Kid Size Christmas Trees

Hi friends,

The kiddos finally have their break for the holiday! My older 2 will get some homework done and I’m hoping to finish a few small projects while trying to keep the littles entertained/occupied. Thanksgiving is also this week. We’ve got a small family gathering planned at my mom’s and then on the weekend we’ll all head towards the mountains to find our Christmas tree! I can’t wait! Naomi and I usually start planning our color scheme for Christmas mid-November because, well it’s fun, and the others don’t have much of a say LOL. We’ll likely have our tree and most of our decorations up before December too. Though I think we’d technically be “late” as so many have gotten a much earlier start haha.

With tree picking and trimming on the mind, I thought we’d revisit our kid size trees and put a Christmas spin on it! These will be your kid’s size, their handprint will be a star on their tree and their little thumbs, the flickering lights. Check them out below, we even got all the brothers involved!

*Click on photos for closer look

 

What You'll Need

  1. Craft Paper Roll

  2. Paper Plates (1-2 per color)

  3. Craft Paint (green, yellow, brown)

  4. Brushes + Rinse Jar

  5. Pencil

  6. Scissors

Optional: Blue, Pink, Red, White, Dk. Brown, and Orange Craft Paints, White Chalk, Ruler, Wipes

 

The Steps

 
  1. Unroll your craft paper (I used regular craft and extra craft wrapping paper I had).

  2. Have your child lay centerd on the paper, with their feet as close to the edge. Mark between their feet (trunk placement), on the sides where their knees are(bottom of tree), and at the top of their head.

  3. CUT 1 hand length ABOVE their head(star placement).

  4. Fold the paper over, lengthwise, and create a center crease.

5. Open up the paper (I folded back temporarily) and with a ruler (optional)draw the bottom of the tree(triangle) by making a line from the knee mark, out to the edge and to the fold/center line. Draw the triangle starting from the edge of the knee line up to head line. And draw the side of the trunk 2 inch from the crease.

6. (optional)Trace over the lines with chalk and fold the paper back over. Press firmly to transfer the chalk lines onto the other side.

7. Open the paper up and trace the chalk lines with pencil. (we left the center of this trunk unlined) Repeat all the steps for multiple trees.

You can paint your tree or trunk first. We started with a white tree first.

8. Add white or green paint to a plate plus plenty of water to thin out(we used the rinse water) and paint the tree portion. Leave as a triangle or add wispy branches (further below).

We did the major painting so the littles could just enjoy the handprint and thumbprint parts.

9. We used 2 browns to create some depth.

10. Add yellow paint + water to a plate and stamp your childs hand (star) onto the top of the tree.

Micah’s tree

11. Then add all their desired paints onto different plates with water and have them stamp their thumbprints(Christmas lights) onto the tree.

That’s it!!!

Matthias and Manoah’s tree

Matthias chose lots of colored lights and Manoah kept it simple. I was just happy Manoah humored his mom and let me borrow his heighth, hand, and thumb.

Manoah’s tree

Micah’s snow covered tree.

Matthias’s very festive tree = )

DSC00058_edited.jpg

These will going up on the hallway walls! I love how they represent each one of my sons.

Happy crafting and Happy Thanksgiving!

Amanda and Naomi

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