Christmas Craft: Folded Paper Ball Ornament

One of my favourite ornaments to hang on the Christmas tree each year is a folded construction paper ball that my son made in kindergarten. My son is 20 now, so the ornament is faded and tattered and bent out of shape, but it will always have a special place on our tree.

This year, as I was hanging it in just the perfect spot, it occurred to me that my daycare kids would love to make folded paper balls as a Christmas craft.

They’re easy to make, so it’s a great activity for all ages. They require just a few basic skills — tracing, cutting, folding and gluing.

If you want to make the project even more artful, you can make your own custom paper with card stock and acrylic paint. It’s a really fun and creative way to start the project and to ensure that every ornament is unique.

What You'll Need:

• 2 pieces of card stock or construction paper (in white if you're painting them or in different colours/patterns if not)
• acrylic craft paint
• paintbrush
• something circular to trace (a mason jar lid is a good size)
• scissors
• glue stick
• string for hanging

Looking for more Christmas crafts? Find out how to make sweet fabric scrap Santa ornaments here.

How It's Made:

Paint one side of each piece of paper with stripes, squiggles, dots etc. Allow to dry.

Trace your circular object on the paper and cut out the circles. (We got six circles from each piece of card stock.) Then fold your circles in half with the patterned side facing in.

Glue two circles together at their halves with patterned side out — you’ll be gluing the plain sides of the paper together (see photo below). Make sure edges are lined up and pinch firmly together.

Glue another circle on to one of the previous ones, making sure you alternate your patterned paper as you glue more pieces on. Continue until you have one circle left.

Add the last circle, but before gluing the ornament closed, glue a loop of string in the crease between the first and last circles. Then glue the first and last circles together to close the ornaments, and press firmly.

Hang your gorgeous Christmas folded paper ornaments on the Christmas tree or anywhere around your home that needs a festive pop of colour.