Painted pine cones: a Christmas craft for toddlers

Age: 2+ · Time: 30 min · For: Ages 3–5

A winter walk to collect pine cones, then an afternoon of painting at the kitchen table: this is one of the simplest and most cosy Christmas crafts for toddlers. Pine cones are free, they have a lovely texture, and every child's version looks beautiful.

Painted cones look lovely in a bowl on the table, on the windowsill or hanging from the Christmas tree.

What your child does, where you help

Your child: collects the cones, paints, dabs and chooses the colours.
You: dry and check the cones, and tie the strings.

Variations

Glittery: sprinkle a little glitter on the wet white paint.
Pine cone garland: tie several cones on a long ribbon.
Gift toppers: tie a small painted cone onto a present instead of a bow.

You need

a few large, dry pine cones
white paint and a few other colours (washable poster paint)
a sponge, a paintbrush or a cotton bud
a plate or lid for the paint
an old tablecloth or newspaper
string, to hang the pine cones (optional)

Steps

Collect pine cones together on a walk. Choose open, dry ones. Brush off dirt and leave damp cones to dry on a radiator or in a warm room for a day; they open up as they dry.
Cover the table and put a little paint on a plate.
Snowy pine cones: let your child dab white paint on the tips of the scales with a sponge or brush, as if snow has fallen on them.
Mini Christmas trees: paint the whole cone green, then add dots of red, yellow and white as baubles with a cotton bud.
Stand the cones upright on a sheet of paper to dry, about an hour.
To hang them, a grown-up ties a piece of string around the top scales.

Questions

Do I need to clean pine cones from outside?

Brush off any soil, shake out any little creatures and leave them in a warm room for a day or two to dry out completely. That is usually enough.

Is it safe for toddlers?

Use washable, non-toxic paint and stay close by. Pine cone scales can break off, so make sure little ones do not put pieces in their mouths.

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