I’m thrilled to introduce you guys to our newest MPMK contributor, Alli. She’s an amazing mama, photographer and kiddo activity planner! I think you’re going to love her and her first tutorial as much as I do.
Decorating the family tree has to be the most exciting part about Christmas for a kiddo, right? Okay, maybe Santa wins out. But still, Christmas trees hold a very special place not just in our little ones’ hearts, but our hearts as well.
Having a small toddler, I am one of the brave/lucky ones that faces the “toddler vs. tree” conundrum. I’ll be honest, last year didn’t go so hot. We’d decorate. He’d undecorate. We’d put the priceless ornaments out of his reach, he’d find a way to reach them. Leave it to a toddler. They’re ninjas like that.
This year we decided to give our little one his very own tree to decorate: a Washi tape tree. It was a huge hit, and probably a family tradition from here on out.
To start, you’ll need some basic scrapbook Washi tape. It’s easy to use and light on the sticky side, so it won’t ruin your walls. You’ll want one shade of green for the tree, and the rest of the colors are up to you. We went with traditional Christmas colors and patterns.
The next step is to pick a spot for your tree. I let my son choose, and he aimed for right above his bed. Hopefully, this doesn’t mean he’ll stay up to all hours of the night singing “Oh Christmas Tree.”
Then it’s time to grab your scissors and green tape. If your child is young like mine, it might be best for Mom to tape the main shape of the tree. I even added a little garland before I let him loose.
And the final step? Well… let ‘em loose. I was on standby to cut pieces when asked. But if your kiddos are old enough to work with scissors, then they can just go to town.
If you have a toddler you’ll probably get a lot of this:
But I was more concerned with giving my guy creative freedom than worrying about tangled tape. For him, the tangling was part of the fun.
And of course, we couldn’t forget the star.
True to form, he’s been decorating and undecorating his wall tape tree for days. It’s the gift that keeps on giving.
P.S. Still Christmas shopping? Don’t forget to check out all of MPMK’s 2012 Christmas Gift Guides (for builders/innovators, dramatic play, kids on the go, little explorers, the creative & crafty, and etc). Just click below:
Alli
Latest posts by Alli (see all)
- Playtime Cheat Sheet No. 2: Sports - May 6, 2013
- Make it: Plant-able Paper Earth - April 17, 2013
- Ways to Play with Nature (Inside & Out) All Month Long - April 8, 2013
{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }
What a fun idea Alli! We do a felt tree for the kiddos at our house, but the tape tree would be so fun. I don’t know any kid that doesn’t enjoy tape and stickers. Thanks for sharing! I’m excited to see more from a fellow Texan!
Thanks, Aubrey! I hope you make one! My little one loved every second of it. In fact, it’s been his activity of choice for the past hour.
I love this idea! Washi tape is the best. We have a huge collection of washi tape and my girls and I are always finding something new to do with it. I think I’m going to have to mark out a tree on our apartment door tonight. My girls are going to have so much fun decorating it tomorrow after school! Thanks for the great idea
So glad you like it! I’d love to see what you do! Happy decorating.
My girls had a ball decorating our washi tape tree. We made a Christmas scene with a tree, presents and a wreath. You can see some pictures here: http://www.littlehiccups.net/2012/12/washi-tape-christmas-decorations.html
Thanks again for the fantastic idea!
this is great! i’ve let the kids stick washi tape to the wall for playtime, but somehow hadn’t thought of making a tree shape to decorate
love it!
Kids and tape, it’s a match made in heaven isn’t it? Hope you have fun making the tree!
I have been eyeing washi tape for a few months now… it’s fun and you can do so many things with it! Is it sold at local craft stores? Hobby Lobby? Michaels? Or would WalMart carry it? Best place to find it? Thanks!!!
Most of my washi tape was bought in Australia (notemaker.com.au – they have a great range and ship internationally) but I have found a few stores in the USA that sell it too. Paper Source carry a small range but I’ve never seen it in a general craft store – or at least not in my area. I find the odd roll here and there in gift stores and even at CB2 last Christmas. I’m yet to find a store that sells a large range though. If you do a google search you’ll find online stores selling it, many of them on etsy. The best brand is called MT.
Thank you!!
Andrea, my favorite source is an Etsy shop called Pretty Tape (http://www.etsy.com/shop/PrettyTape). You can also look for competitive brands (just search scrapbook tape) on Amazon.com.
Martha Stewart makes some great tape prints as well. And you can find hers at Michaels. Hope that helps!
Thanks so much!!
{ 2 trackbacks }