Pinecone Santa

A simple effective Christmas decoration made from natural materials, great for inside or out.

Introduction

Go for an autumn walk and gather fallen pinecones. Dry them out if they are damp.
Alternatively, buy lovely ready-dried ones from the Muddy Faces shop.

* Muddy Faces actively promotes child-led outdoor play & learning. We recognise and believe in the curiosity that children have and their drive to explore and discover. We hope that you will bear this in mind when considering more prescribed activities like this one - often much more creative ideas will occur if resources are simply provided and children are given the time and space to explore independently.

What you'll need

pine cones
felt
string
scissors
paint/paint brush
alternatives:
- paper or a big leaf
- screws & a screwdriver

This activity has been provided by

Useful items from our shop

Item available from our shop

Environmental Considerations

Consider the environmental impact of preparing, carrying out & completing this activity. Could this impact be reduced? Specific considerations for this activity could include:

source of cones

Health & Safety Considerations

Follow your usual operating procedures and carry out appropriate risk benefit assessments.
Some considerations particular to this activity include:

tool use
collecting natural materials

Preparation

Go for an autumn walk and gather fallen pinecones. Dry them out if they are damp.
Alternatively, buy lovely ready-dried ones from the Muddy Faces shop.

Step #1

Attach a loop of string to the stalk.

As the stalk was missing on ours, we used a small screw to attach the string.

Step #2

Paint the tip to create a white beard.

Step #3

Cut a semicircle out of felt, paper or even use a big leaf.

Glue or stitch it into a cone shape, leaving a small hole in the top, for the string to come out of the hat.

Step #4

Thread the string through the hat & hang your Santa from a branch – inside or outside.

Take it Further:

we tried using screws for eyes but realised we had created a Robot Santa!
try using different-shaped pinecones – see how it makes the face look different.

Disclaimer: Muddy Faces cannot take any responsibility for accidents or damage that occurs as a result of following this activity.You are responsible for making sure the activity is conducted safely.