Paper Plate Christmas Tree

This paper plate Christmas tree might just become your new seasonal favorite! It’s adorable, easy enough for kids of all ages, and packed with creative possibilities. If you’re looking for a fun, festive activity to brighten up your holiday season, this simple craft will keep little hands busy and make big smiles all around!

If your kids love getting crafty during the holidays, you’re going to adore this paper-plate Christmas tree craft — it’s simple, festive, and a guaranteed fun way to get into the holiday spirit!

With just a few basic supplies and a little imagination, you and your little ones can transform a plain paper plate into a charming Christmas tree — perfect for decorating the house, gifting, or jazzing up the holiday vibe.

This paper plate tree is a great companion to other fun paper plate Christmas crafts like this Paper Plate Reindeer Craft or Christmas tree crafts like this Paper Straw Ornament. Our “disguise a gingerbread man” cut-and-paste activity is also a fantastic complementary activity during the holiday season!

Whether you’re decorating after school, planning a cozy craft afternoon, or prepping for holiday guests, this quick and cheerful project makes for an easy and memorable activity.

Kids get so much out of this activity — they can practice cutting and gluing skills, explore their creativity with colors and decorations, and get a beautiful, handmade ornament or decoration they can be proud of.

This paper plate Christmas tree craft is a win for holiday décor and a win for encouraging creativity, fine motor skills, and together-time. Ready to grab your supplies and get crafting?

If you want more fun Christmas activities, try my Secret Message From Santa Printable or this Free Printable Christmas Bingo Game!

Supplies Needed For Paper Plate Christmas Craft

• Paper Plates – my preference is the uncoated 9-inch plate with the flat edge
• Green Paint – any shade of green you like
• Paintbrush – craft paint brush or even a foam brush works well!
• Glue – Elmer’s, glue dots, or hot glue gun
• Scissors or hole puncher – kids’ size to adult, depending on the age of your crafters
• Markers – you might like to outline your tree, or you might prefer colored markers for drawing
• Construction Paper – red, yellow, orange, purple, blue, pink….any colors you wish

How to Make The Paper Plate Christmas Tree

1. Cut the Plates – Begin by cutting the paper plates into three equal-sized parts.
2. Paint – Paint each of the 3 pieces green, leaving the outside lining/edge white. Allow to dry completely.
3. Assemble – Layer and attach the 3 pieces with glue.
4. Stem and Star – Use brown construction paper to cut a rectangle for the tree trunk. Use the yellow construction paper to cut a yellow star for the top of the tree.
5. Attach – Glue the stem at the bottom of the tree and the star on the top of the tree.
6. Decorate – Using a variety of colors, cut out small circles and glue them to the tree as decorations.

Paper Plate Christmas Tree Notes And Expert Tips

This Christmas paper plate craft is a delightful way to keep little hands busy and celebrate the Christmas spirit. It’s easy enough for younger kids but engaging enough for older kids to enjoy too.

• When cutting the plates, I find it helpful to take a pencil and lightly draw the lines on it to make sure I’m making the parts as equal as possible.

• If you want to cut your plate into 4 equal parts, the pieces of the trees will be a bit smaller, but you can make 4 trees using only 3 plates!

• Skip the painting and use pieces of colored craft foam instead. Keep in mind that you may need to have a little more patience with the gluing process because of the additional material (and glue sticks may not be enough).

• When allowing children to use a hot glue gun, constant and direct adult supervision is recommended to ensure safety and prevent burns. I strongly recommend using a low-temperature glue gun designed for children’s crafts, as they are much safer for little hands than high-temperature models. If you only have a high-temperature model, then please consider doing the gluing part yourself.

How To Display The Paper Plate Christmas Tree

Glue your tree to a large piece of construction paper and let the kids draw and color a wintery scene around the tree with some gifts, snow, and a midnight moon.

Gram and Gramps always love to get something handmade by their beloved little people. Add a magnet to the back so they can display it proudly on their refrigerator….most likely all year long. 😉

Make a winter scene in your front window with some spray snow and the paper plate Christmas trees. The delivery people will love seeing your creations when they drop off packages.

Variations Of A Paper Plate Christmas Tree To Try

Here are some creative and fun variations you can incorporate into your craft time.

• Use color dabbers to make the dots on the tree, which will save a little time cutting out the paper dots. The kids will love it.

• Glue on mini multi-colored pom poms for the decorations. A hot glue gun might work best for this, so be prepared to assist your crafters.

• Kids LOVE glitter! Red, green, silver, and gold would be a beautiful addition to these paper plate Christmas trees.

• The sky’s the limit for decorating the trees…..sequins, stickers, ribbon, puffy paint, and jewels.

• Glue on some pulled cotton balls for a lovely snow effect.

Paper Plate Christmas Tree FAQs

More Christmas Fun to Enjoy

• Free Elf On The Shelf Arrival Letter Printable
• Free Secret Message From Santa Printable (Decode Game)
• Best Free Christmas Countdown Calendar Printable
• Free Printable Christmas Bingo Game
• Fun & Clever Elf On The Shelf Ideas For Toddlers

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