Christmas family craft: painted pinecone decorations
On this page:
What you’ll need
- Pinecones
- Paints
- Glitter
- Paintbrushes
- Scissors
- String
Did you know?
Pinecones can predict the weather! They open when it’s dry and sunny, and they close when it’s humid. Next time you’re out and about, look at a pinecone and you might be able to forecast if it’s going to rain!
How to make your pinecone decorations
Step 1
Wrap up warm and head on a woodland walk to find pinecones. Small pinecones with small twig stems work best for this activity. If they’re damp, you’ll need to let them dry completely before you start crafting with them.
Step 2
Once they’re dry, you can start painting them. We used festive reds and greens, but you can use any colours you like!
Step 3
Once you’ve painted all your pinecones, set them aside to dry.
Step 4
When your pinecones have dried, you can decorate them with glitter. Paint the tips with glitter and they’ll sparkle when they catch the light. Once all the pinecones have been given their glitter glow-up, set them aside to dry.
Step 5
Cut small lengths of string and tie them in a knot around the small twig stem of each pinecone.
Step 6
Use the string to tie them to the branches of your Christmas tree.
Top tip!
When the time comes to take your tree down, pack your pinecones away safely, so you can use them again next year.
Share your pics!
Ask an adult to help you share your creations on Instagram, tagging @nationaltrustforscotland
O Christmas tree
Did you know there are lots of different types of Christmas trees?
Things to do in winter
Enjoy a frosty morning walk as you keep a lookout for Scotland’s winter wildlife, or warm up with a hot drink at one of our fantastic festive events.
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