Learn how to make the cutest pine cone Christmas trees, a fun holiday craft idea for kids! This is a great family activity and very easy.
Skills Required: None. You’ll be painting pine cones and some wood pieces to use as a base (optional), as well as gluing. It can be simplified for younger children and older kids can really make it their own.
Recently my mom and I did a tree lighting ceremony in her neighborhood. Well, she actually did the tree lighting ceremony part – I was just there for the crafting.
She invited me because there were some Christmas crafts for kids available for the neighborhood littles to try, and she wanted to me to lead the activities. I was iffy on whether I would help until I was told there was going to be a coffee kart available. I’M IN!
I’m kidding. Not about the coffee kart, but about helping. I’m always in for a good holiday craft sesh, especially when it comes to kids’ crafts. For me, it’s the creativity that is the magic of Christmas. I just love it!
We had a few activities available for the tree lighting, just so there would be something for everyone to try no matter the age. There were little wood trees to color, popsicle stick reindeer ornaments, a paper plate wreath, and pine cone Christmas trees.
If you’ve never tried a pine cone Christmas tree, there are so many ways to make them. And I’m going to show you mine! This a fun Christmas tree craft that everyone is going to love. Both kids AND adults!
These cute little trees are great for Christmas decorations, and they’re not something you have to hide (let’s be honest – some kids’ holiday crafts aren’t worth displaying). They end up so cute, you will want them out!
This pine cone craft looks great on a mantel or side table and is really fun as part of a holiday village display. Kids will be so happy that they got to contribute to the decor!
Are you ready to try these pine cone trees? Here’s what you’re going to need!
Gather These Supplies
- Pine cones
- Wood circles – 1 per tree
- Wood beads – 1 per tree
- Mini pom poms – lots of them!
- Craft paint – green, white, brown
- Craft glue
- Paintbrushes
- Hot glue gun and hot glue (optional)
There are a lot of ways to do this project, so I wanted to note some variations that people have tried that I think are kind of fun and useful:
- Paint the pine cones white, silver, or some other neutral to make them look more “upscale”
- Use spray paint to base coat the cones, then decorate with other paint colors. This helps shortcut painting time on the front end
- Try some alternatives for the base: small wood slices, wine corks, mini terracotta pots, wood blocks
- Drape baker’s twine around the cone to act as garland or Christmas lights
- Use perler beads, pony beads, or other small items as ornaments
- Place a star, pom pom, or other Christmas embellishment as a topper
- Attach a loop to the top of some smaller ones and use as kids’ ornaments
Get the printable how to card to make a pine cone tree below!
Prep Time
30 minutes
Active Time
1 hour
Total Time
1 hour 30 minutes
Difficulty
Easy
Estimated Cost
$2
Materials
- Pine cones – 2
- Wood circles – 2
- Wood beads – 2
- Mini pom poms – 30 per tree
- Craft paint – green, white, brown
Tools
- Craft glue
- Hot glue gun and hot glue (optional)
- Paintbrushes
Notes
Don’t leave the oven or kitchen unattended while you’re baking your pine cones, just as a precaution.
If you loved this craft idea, let me know in the comments! I’d also love for you to check out these other posts I think you’re going to like: