughter's playgroup, and foam crafts were on sale for 50% off at my local craft store. We purchased a set of foam tree shapes for $3.99 and a set of foam ornaments for $1.49. There were enough supplies to make 10 trees. Afterward, we taped the trees in the front window for a festive decoration. This craft takes under five minutes and is great for all ages.
Glittering Pine Cones
Supplies: Pine cones, paint, paint brush, glitter and a plate
This is another fun and inexpensive way to decorate your house. The pine cones were easy to find outside. Then we used an acrylic paint that cost $1.19 to paint the cones. To keep the mess to a minimum, I covered a table with a plastic tablecloth and put the pine cone on a plate. After painting, we immediately sprinkled the still wet pine cones with glitter. These look nice along a mantle or bunched together for a 
Candy Cane Reindeertable centerpiece.
Candy Cane Reindeer
Supplies: Three-inch pieces of brown pipe cleaners, candy canes, googly eyes, black pom poms
Candy cane reindeer are great for hanging on trees or adorning presents. A box of 12 candy canes costs less than a dollar. First, your child can twist the pipe cleaner around the curved part of the candy cane and then bend into antlers. Finally, place a dot of glue for the eyes and pom pom nose. An adult should hold the pom pom on tightly to make sure it won't fall off.
My daughter and I had a lot of fun making these holiday crafts. I'm sure your children will enjoy making decorations for the house too.
