Using wax paper and tissue paper, preschoolers can make colourful “stained glass” Christmas shapes to decorate a window for the holidays. This easy process is a preschool-friendly version of the traditional tissue paper stained glass process that older kids love.
Did you see the tissue paper and stained glass stars we made the other day? You probably remember doing something similar when you were a kid in school.
Well, I’ve come up with a way for toddlers and preschoolers to make tissue paper stained glass art with a little help from a piece of wax paper.
Wax paper is translucent enough that it will let the sunlight shine through the tissue paper AND the kids can glue their tissue paper right to the wax paper instead of trying to glue it to the black paper outline. Wax paper is also tough enough to protect the tissue paper from ripping when kids are handling their finished craft.
Let me show you how easy they are to make.
Supplies:
- black construction paper or card stock
- cookie cutters (or traceable shapes)
- pencil
- scissors
- tissue paper
- wax paper
- glue stick
- paper punch
- string for hanging
Instructions:
- With your pencil, trace around a cookie cutter on the black paper.
- Instead of cutting along your pencil line, cut outside of the line by a 1/4 of an inch.
- Next cut along your pencil line. This will cause the inside of the shape to detach, and you’ll be left with a silhouette of your shape.
- Cut a piece of wax paper larger than the black shape that you just cut out.
- Cut several colours of tissue paper into thin strips.
- Rub the glue stick over the wax paper and press your tissue paper strips on to the glue. You’ll want the tissue paper to cover an area that’s bigger than your black silhouette shape.
- Glue the black paper silhouette over top of the tissue paper and press firmly in place.
- Cut off excess tissue paper and wax paper.
- Punch a hole in the top of your shape and hang it on your Christmas tree or in a window.
See more of our Christmas Cookie Cutter Ornaments here, here, and here.
Hang your ornaments in a window or on your Christmas tree where the sunlight or Christmas lights can shine through and illuminate the tissue paper.
More Stained Glass Christmas Crafts for Kids:
- Sharpie and Tinfoil “Stained Glass” Christmas Trees
- Tissue Paper Stained Glass Stars
- Sharpie and Tinfoil “Stained Glass” Christmas Trees
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.
Wendy
Hi there! I love this craft idea and would like the instructions. That said, when I followed the link to CBC Parents that page is no longer available. Can you send me the wax paper ornament instructions please? Thank you!
Jackie Currie
Hi Wendy! I’m so sorry! I’ve just learned that CBC removed the kids’ craft portion of their website, so my post is no longer visible there. I’ve put the instructions into my own post, so you can find them here now: https://happyhooligans.ca/stained-glass-christmas-shapes-preschoolers/