• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Living Montessori Now

Montessori Inspiration for Parents and Teachers

  • HOME
  • About
    • About Me
    • Contact Me
    • PR/Advertise
    • Privacy Policy
    • Grab A Button
  • About Montessori
    • About Montessori
    • Resources
    • ABCs of Montessori
    • Overview
    • Principles
    • Free Printables
    • Materials
    • Homeschool Classroom and Materials
      • Circle Time Activities
    • Techniques
    • Training
      • Free Montessori Video Lessons
    • Inspiration
  • Activities
    • Circle Time Activities
    • Art
    • Cultural
    • Language
    • Math
    • Practical Life
    • Practical Life – Grace and Courtesy
    • Sensorial
    • Unit Studies
    • PreK + K Sharing
    • Monthly Themed Activities
    • Holidays and Celebrations
  • Homeschooling
    • Homeschooling
    • Homeschool High School
    • Montessori Homeschool Classroom and Materials
    • Unit Studies
    • PreK + K Sharing
    • Circle Time Activities
    • Monthly Themed Activities
    • Holidays and Celebrations
    • Free Montessori Video Lessons
  • Free Printables
    • Free Montessori Printables
    • Free Printables
    • More Than Ten Years’ Worth of Free Printables and Montessori-Inspired Activities
    • Sign up for the Living Montessori Now Newsletter & Get Monthly Subscriber Freebies!
    • Free Montessori Geography Album
  • Holidays
    • Resources for Upcoming Holidays
    • Holidays and Celebrations
  • Subscribe
    • Sign up for the Living Montessori Now Newsletter & Get Monthly Subscriber Freebies!
  • Shop
    • Shop
    • Products
    • My Products
    • Giveaway Linky

Kid-Made Sparkly Craft-Stick and Jingle-Bell Christmas Tree Ornament

December 20, 2017 By Deb Chitwood Leave a Comment

Previous article: Montessori New Year’s Celebration
Next article: How to Make Simple, Sparkly Wrapping Paper {Craft Project for Toddlers on Up}

I’ve been trying to decide what type of Christmas ornament my 4-year-old granddaughter, Zoey, should make for her parents. I finally decided on an ornament that would be pretty and would have a fun feature for Zoey’s new baby sister, Sophia. (Shhh! Don’t tell Zoey’s parents!)

Both Zoey and I like to make sparkly crafts, so I chose a sparkly craft-stick ornament but one with an added jingle bell to create a fun listening activity for Zoey to do with Sophia.

I saw the craft stick Christmas tree with jingle bell at Buggy and Buddy. Chelsey from Buggy and Buddy has three different ideas for the ornament surface, so be sure to check them out. I decided to go with acrylic paint to make the tree bright and colorful. I’ve used stained craft sticks when Zoey was younger, but I wanted the brighter look for this. This ornament would be easily adapted for a variety of ages.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links (at no cost to you).

Christmas Picture Book Inspiration

I rarely have battery-operated anything for kids, but there are a few battery-operated books that I like as a way to give children an extra inspiration to read. Little Blue Truck’s Christmas isn’t a Montessori style book. The animals and truck have human-like qualities. But it’s a fun, sweet book for Christmas. It’s also a fun counting book for young children. Zoey’s four years old and didn’t need it for counting, but we used it as a reinforcement for the concept of subtraction. At the end of the book, the Christmas tree lights up, which fit with our sparkly Christmas tree ornament.

Materials Used for a Craft-Stick  and Jingle-Bell Christmas Tree Ornament

Montessori-Inspired Tray for Sparkly Craft-Stick and Jingle-Bell Christmas Tree Ornament

Montessori-Inspired Tray for Sparkly Craft-Stick and Jingle-Bell Christmas Tree Ornament

  • Colored Craft Sticks or natural wood craft sticks (regular size – not jumbo)
  • Acrylic paint or tempera paint (plus paint brush) if you use natural wood craft sticks
  • Apron if you use paint
  • Hot glue gun for assembling tree and attaching strings
  • String (I used crochet thread)
  • Jingle bell for each ornament
  • Craft Gems
  • 1/4″ ribbon
  • School Glue or Craft Glue
  • Tray (plastic or wooden) if you want to have the activity available as a Montessori-style activity
  • Small containers for gems (can use Q-tips for glue if preferred)

Painting Craft Sticks for a Craft-Stick Ornament

Painting the Craft Sticks to Make a Christmas Tree Ornament

Painting the Craft Sticks to Make a Christmas Tree Ornament

Zoey enjoyed the painting process. Then, to finish in time, I used a hair dryer to dry the craft sticks.

