We have the cutest list of handmade ornaments that are made with things found in nature! We are calling them natural Christmas ornaments. Natural ornament crafts are fun for kids of all ages to make and use as decorations on the Christmas tree or even outside. From pinecone ornaments to dried fruit, we have the best homemade ornament ideas from Mother Nature.

collage of DIY ornaments like the bird seed ornament, bark ornament, rudolph ornament, and dried orange ornament - Kids Activities Blog
Let’s make these handmade natural Christmas ornaments!

Natural Ornaments Kids Can Make for Christmas

Each year, we make some new handmade ornaments for our Christmas tree as a family. This year I did a little research to find the best natural ornaments and thought I would create a list of all the beautiful DIY nature ornaments I found.

Related: Best DIY Christmas ornaments & How to Keep Spiders Away with Natural Spider Repellant Spray

Whether your holiday decorating style is rustic or chic, you can find the perfect handmade ornament from nature to fit your Christmas style. The best part is you will probably have most of the materials you need right outside your front door! .

Nature Ornaments

Pssst…start with our nature scavenger hunt to find your perfect nature craft supplies.

Image shows several DIY birdseed ornaments with thread.
What a creative idea!

1. DIY Birdseed Ornaments

Who would have thought birdseed could create a beautiful ornament? This is a great craft for children to be part of and if you have silicone molds you can make ornaments of all different shapes and sizes. Plus, most of the materials you’ll probably already have!

Three pinecone reindeer ornaments with buttons, googly eyes and pompoms.
Let’s make cute reindeer ornaments.

2. Homemade Pinecone Reindeer

Pinecones have been a versatile piece of decoration for a long time. But now instead of sitting in potpourri or in a bowl you can turn it into an adorable reindeer ornament! All you need is pipe cleaners, googly eyes, scrap cloth, and a red pom pom!

Image shows glitte acorn ornaments hanging from a plant in a vase.
You can be both natural and glam!

3. Do-it-Yourself Glitter Acorn Ornaments

This is one of my favorite ornaments! These glitter acorn ornaments are simple, yet elegant. All you need is a little glue, acorns, twine, and of course glitter! I love the burnt orange color they used, but you could easily use your child’s favorite color or even focus on red and green. Get wild and mix colors too!

Image shows dried oranges ornaments hanging from a christmas tree.
Make your house smell delicious.

4. Easy Homemade Dried Orange Ornaments

Who would have thought oranges could be made into ornaments? Slice the oranges and cook on low heat until they’re dry. You would easily add mod podge and glitter afterwards to make them more festive. But these dried orange ornaments will also smell amazing!

Image shows three walnut crafts decorated like reindeers.
Such a simple and adorable idea.

5. Super Cute DIY Walnut Reindeer

This is one of the cutest natural ornaments. I don’t know about you, but walnuts are plentiful around my house during the holidays. You can turn them into reindeer ornaments by adding mini pom poms, felt, and ribbon. This is a great Christmas craft for little hands.

Image shows rustic twig arrow ornaments on a table.
Try this super original ornament craft!

6. Rustic DIY Twig Arrow Ornaments

I think these rustic twig arrow ornaments would be a great craft for preschoolers and kindergarteners. Add beads, feather, strings, and burlap to make these beautiful natural ornaments. You don’t want twigs too big though, smaller twigs work better.

homemade ornaments like these pine cone rudolph ornaments, acorn kiss ball ornament, whole orange ornament, and wood slice ornaments, as well as the woodland elf ornament made with felt, acorns, and mini pine cones.
Image shows at tree bark ornament hanging from a tree.
Get some old tree bark to make these ornaments.

7. Easy To Make Natural Ornaments

Use tree bark to decorate your Christmas tree! This is another perfect craft for smaller kids. Once you have your bark, you can use glue, Holly springs, glitter, sand, sea salt, and more! Make it your own!

Image shows a christmas angel ornament with natural materials.
Give this easy angel craft a try!

8. Homemade Nature Angel Ornaments

Some natural ornaments are far from simple looking. Don’t get me wrong, these natural angel ornaments are simple to make, but they look like something you would buy out of the store. Use juniper greens, feathers, and acorns to make these lovely homemade ornaments.

