Contact paper Christmas tree for toddlers

Age: 2+ · Time: 20 min · For: Ages 3–5

This is one of the best Christmas activities for the youngest children: a sticky Christmas tree on the window that they decorate themselves, without glue, scissors or mess. The light shines through the tissue paper, and toddlers can play with it for days.

What your child does, where you help

Your child: sticks, peels off, sticks again, and decides how the tree should look.
You: cut and tape the film and prepare the scraps.

Tips

Tissue paper looks magical with the light shining through it.
Leave it up for a few days; toddlers love coming back to it.
Make it seasonal: in January, change the tree into a snowman.

Safety

Keep small pieces away from children who still put things in their mouth, and stay close by.

You need

clear clear contact paper (book covering film) or wide clear tape
masking tape or ordinary tape to stick the film to the window
scissors, for the grown-up
pieces of colored paper, tissue paper, scraps of wrapping paper, circles and stars
leaves, small twigs and dried flowers from the yard (optional)
a marker

Steps

Cut a large triangle of clear contact paper, about as tall as your child can reach.
Tape the triangle to a window at your child's height with the sticky side facing out. Peel off the backing once it is taped on firmly.
Draw the outline of the tree on the window around the film with a marker that wipes off, or use strips of green tape.
Put the paper scraps and decorations in a tray within reach.
Let your child press the pieces onto the sticky film. They can take them off and start again as often as they like.
When the tree is full, cover it with a second sheet of film, sticky side in, to keep it as a window decoration.