Montessori-Inspired Geometric Shape Activity to Create a Craft-Stick Christmas Tree

Arranging Craft Sticks to Make Triangles for Christmas Tree Ornaments

Arranging Craft Sticks to Make Triangles for Christmas Tree Ornaments

When the craft sticks were dry on both sides, I asked Zoey if she could use 3 of the craft sticks to make a triangle. She did it without difficulty. For a younger child, you could do this part and let the child watch as you assemble the ornaments.

Completing the Craft-Stick and Jingle-Bell Christmas Tree Ornaments

I used the glue gun to make the triangles and add the strings for hanging and to attach the bell.

Adding Acrylic Gems to Craft-Stick Christmas Tree Ornaments with Bells

Adding Acrylic Gems to Craft-Stick Christmas Tree Ornaments with Bells

Zoey concentrated on adding the acrylic gems to each ornament.

Sparkly Craft-Stick and Jingle-Bell Christmas Tree Ornament

Sparkly Craft-Stick and Jingle-Bell Christmas Tree Ornament

I like to add the child’s name and year to the back. Zoey can write her own name this year.

Little Blue Truck's Christmas with Sparkly Craft-Stick and Bell Christmas Tree Ornament

Little Blue Truck’s Christmas with Sparkly Craft-Stick and Bell Christmas Tree Ornament

Obviously, adding a book to the ornament work is optional. We’ve had a lot of fun doing it this way, though!

We both love how the ornaments turned out!

Montessori-Friendly Ornaments, Cards, and Wrapping Paper Kids Can Make

Montessori-Friendly Christmas Ornaments and Cards Kids Can Make

See all our Montessori-friendly Christmas ornaments, cards, and wrapping paper kids can make here.

Deb - Signature

If this is your first time visiting Living Montessori Now, welcome! If you haven’t already, please join us on our Living Montessori Now Facebook page where you’ll find a Free Printable of the Day and lots of inspiration and ideas for parenting and teaching! And please follow me on Instagram, Pinterest (lots of Montessori-, holiday-, and theme-related boards), and YouTube. While you’re here, please check out the Living Montessori Now shop.

And don’t forget one of the best ways to follow me by signing up for my weekly newsletter. You’ll receive some awesome freebies in the process!

Previous article: Montessori New Year’s Celebration
Next article: How to Make Simple, Sparkly Wrapping Paper {Craft Project for Toddlers on Up}

Filed Under: Holidays and Celebrations Tagged With: Christmas, Christmas tree ornament with jingle bell, craft-stick Christmas tree, kid-made ornament, kidlit, Little Blue Truck's Christmas, Montessori-inspired Christmas ornament, preschoolers, toddler, toddlers

Previous Post: « Montessori New Year’s Celebration
Next Post: How to Make Simple, Sparkly Wrapping Paper {Craft Project for Toddlers on Up} »

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

What Are You Looking For?

...and get free geography album, monthly subscriber freebie, and access to the Living Montessori Now Resource Library! 

 I respect your privacy

Categories

Shop Living Montessori Now!

Living Montessori Now Sponsors

Montessori Print Shop

Alison's Montessori
Montessori for the Earth

Popular Posts

Categories

Archives

I Recommend (My Affiliates)

Montessori by Mom

Shop Montessori Services
Shop For Small Hands

How to Get Kids to Listen without Nagging, Reminding, or Yelling



Shop KiwiCo

Shop Little Passports for Award-Winning Adventure

Printed Alphabet Wood Tracing Board

Little Passports

Footer

Connect with LMN



Supervision

The activities shared on this blog require adult supervision at all times. You know which activities are appropriate for your children and/or the children under your care and are responsible for those children's safety.

You Can Also Find Me

Bits of Positivity PreK + K Sharing Spring Snow Publications

Subscribe by Email


Copyright © 2023 Deb Chitwood