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Christmas is a time where beautiful moments for your family are created and imprinted on your lives forever, especially for the little ones. For the parents and grandparents out there, you know finding kid- friendly Christmas decorations are so important for getting them (and you) on the holiday spirit!
With kids in the mix, keeping holiday decorations organized while involving them in the fun can sometimes feel like wrangling reindeer.
Don't worry! We have a few strategies for you to stay organized AND some fun Kid-friendly Christmas decor they'll love to do every year. After reading this post you should be able to organize your kid-friendly decorations and turn the process into a joyful, memorable experience for the whole family that you'll all have forever.
1. Organize Decorations in a “Kid Zone”
Start by designating a special areas for kid-friendly decorations. This could be a specific section of the tree, a smaller tabletop tree just for them, or a dedicated space where their crafts and creations can shine. Letting them take ownership of their “zone” makes them feel included without risking your more delicate decorations.
- Bins and Labels: Store kid-safe decorations and workshop materials for the little elves (think felt ornaments, unbreakable plastic items, and soft garlands) in labeled bins or baskets. Make sure the bins are easy to access so they can help take out and put away decorations. Let the kids help label the bins—whether with stickers or pictures, so they know where things belong.
- Rotating Decorations: Not every decoration needs to be out all month long. If you have activities planned for your kids (like the activities we'll get to below) rotate items through the holiday season, keeping the space fresh and clutter-free. This approach also helps keep interest alive and reduces the overwhelm of having every single item on display at once.
- Store Sentimental Creations Safely: If your child makes a special craft one year, store it safely after the season ends in a dedicated “Christmas Creations” box. Use bubble wrap or tissue paper to keep these treasures safe so you can revisit them year after year. Once it's all said and done, you need a place to store these precious creations - get a storage bin specifically for your child's things.
My mom always had great organizational ideas. For Christmas decor, she always used red and green bins for the "Christmas stuff" so it's easy to find every year in the attic. For ornaments, even the ones we made, would be stored in an ornament storage container, making it easy every year to pull em out and put em back. Although we always would break a couple... sorry mom.
2. Fun Kid-Friendly Decoration Ideas
Now comes the fun part—getting the kids involved in creating their own holiday decorations. Nothing beats getting in the holiday spirit and seeing the joy on your children's faces. We have some great ideas that you can do with them that will help bolster the Christmas spirit and your relationship. These ideas not only encourage creativity but also keep things organized and stress-free for you!
- Brown Wrapping Paper for Artistic Gift Wrapping: Get a roll of brown kraft paper and let the kids unleash their inner artists. They can draw, stamp, use stickers or use glitter to decorate the wrapping paper for gifts. Bonus: it’s both a creative activity and a practical way to wrap gifts for friends and family! It makes it more personal too and allows your kid to enjoy giving gifts wrapped in their own wrapping paper!
- Homemade Ornaments: Kids love seeing their own creations on the tree. You can either do DIY Ornaments like these here from Simplyfullofdelight or can buy some premade kits from Amazon. Either way these are fun, inexpensive, and make the tree uniquely theirs. You can even hang these on their “kid zone” tree for extra ownership!
- Kid-Created Gift Tags: Have your little elves make personalized gift tags. Whether they use construction paper, stickers, or simple drawings, it’s a fun way to add a personal touch to presents. This not only saves money but also adds a heartfelt charm to the wrapping process. Or you could use our Christmas tags and have them sign them too!
- Garland-Making Party: Create a kid-friendly garland using colorful construction paper, popcorn, or even cranberries (with supervision, of course). The kids can string together the garland, and once it’s complete, drape it around their designated decoration area. This is an easy, low-cost way to get the whole family involved.
- Painted Pinecones: Take the kids on a nature walk to collect pinecones, then let them paint them with festive colors like red, green, gold, or silver. Once dry, they can place these painted pinecones in a bowl as a centerpiece or hang them on the tree with a bit of ribbon.
- Christmas Tree Paper Chains: Have the kids create paper chains using strips of green construction paper to form a mini tree. They can decorate each link of the chain with stickers, stamps, or drawings. As they add more links, the “tree” grows! This is a great way to count down the days to Christmas while creating something fun to hang up.
- Handprint Wreath: Trace your child’s hands on green construction paper and cut them out. Have the kids glue the handprints in a circle to form a wreath. They can decorate it with mini pom-poms, glitter, or even hand-drawn holly berries. Hang it on a door or their bedroom wall to add a personalized touch.
Creating the Christmas Cheer
Keeping your Christmas decorations kid-friendly and organized doesn’t have to be a hassle. By creating a dedicated space for their holiday items and involving them in DIY decoration projects, you’re not only maintaining order but also fostering creativity and holiday spirit. The best part? These decorations are memories in the making, and with these organization tips, you’ll have them safely stored away for next year.
Happy decorating!
