Piñata Christmas tree ornaments

These piñata Christmas tree ornaments are a surprisingly fun craft for kids from toddler age all the way up to early grade school. They look festive, they take very little time, and kids can do most of the work themselves. If you are looking for a hands-on holiday activity that produces something actually worth hanging on the tree, this is a good one.

This project involves shaping a simple triangle form from cardboard, then wrapping it in fringed green crepe paper and decorating with pom poms. You can even tuck a small piece of candy inside before you seal it up, which makes it a little more fun for the kids. If you want more holiday craft ideas, check out this full list of 14 Christmas ornament crafts for kids we have put together.

What you need

The supplies for this project are simple and inexpensive. You likely have most of them at home already. Here is what to gather before you start.

You will need an empty cardboard box, scissors, glue, tape, and a marker. For decorating, pick up green crepe paper streamers, pom poms in assorted colors, and a length of ribbon for the hanging loop. That is everything.

Having all your supplies ready before you sit down with your child makes the whole process much smoother. It also keeps the craft moving at a pace that holds a toddler’s attention.

How to make piñata Christmas tree ornaments

Step 1: Draw and cut the cardboard pieces

Start by drawing two matching tree triangles on your cardboard. When you draw the sides of each triangle, add an extra half inch on each edge. This extra border becomes a folding tab that holds the ornament together. Cut out both triangles carefully, making sure to keep those tabs intact.

Step 2: Build the form

Fold the tabs inward along each edge. Then tape the two cardboard pieces together to create a hollow triangular shape. Think of it like a flat triangular box. If you want to add candy, drop a few small pieces inside before you seal the last edge with tape.

Step 3: Cut the crepe paper fringe

Unroll a few strips of green crepe paper from the roll. Cut small slots along one long edge of each strip to create a fringe effect. The fringe mimics the look of pine branches and gives the finished ornament a lot of texture and charm.

Step 4: Cover the ornament

Starting at the bottom point of the triangle, tape or glue the fringed crepe paper strips across the cardboard form. Work your way up toward the top, overlapping each row slightly as you go. This layered look gives the ornament its full, piñata-style finish.

Step 5: Decorate and hang

Press pom poms onto the crepe paper to act as colorful ornament bulbs. You can use a dot of glue to hold each one in place. Once the decorating is done, attach a loop of ribbon to the top point of the tree. Your ornament is ready to hang.

Tips for doing this with young kids

The cardboard cutting and taping steps are best handled by a grown-up or older child. The crepe paper fringing is easy enough for most preschoolers with a little help. The decorating step, pressing pom poms onto the ornament, is the part that kids truly own, and it is where they will have the most fun.

If you are doing this craft with a group, consider pre-cutting the cardboard triangles ahead of time. That way the kids can jump straight into the creative parts without a long wait. This also works well as a classroom holiday craft or a simple activity for a small holiday gathering.

For more kids activities and craft ideas, the blog has plenty of seasonal projects to browse through. You might also enjoy these related ornament crafts: pom pom star ornaments, children’s clay Christmas ornaments, pipe cleaner Christmas ornaments, button Christmas tree ornaments, kids pom pom ornaments, snowman ornaments, paint drip ornaments, tiny toboggan ornaments, alphabet block ornaments, pom pom pinecone ornaments, melted crayon ornaments, and reindeer ornaments.

Once your piñata ornament is finished, find it a good spot on the tree. These look especially nice mixed in with handmade ornaments from other years. They are the kind of thing kids remember making, which is really the whole point.