Ahhh the noble Christmas tree. So tall, so majestic and so, well, messy. But we’ll skip over that bit. The tradition of a pine tree used as decoration in winter time has apparently been around for thousands of years. All the way back to when Pagans decorated pine trees for the winter solstice. The origins of pines being used as Christmas trees is probably rooted in northern Europe. Whatever their history, they are now firmly rooted in our December traditions and there’s lots of Christmas Activities that they can be incorporated into in the classroom.
Pine cones, transformed into mini Christmas trees with a little paint, glitter and pom-pom!
If possible, collect pine cones with the children. (If this is not possible, they are available to buy.) This is great opportunity to cover the history and tradition of pine trees in more detail. There’s loads of information out there on the internet. The History Channel website is a particularly interesting read, and reliable.
You might also learn and sing the traditional German carol ‘O Christmas Tree’.
Materials
Clay or wooden disks
Step 1
Use the clay to make a base or trunk for your tree. Alternatively, stack some wooden disks for a more natural effect.
Step 2
Paint the tips of the cone scales and whilst still wet, sprinkle some ‘Ice and Snow’ or glitter for a sparkly snowy look. Use the pom-poms to decorate. Ta-da! Christmas activity complete.
Beautiful pine cone Christmas tree decoration
This ‘How To’ was created by our Marketing Executive Mayra Espinoza and written by Beverley Smalley. Beverley is a mum, an education specialist, writer and former primary school teacher.
