Are you looking for a toddler-friendly Christmas tree alternative? This Toddler-Friendly Felt Christmas Tree Tutorial will add a festive flair to your home this holiday season, while creating a learning opportunity for your little one.
Holiday decorating is upon us, and today, I'm flashing back to the 2016 holiday season with this simple and festive DIY for your little one.
I originally created this felt Christmas tree tutorial when my husband, 8 month old daughter and I were living in a teeny tiny one bedroom apartment as we awaited the completion of our first home. We were so excited to celebrate baby's first holiday season, but since, at the time, she was starting to become quite the mover, we were worried about her safety around the Christmas decorations in the small space.
We usually opt for a real tree, complete with all of the fancy decorations, but because of our little mover, that year we decided to try something a little different. We had a small tree tucked out of the way for mom and dad, but also added this felt Christmas tree to the living room wall, just for the babe.
This simple-to-make felt Christmas tree is baby/toddler-safe, maintenance-free and decorated with lots of brightly coloured ornaments that your little one can easily rip off and put back on. It added a festive flair to our teeny tiny abode, while creating a great learning opportunity for little miss Morley.
Why not make one for your little one this holiday season?
Why not make one for your little one this holiday season?
Toddler-Friendly Felt Christmas Tree Tutorial
Materials
- 1m green felt
- Several squares of felt, assorted colours
- Square of yellow felt
- Hot glue gun and glue sticks
- Fabric scissors
- Soft tape measure (normal measuring tape will also work fine)
- String
- Marker
- 1 adhesive wall hook, medium
Directions
I purchased the felt from my local fabric store. They sell small individual squares in a variety of colours (for making the ornaments) as well as felt by the length, which I used to make the tree. You can also find a package of assorted colours, here.
First, make the star for the top of your tree using the yellow felt. I started with the star because I had a limited amount of yellow felt and the size of the star would determine the size of the tree.
Next, make the tree body. Lay your tree fabric (green felt) on the floor and fold in half, vertically. Using a marker, draw the outline of your tree. Cut along the line, through both layers of green felt. Open the fabric back up to reveal your bare tree. Attach the star to the top with hot glue.
Next step is to make the ornaments. I used a cup as my stencil to make circles on the felt. I made circular ornaments for my tree because they are easy for my daughter to grab. Get creative - you can make any size or shape you desire! Use the scrap felt to spruce up the ornaments.
When it comes time to sticking the ornaments on the tree, you won't need any additional material. Thanks to a little science and the power of static electricity, felt sticks to felt like magic.
Don't worry about making it perfect - your babe is not going to judge you if the tree is not symmetrical or the colours of your ornaments don't match. They are going to love it either way!
Now it's time to hang your tree. Using the glue gun, add a loop of string to the top of the star/tree. This will be how you hang the tree on the wall. Make sure that the wall you hang the tree on is a smooth surface. With the tape measure, measure the height of your tree on the wall. Following the directions on the package, affix the Command™Clear Medium Hook to the wall.
Hang the tree on the hook. Since our apartment is so dry, the felt automatically clings to the wall. However, you can repeat the above steps with a few more hooks to support the branches, if needed. Ensure the weight of the tree is evenly distributed across the hooks.
The great thing about using these hooks for this tree is that if you don't like the placement, or need to move it for any reason, you can do so without the fear of holes or damage!
When it comes time to sticking the ornaments on the tree, you won't need any additional material. Thanks to a little science and the power of static electricity, felt sticks to felt like magic.
Don't worry about making it perfect - your babe is not going to judge you if the tree is not symmetrical or the colours of your ornaments don't match. They are going to love it either way!
Now it's time to hang your tree. Using the glue gun, add a loop of string to the top of the star/tree. This will be how you hang the tree on the wall. Make sure that the wall you hang the tree on is a smooth surface. With the tape measure, measure the height of your tree on the wall. Following the directions on the package, affix the Command™Clear Medium Hook to the wall.
Hang the tree on the hook. Since our apartment is so dry, the felt automatically clings to the wall. However, you can repeat the above steps with a few more hooks to support the branches, if needed. Ensure the weight of the tree is evenly distributed across the hooks.
The great thing about using these hooks for this tree is that if you don't like the placement, or need to move it for any reason, you can do so without the fear of holes or damage!
The possibilities with this tree are endless. You can add as many different colours and shapes of ornaments as you wish! If you are feeling especially creative, you can even make presents to go "under the tree" or even a stocking to hang beside (like I did in the photo above).
To incorporate a learning experience into your felt Christmas tree, make ornaments of different shapes, sizes and colours. Add numbers and letters to the ornaments to take it to the next level.
To incorporate a learning experience into your felt Christmas tree, make ornaments of different shapes, sizes and colours. Add numbers and letters to the ornaments to take it to the next level.
Now it's time to let your little one play and have some fun with their new tree! But please remember, do not leave your child unattended while doing this activity.
For more baby-friendly activities, check out this recipe for baby-safe paint.
What are some of your tips and tricks for decorating your indoor spaces around the holidays? I'd love to hear!
*Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.
PIN IT:
