It’s always fun to play and learn around Christmas time, and my kids are always more willing to have fun and work on crafts with more patience! So, it’s a good occasion to use for some playful learning! This simple building a tree activity is made with things found either in our recycle bin or from crafting items we always have on hand. It’s awesome as a fine motor skill activity for a toddler and tracing activity for an older sister who assisted with tracing circles for a free.
Things we used to create these trees are:
- green printer paper
- fax paper tube (but you can use candy cardboard tube or any other paper tube you have in your recycle bin)
- piece of cardboard for “ground”
- scissors
- pencil
- round cookie cutters in different sizes
As I mentioned, my 7-year-old daughter was helping to trace circles using cookie cutters, green printer paper and pencil. She traced one of each size and I helped her to cut them out. On all the circles we made a cut in the middle in x shape, like shown in the picture. On the smallest circle, we cut through to the middle and turned it into a small cone for a top of the tree. We also use the largest cookie cutter to trace a “ground” from heavier cardboard that was meant to keep the tree standing up.
Once the cutting was done, they both had fun putting the trees together. Of course, we made one for each one of them! Sadly, I didn’t manage to get a clear picture of them working on these trees, I keep getting fuzzy hand motions but I think it’s pretty easy to see how these trees are created by looking in the picture. Now we only need to decorate them for Christmas!
Other Fun Christmas Ideas for Kids:
Free Christmas Printable Pack for Preschoolers
Christmas Tree Sensory Bin
Easy to Make Torn Paper Christmas Wreath
Colorful Christmas Cookies
Birute says
what a great idea!
Tiffiny says
simple yet adorable. I knew I saved that cardboard roll for something. We might just do this. Pinning.
Alison - The Way He Plays says
This is such a clever idea that practices so many skills, I’ll be pinning for when my boy is older!