5 Festive Christmas Decoration Ideas

Activities:

1. Collage Animal Ornaments
2. Christmas Tree Pegs
3. No Sew Felt Animals
4. Air Drying Clay Hanging Tree
5. Magiclay Pudding

1. Collage Animal Ornaments

Our wooden animal shapes make a great base for a paper collage Christmas ornament. Festive papers or handmade papers can be used over the wooden shapes to create different designs. Trace and then cut the papers to fit the animal head and add features to complete your design. Mod Podge can also be used to seal the work and keep the papers in place. Many other materials can be used with the wooden shapes as well such as acrylic paint, watercolour or Magiclay.

2. Christmas Tree Pegs

These simple Christmas tree pegs are perfect for younger students to practice their cutting and decorating skills. Students can use card to draw out a simple triangle shape to represent a Christmas tree and decorate the card in a variety of ways. You can use water colour paints, glitter or draw an intricate design on to the card as your decoration. Embossing foil is also a great way to incorporate drawing skills and an exploration of texture into an ornament. Cut your card into segments and then paste your decorated card on to the peg and you have a finished ornament for your tree.

3. No Sew Felt Animals

Combine a simple textiles project with a Christmas decoration with these no sew felt animal ornaments. These ornaments have a variety of design possibilities and can take the shape of many different animals. Students draw out the shapes needed to construct a simple animal and cut these out of different coloured pieces of felt. This felt can be glued down using supertac. Start from the largest shape as a base and glue down the smaller shapes to create layers. Add festive features to your animals such as scarves or hats to bring a real Christmassy feel.

4. Air Drying Clay Hanging Tree

Using EC air drying clay for a Christmas ornament is a great way for Students to practice their clay skills while creating a beautiful artwork that can be displayed. Students roll out the clay and cut it down into a Christmas tree shape. Students then cut down this shape into segments and add small holes for thread to attach each piece. Textures and details can be pressed into the surface of the clay and then be allowed to dry before adding colour with water colour paints. Once dry thread is then inserted through the holes so that all the pieces can be connected and hung together.

5. Magiclay Pudding

This cute and simple ornament can be easily created by spreading Magiclay over a small poly ball to assist in the shape of the design as well as saving on Magiclay. Students spread a thin layer of brown Magiclay over the poly ball and then model small details for their pudding using more of the clay in different colours. Use white Magiclay and model it in your hands to create a thin piece, press around the edges to create a wavy line and then press this over the brown ball to attach. The Magiclay will attach easily by pressing two pieces together. Model some green leaves and roll some small red balls for holy and press on the top of your pudding to attach. A ribbon can be added for hanging using a pin and pressing it into the dry Magiclay.