In this post, we will be talking about the best felt Christmas trees for toddlers – both done for you and DIY! We will also provide some valuable tips for helping your toddler make the most of their own tree, all while incorporating fine motor skills and creativity This post is all about the best felt Christmas tree ideas for toddlers and kids.
The holiday season is quickly approaching and I know we all cherish the family traditions, warmth, and joy that we feel this time of year. Obviously, for many families, one of these fun family traditions is to put up a Christmas tree to decorate together. While fun and festive, we know that toddlers are eager to be a part of the decorating process and Christmas spirit!
Why Choose Felt Christmas Trees?
Felt Christmas trees are a great alternative to your traditional tree. Many families use this in addition to their real tree because they are a great way to have a soft, safe, and fun way for your toddler to have their own little tree.
1 – Safety: One of the biggest stressors during Christmas time with toddlers is keeping them safe around the family tree. It can be tricky to keep your toddler’s small hands off of the breakable ornaments and I know I have felt worried that my daughter would pull the tree on herself somehow. A felt Christmas tree is a perfect way to give your toddler a place to join in the fun in a safer way. Truly, a felt Christmas tree is the safest Christmas tree for kids, especially when they are really little.
2 – Fine Motor Skill Development: I love how felt Christmas trees can help our little ones practice using their fine motor skills – grasping the felt pieces, and placing them on the tree again and again. It’s a great way to help build their skills.
3 – Personalization: Toddlers can create their very own trees, complete with ornaments and decorations, giving them a sense of control and ownership – two things that toddlers LOVE!
4 – Mess Free: No two words sound sweeter to a mom who is trying to juggle a million responsibilities PLUS create Christmas magic. I love that felt Christmas trees are mess-free (think no pine needles, no broken glass, etc.) AND they are an activity that will keep your toddler and kids OCCUPIED (this just might be the best part). They can spend time decorating and redecorating over and over every single day, all while leaving your beautiful tree alone. Plus this is an easy option to store and bring out year after year.
How to Choose the Best Felt Christmas Tree
When it comes to selecting the perfect felt Christmas tree for your toddler, consider these factors:
- Size: Opt for a size that suits your space. Think ahead about where you would like to hang up the felt Christmas tree where your child will be safe, where they can easily access it throughout the season, and how much wall space you would like it to take up.
- DIY vs Premade: You have the option to either DIY your very own felt Christmas tree (see needed supplies later in this post) OR to buy one that comes with the tree, ornaments, etc. Totally up to you and how customized you would like it to be! You’ll see various options for both in this post.
- Decorative Elements: Some felt trees come with pre-attached ornaments and decorations. Check out these great options on Amazon where you can buy a tree and felt ornaments in a well-priced package:
This post contains affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my link, at no extra cost to you.
The Best Felt Christmas Tree for Toddlers and Kids (to purchase):
How to Make A Felt Christmas Tree for Toddlers
Supplies needed for DIY felt Christmas trees:
– Green felt (number of yards will be based on how big of a tree you would like to make. Measure your space and eyeball the number of yards from there! Always overestimate with this material. You can always cut it down further to fit but it’s difficult to add to the tree size once it is cut. You will definitely need at least 1 yard of green felt.
– A variety of different felt colors– get 1/2 to 1 yard for a variety of colors of your choosing. This way you’ll be able to make a yellow star for the top of the tree, a brown tree trunk, velcro ornaments, etc. This is where you can get really creative and get your kids involved in making their own Christmas tree.
– A command hook or strip to hang your tree on the wall. I prefer this to velcro on the back of the tree because it is much easier to remove from your wall without damage.
– Velcro dots – these work great to put on the back of a felt Christmas ornament.
– A small string of lights – this is optional but it can be fun to poke small holes and insert string lights through the holes in the green portion of the felt Christmas tree so that it glows just like a real tree!
– Hot glue gun and glue sticks OR tacky glue
– Craft scissors (your regular kitchen scissors will work too but it is easier to work with felt if they are sharp!)
(See all of these supplies linked here)
Step by Step Instructions
Creating your DIY felt Christmas tree can be a wonderful opportunity to get your toddler involved in customizing the way it looks! Don’t worry about it being too perfect, these are very forgiving and will look sweet on your wall no matter what.
Step 1 – Fold the green felt fabric in half and cut out a tree shape. By cutting the fabric in half, you’ll be able to make sure it is symmetrical on both sides.
Step 2 – Cut a brown base for the tree trunk if you wish (this is optional!)
Step 3 – Create a variety of decorations for the tree out of felt! You can create candy canes, ornaments of various shapes and sizes, a star for the top, presents, etc. Pinterest is a great place to look for fun inspiration and ideas. Attach velcro dots to the back of each of the ornaments if you wish. This can make it easier for little hands to place them securely on the tree. Felt sticks fairly well to felt, so velcro dots ARE optional.
Step 4 – Attach the tree to your wall. The best way to do this while protecting your walls is to utilize Command hooks like these ones
Step 5 – Let your toddler go to town with their very own Felt Christmas tree!
Decorating Your Felt Christmas Tree
Now, let’s dive into some tips for helping your toddler decorate their felt Christmas tree:
- Acquire Decorations: Visit a craft store and gather a variety of felt Christmas tree ornaments, including stars, candy canes, and other holiday-themed shapes. You can also make your own ornaments using soft felt and simple designs. Pinterest can be a great place to look up ideas and inspiration!
- Attach Velcro Backing: To make the decorations easily attachable, sew or glue small Velcro pieces to the back of each ornament so your toddler will have velcro-backed ornaments and corresponding spots on the felt tree.
- String of Lights: A string of lights (battery-operated for safety) can add a magical touch to the felt tree. Let your toddler help arrange them.
- Command Hooks: Hang the felt tree on a wall using removable Command hooks. This keeps it from damaging your wall when you’re ready to put it away for the season and it keeps it safely at your child’s eye level.
- Decorate how they wish: Encourage your toddler to decorate their felt tree in their unique style. Let them choose which ornaments go where and watch their creativity shine. The major bonus is that this is where they get to exercise control and creativity and then the family tree can look more aesthetic and balanced the way YOU would like it to look. Win-win!
- Christmas Tradition: Make decorating the felt Christmas tree a yearly tradition. Your toddler will eagerly anticipate this holiday activity as they grow.
Incorporating a felt Christmas tree into your holiday traditions can be a wonderful way to engage your toddler’s creativity and fine motor skills while creating lasting memories. I hope this post helped inspire you with a fun Christmas activity that your toddler can enjoy throughout the holiday season – giving them a little more joy and a little more time to sit and enjoy the season while they are occupied!
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