Image shows a christmas tree with natural ornaments and decorations.
We love how natural-looking this Christmas tree is.

9. Simple To Make Acorn Ornament

This is so cute! I love it! Use acorns to make this acorn ball ornament. You will paint a Styrofoam ball brown, then use a hot glue gun to push the acorn caps onto the ball. Then just add glitter and a bow. It is rustic and lovely!

Image shows a rustic flocked pinecone christmas ornament hanging from a tree.
What a lovely ornament.

10. DIY Rustic Flocked Pinecone Christmas Ornament

Here is another pinecone ornament, but this one is absolutely adorable. Mix white and silver glitter to look like snow, add a big ole ribbon, and add bells. It sounds simple, and it is super easy to make, but the outcome is fabulous!

Image shows a citrus dried ornament craft decoration.
Make this lovely decoration that also smells good.

11. Uniquely Easy DIY Whole Orange Ornaments

Using whole oranges to make ornaments may seem unorthodox, but they’re actually super cool as you carve the peels. However, these are more tricky to make, you have to let them airdry, but it must me on a wire rack and in a dry area of your home. If any mold develops you’ll have to start over and throw the icky ones out.

Image shows three rustic twine wood slice ornaments on a table.
A perfect craft for those who love working with wood.

12. Chic And Rustic Homemade Ornaments

Wood slices, nails, and twin actually come together to create an amazing rustic ornament. You use small nails to nail into the wood slices and create pictures with them before weaving twine or any other type of string (like yarn) around the nail heads.

Image shows a miniature DIY driftwood tree ornament hanging from a tree.
We love upcycling craft!

13. Recycled Driftwood Ornaments

Live near the water? Take advantage of what washes up on the beach like driftwood. You can use it to make a wooden Christmas tree ornament. Add string, and a bead on the tippy top and you’re set! Simple and sweet.

Image shows an elf craft made with wood
Isn’t this elf just so cute?

14. The Sweetest Woodland Elf Christmas Ornament Craft

How adorable is this Woodland Elf Christmas ornament? Your kids will love making their own little elf out of acorns and pinecones. Make a felt fire and don’t forget to dress your little elf warmly!

Image shows a twine ball ornament.
You’ll love this classy craft in your Christmas tree!

15. DIY Kissing Ball Ornament

This kissing ball ornament is made with a grapevine sphere. You then add seeded eucalyptus and berries. You can also add some mini pinecones to it. This is a super easy ornament to make and looks elegant.

image shows Christms rustic twig ornaments
You only need a few supplies to make this craft happen.

16. Natural And Rustic Twig Ornament

Your natural ornaments don’t get more natural than this! Plus, this is a super easy craft for little hands. Use twigs, glue, and twine to build these rustic twig ornaments! Make stars and snowflakes of all sizes! This will need a little prep work from mom and dad to cut the twigs to the correct sizes.

Image shows a pine cone kissing ball ornament.
Gorgeous craft.

17. Easy And Cute Mini Pine Cone Ornament Craft

Oh look, a second kissing ball ornament! This time though it is made by many mini pine cones. You will use a Styrofoam ball, hot glue, twine, and mini pine cones to create a darling little ornament. I will probably paint the Styrofoam ball brown and probably add some glitter to the pinecones when I make this.

Image shows two bird almond christmas ornaments.
This is one of our favorite crafts for Christmas season!

18. Homemade Almond Birds

I won’t lie, I’ve never seen an almond shell before now, but now that I have, I am excited to make this almond bird ornament. These little birds are absolutely adorable. They’re tiny, with little wire feet, and a big tall felt hat! This natural ornament will take a little longer to make, but is so worth it in the end.

Image shows a dried orange slices ornament with berries.
Your entire house will look and smell delicious!

19. Sweet Scented Dried Orange And Cranberry Garland Craft

Garland is a type of ornament as it is snaked around the Christmas tree. This garland is bright and cheery, and may I say, it smells divine! The sweet and citrus and cranberry smells will really bring a festive touch to your Christmas tree.

Image shows a pine cone owl craft.
Look how cute this owl craft is! I’m in love!

