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Painted pine cones: a Christmas craft for toddlers
Age: 2+ · Time: 30 min · For:
A winter walk to collect pine cones, then an afternoon of painting at the kitchen table: this is one of the simplest and most cozy Christmas crafts for toddlers. Pine cones are free, they have a lovely texture, and every child's version looks beautiful.
Painted cones look lovely in a bowl on the table, on the windowsill or hanging from the Christmas tree.
What your child does, where you help
- Your child: collects the cones, paints, dabs and chooses the colors.
- You: dry and check the cones, and tie the strings.
Variations
- Glittery: sprinkle a little glitter on the wet white paint.
- Pine cone garland: tie several cones on a long ribbon.
- Gift toppers: tie a small painted cone onto a present instead of a bow.
You need
- a few large, dry pine cones
- white paint and a few other colors (washable tempera paint)
- a sponge, a paintbrush or a cotton swab
- a plate or lid for the paint
- an old tablecloth or newspaper
- string, to hang the pine cones (optional)
Steps
- Collect pine cones together on a walk. Choose open, dry ones. Brush off dirt and leave damp cones to dry on a radiator or in a warm room for a day; they open up as they dry.
- Cover the table and put a little paint on a plate.
- Snowy pine cones: let your child dab white paint on the tips of the scales with a sponge or brush, as if snow has fallen on them.
- Mini Christmas trees: paint the whole cone green, then add dots of red, yellow and white as ornaments with a cotton swab.
- Stand the cones upright on a sheet of paper to dry, about an hour.
- To hang them, a grown-up ties a piece of string around the top scales.
Questions
Do I need to clean pine cones from outside?
Brush off any soil, shake out any little creatures and leave them in a warm room for a day or two to dry out completely. That is usually enough.
Is it safe for toddlers?
Use washable, non-toxic paint and stay close by. Pine cone scales can break off, so make sure little ones do not put pieces in their mouths.
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