✂️ Toilet roll Christmas tree craft for kids

Age: 3+ · Time: 45 min

Before those empty toilet rolls go in the recycling, save a handful for this easy Christmas tree craft. It costs nothing, takes less than an hour, and the result is a bright little tree that looks great on a windowsill or as a centrepiece on the children's table.

Tips

Start collecting tubes in November. You will need more than you think.
Paint dries faster if you stand the tubes upright on a paintbrush handle or a pencil.
Kitchen roll tubes cut into thirds work too.

Variations

Mini trees: cut each tube into rings, paint them green and glue the rings into a small flat tree shape. These make lovely gift tags or tree decorations.
Advent tree: make a bigger tree with 24 tubes, number each one, and tuck a small note or a family activity idea inside each tube.
Snowy tree: dab white paint on the edges for snow and glue cotton wool at the base.

For little helpers

Let the children choose a colour scheme for the baubles: all red, rainbow, or one colour per family member.

You need

6 empty toilet roll tubes
green poster paint and a brush (or green paper and a glue stick)
a piece of brown card for the trunk
yellow card for the star
PVA glue
pompoms, sequins, buttons or stickers to decorate
child-safe scissors
a stapler or clothes pegs (for an adult)

Steps

Paint the toilet roll tubes green, or cover them with green paper. Leave them to dry.
Stand the tubes on their side and arrange them in a pyramid on the table to plan the tree. Three on the bottom, two in the middle, one at the top.
Glue the tubes together where they touch. A grown-up can add a staple or hold them with clothes pegs while the glue dries.
Cut a small rectangle of brown card and glue it under the bottom row as the trunk.
Draw a star on yellow card, cut it out and glue it to the top tube.
Decorate the tree with pompom baubles, sequins, buttons or stickers.
Leave flat to dry completely, then stand it up on a shelf or stick it on a window.

Questions

Can very young children do this?

Yes. Toddlers love the painting and sticking. A grown-up can do the gluing of the tubes and the cutting, and let them decorate.

How can I make it stand up?

Glue the bottom row onto a strip of stiff card, or stand the tubes upright (open end down) in a pyramid on a cardboard base instead.

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