Repurpose an empty plastic container into beautiful plastic plastic icicles that look just like real icicles. Great Christmas ornament for toddlers and preschoolers to make!
Here’s another really easy homemade ornament that toddlers can make for the Christmas tree this year. They’re icicles made out of plastic containers from the recycling bin!
The kids love it when icicles grow on the eaves of our house They love it even more when they find one within reach, and they can snap it off and examine it. It always ends up with someone giving it a lick or two (ick). That can’t be all that bad, right? People eat snow ice cream all the time, so a lick or two of an icicle isn’t going to do much harm.
Despite our focusing on icicles today, the weather this morning was incredible for this time of year. By 10:30am, the thermometer on our deck read 10ºC which is about 50ºF! It felt more like a spring day than a winter one, but Christmas is right around the corner, so an icicle craft it is.
The nice thing about the icicles we were making today is that there was no fear of them melting in the warm sunshine. HA!
Ok! Let’s get crafting!
To make our plastic icicle ornaments, you’ll need:
- exacto knife
- plastic container (see below)
- clear glue
- paint brush
- 2 tbsp of fine white glitter
- jar with lid
- hole punch
- string or metallic thread for hanging
Making our icicles:
To prepare our icicles, I used an exacto-knife to cut irregular, jagged shapes out of a plastic dish detergent bottle. I was able to get quite a few icicles from the one bottle, and then I dug out a plastic package that had held raspberries, and I cut out a few more.
Use any clear, plastic container you have in your recycling bin. You just need to make sure that A) it’s large enough to cut a decent sized icicle out of, and B) the edges aren’t so sharp that they’ll cut anyone’s fingers.
Once you have your icicles cut out, punch a hole in the top of each one.
Next, have the children paint the plastic icicles with a bit of clear school glue.
Don’t worry if the kids don’t cover the whole icicle with glue. Your icicles will have a more realistic, frosted look if you just brush the glue here and there and around the edges.
Now for some fun!
Have the kids pop an icicle into the jar of glitter, and screw the lid on tight. This in itself will be an exercise for the toddlers!
Then shake, shake, shake!
Now, for the big reveal! Take the lid off the jar and remove your sparkly icicle ornament!
Isn’t it beautiful?
Thread a piece of string or ribbon through the hole in the top, and your plastic icicle ornament is ready to hang on your Christmas tree.
More Icicle Crafts for Kids:
Pipe Cleaner and Bead icicle Ornaments
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Jackie is a mom, wife, home daycare provider, and the creative spirit behind Happy Hooligans. She specializes in kids’ crafts and activities, easy recipes, and parenting. She began blogging in 2011, and today, Happy Hooligans inspires more than 2 million parents, caregivers and Early Years Professionals all over the globe.
Clancy Harrison MS, RD, LDN
You have such a wonderful blog and FB page! I found you from Childhood 101. I am your follower and will always be interested in your post as I have a 3 year old and look for great crafts to do with her! Thanks! I love the silver Xmas trees!!!!
happyhooligans
Thanks so much for popping over to check us out! I hope you can use some of our ideas for crafting with your daughter! I hope it’s ok, but I’d like to post the link to your blog on my f/b page. I’m think my followers with young children would appreciate seeing it. Thanks for the link!
Michaela
Can you move back to Ottawa!!??!!? Although I love being at home with my boys, I want them to go to your daycare! You are such an amazing provider! I love everything you do! We usually end up doing your crafts the day after you do them!!
happyhooligans
Hee-hee. If I ever move back, I’ll let you know! Thanks for the sweet compliment! I’m so glad you’re using our ideas! I love hearing that!!
kierna
Love, love , love these – I thought they were real when I saw them yesterday & can’t wait to make them – I am going to leave them until new year & decorate our tree outside with them. I make up my own songs too and bet I could sing the shakey shakey song with a whole new tune anyway!!
Joyce @Dinosaurs And Octopuses
I would have never thought of this. I’m excited about trying them too! They turned out very pretty and realistic. I also love that you love a good deal 😀
happyhooligans
Did you see the gelatin ones that Dilly-Dali Art made? They’re very cool too!
Joyce Loosli
My only concern with this wonderful idea is the sugar…my cat and dog both love sugar so I know they will inspect them too closely. I am thinking of using simple glitter and I hope this will work as well. I know they won’t resemble snow on ice but the results should be as individual as the child who does it.
happyhooligans
Glitter is a perfect substitute, Joyce. Good thinking!
Janice
Want to try using epsom salt instead of sugar
happyhooligans
Sure! That would probably work!
Liz
These look beautiful and I think they would be great hung outside on the tree. I find the edges to be too sharp on this craft for the little ones. Will sandpaper work fix this or is there a better way to do it?