The kids are getting so excited about Christmas. Because my family is Dutch, we celebrate Dutch Christmas every year on the 5th. Tomorrow Dutch Santa comes and fills the children’s shoes with goodies. We got our little tree up just in time. Also, yes, almost all our ornaments are felt toys. Less stress with the littles.
For the last few years we have decorated our christmas tree with all felted and plastic ornaments to avoid the “Toddler + Christmas Tree Crisis”. Now, when our kids pull the ornaments off, its ok! We can let them play with them or ask them to put it back. We don’t have to worry the kids dropping them, getting cut or choking on the metal tops. Luckily for us, my daughter has always steered clear of  the lights. When she was little, she usually would point and say “HOT” about anything that glows (even though the lights that we have are cool-to-touch LED Christmas lights).
My in-laws are to thank for a lot of the ornaments that I have. My sister-in-law worked a non-profit for 5 years. One year, she brought the felted garland home for us. My mother-in-law got the felt balls at Target. The rest, I have started collecting. I love all the bright colors.
3 Toddler Friendly Christmas Tree Ideas.
- Felted garland. (see @hellomaypole on instagram)
- Try using stuffed animals. Target usually has a great felt selection.
-  Edible ornaments. (Popcorn, gingerbread, candy canes) Try this  “Cookie Guy” recipe.
Here are some more options.
Here are some links for ideas to make your own DIY felt ornaments:
- Better Homes and Gardens
- 50 Felted Ornaments
- Make Felted Ball Garland Video Tutorial
How have you dealt with toddlers + Christmas trees? Please share in the comments.
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I love the idea of felt ornaments — great tip! I linked to your piece, and covered some related tips, in a post today on how to mix toddlers and Christmas trees —
http://hintmama.com/2013/12/04/todays-hint-how-to-mix-toddlers-and-christmas-trees/
Hello, I came across your blog on pinterest. You were talking about your daughter pointing at the the lights and saying “hot” which is wonderful! LED lights actually do not get hot and they last much much longer than standard lights. I just thought I would share that for the parents who may have an issue with their little ones touching the lights.