20. Cute Homemade Pine Cone Owl

Use pinecones AND acorn caps to make this super cute, wide eyed, owl! Add orange feet, a beak, and use leaves to make some little wings. Make sure your leaves still have a little color that way they’re able to bend a little more and won’t just crunch and break. Oh! Don’t forget the googly eyes. This is such a fun craft for toddlers, preschoolers, and even kindergarteners.

Image shows sliced fruits ornamets with thread across them and christmas decorations.
Another surprisingly easy ornament that smells good!

21. Little DIY Snowman Peanut Ornament Craft

Use shelled peanuts to great little snowman ornaments! Paint each one white and add a face! Charcoal eyes, charcoal mouth, and a carrot nose! Then paint each one a different colored had. You can use different colored yarn and strings as their scarves.

Image shows rustic acorn marble ornaments hanging from a tree.
Here’s a good use for those old marbles you have around the house.

22. DIY Acorn Ornaments

Have marbles laying around? Have acorns outside? Remove the acorns and glue marbles into the acorn cap to make these DIY ornaments. Stringing these ornaments may take a little work, but the result is colorful, beautiful, and a great way to make natural ornaments out of nature and recycled toys. Nothing goes to waste!

Image shows pinecone ornaments decorated like penguins or santa.
Let’s make adorable penguin crafts!

23. Simple Pine Cone Penguins Craft

Use pinecones to make these penguin ornaments! They’re easy to make and so stinkin’ cute! I love their little flat feet and their round little bodies. Add their beaks, wooden bead heads, and lanky flippers!

Image shows two twiggy christmas tree crafts.
Here’s a craft children can do on their own.

24. Twiggy Christmas Tree Ornament Activity

Decorate your Christmas tree with mini Christmas trees! These twig trees are easy to make and you can leave them rustic and natural looking or you can paint them! Make the rainbow, festive, or add polka dots. The options are endless!

Image shows two wood slice snowman ornaments.
Here’s another wood slice craft for you.

25. Wood Slice Homemade Snowman Ornaments

Yay! More snowman ornaments! These ones are so cute! Paint their wooden bodies white and you can easily make most of their faces with your fingers. Once you’re done with the painting don’t forget to dress them up! Make them some felt scarves and add pipe cleaner and pom pom earmuffs.

Image shows a pinecone angel hanging from a tree.
Make a pinecone angel!

26. DIY Pine Cone Angel Ornaments

These are so lovely and are the cutest rustic ornaments. You need a few supplies, but these angels are easy to make and quick to make. Nearly everything that makes this natural ornament comes from nature minus its: string, halo, and pretty face!

Image shows a reindeer craft made with leafs.
Make a reindeer with some fallen leaves!

27. Easy Nature Reindeer Craft

These reindeer ornaments will be easy for little hands to make. You just need glue, leaves, twigs, paper, and a couple other small items. This would make a great advent activity to do together as a family as you countdown how many days till Christmas.

Image shows a salt ornament hanging from a branch.
Salt ornaments are an all-time classic.

28. Botanical Salt Dough Ornament Activity

Speaking of divine smells bring even more festive smells into your home with these salt dough ornaments. Salt dough ornaments may not seem like natural ornaments, but once you flowers and herbs these ornaments become full of natural and wonderful scents. Plus, they look amazing too!

Image shows a pinecone and cranberry garand hanging from a wall.
Natural garlands are so easy to make.

29. Pinecone And Cranberry Garland Craft

Looking for garland ideas for your tree? You’ll love this bleached pinecone and cranberry garland. If you make this with your family, the adults need to be the ones to bleach the pine cones and then when dried it will be safe for the little ones to touch them and add them, along with the cranberries, to the string.

Image shows a plant ornament in clear glass ornament.
You’re going to love how easy it is to set this ornament up!

30. Easy Homemade Terrarium Ornaments

These ornaments don’t get more natural than this! Take clear ornaments, clear plastic ones if you’re making these as a family, and add all sorts of nature to them. Add soil, succulents, cacti, and other sturdy plants to the clear ornaments using tweezers. These terrarium ornaments are the coolest.

MORE HOMEMADE ORNAMENTS FROM KIDS ACTIVITIES BLOG

Related: The best Christmas crafts for kids! <–Over 250 to choose from.

Which DIY natural ornament is your favorite? Let us know in the comments, we’d love to hear from you!



You Might Also Like