🎉 Worked for us
Easy idea suited to 2-year-olds
A reader found it a beautiful, easy idea and well suited to two-year-olds.
“beautiful,easy idea! love this and so appropriate for 2yr.olds”
The story behind it
By TurkeyMom · November 2013
Ages2–7 yrs
Prep15 min
Activity30 min
Leveleasy
MessHigh
Works for1:1 · Small group · Class
Paint green party hats with peppermint-scented green paint, add glitter, then decorate them like Christmas trees with sequins, gems, buttons, pom poms and a gold foil star. The finished hats can be worn on Christmas morning.
⚠️ Safety first
- Buttons, pony beads, sequins, gems and pom poms are small parts and a choking hazard. Supervise closely, especially with kids under 3 or anyone who still mouths things.
- Adult mixes the scented paint. Peppermint extract and oil are strong: use only a little, keep it away from eyes, and wash hands after painting.
- The peppermint paint smells like candy canes but is not food. Remind kids not to taste it.
- Glitter can fall off when the hats are worn and can get into eyes. Skip it if you're not comfortable with that.
Before the kids arrive
- Adult: squirt some green washable paint into a container and stir in pure peppermint extract until you're happy with the smell.
- Set out the hats, scented paint, brushes and a tray of decorations (sequins, gems, buttons, pom poms, stickers).
Steps
Take a big whiff of the peppermint paint!
Paint the party hat all over with the green scented paint.
While the paint is wet, sprinkle on lots of glitter (optional).
Decorate your tree hat with sequins, gems, buttons, pom poms and stickers.
Cut a star from gold foil paper.
Stick the gold star on the very top of your tree.
Let the hat dry before wearing it.
Wear your Christmas tree hat on Christmas morning!
Tips
- Yeah, we painted over already green party hats! It's fun to turn boring green hats into yummy, festive, sparkly, scented Christmas hats.from the author
- The kids have been enjoying the smell of peppermint (candy canes, wink wink!). Scented peppermint paint was all they needed to really get into the activity.from the author
- Dumping the glitter is the most important step. Skip it if you're uncomfortable with glitter, though: the kids may wear the hats and walk, run and dance around. You be the judge!from the author
- Letting kids loose with the craft stash makes this a wonderful fine motor exercise.from the author
- They're meant for Christmas morning, but bet they'll be worn plenty of times before that.from the author
- A reader thought this easy idea was very appropriate for 2-year-olds. Watch small parts closely at that age.from readers
Make it your own
- Skip the peppermint for a plain painted hat, or skip the glitter for a less messy hat.
What readers say
💬 1 comments
Read all 1 comments
dee duemlimg · Dec 2013
beautiful,easy idea! love this and so appropriate for 2yr.olds -? Thanks for the idea