Key takeaways
- Animals, dinosaurs, unicorns and vehicles
- Favorite characters from movies and shows
- Sports and hobbies: balls, instruments, ballet, art supplies
- Food-shaped ornaments such as donuts, cookies and candy
- Ornaments that light up or play sounds
Kids love decorating the tree, and the right ornaments let them do it safely and proudly. Ornaments for children need to survive being dropped, avoid small parts and sharp edges, and appeal to what the child likes this year. Many families also give children their own ornaments so each child builds a collection over time. Here is how to choose ornaments by age, material and theme.
Safety first by age
| Age | Good choices | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Under 3 | Soft fabric and felt ornaments, large plush figures | Glass, small parts, metal hooks within reach |
| 3 to 6 | Shatterproof plastic, wood, felt, DIY craft ornaments | Glass and sharp wire |
| 7 to 12 | Character, sports and hobby ornaments, personalized pieces | Fragile heirlooms on low branches |
| Teens | Hobby, music, travel and personalized ornaments | Babyish themes |
For small children, swap metal hooks for ribbon loops, which are safer and easier for small hands. Keep glass ornaments on high branches and put the kids’ ornaments on the lower third of the tree where they can reach them.
Kid-friendly materials
Shatterproof plastic balls look like glass and bounce instead of breaking, ideal for little decorators. Wood ornaments are sturdy and often come unpainted for kids to decorate. Felt and fabric are soft, light and perfect for toddlers and for a dedicated kids’ tree. Browse shatterproof ornaments for kids in bright colors and themes.
Themes kids enjoy
- Animals, dinosaurs, unicorns and vehicles
- Favorite characters from movies and shows
- Sports and hobbies: balls, instruments, ballet, art supplies
- Food-shaped ornaments such as donuts, cookies and candy
- Ornaments that light up or play sounds
Boys and girls do not need separate ornament aisles; let the child pick what they love this year.
A kids’ own tree
A small tree in a child’s bedroom or playroom, decorated entirely with their own ornaments, gives them ownership and keeps the main tree safer. A 3- to 4-foot tree with shatterproof and felt ornaments, plus battery lights on a timer, works well. Mini ornaments around one to two inches suit small trees better than full-size ones. See mini ornaments for small trees.
The yearly ornament tradition
Giving each child one special ornament every year, ideally with their name and the year, builds a collection they can take when they leave home. Pick something tied to that year: a new hobby, a trip, a first pet or a school milestone. Store each child’s ornaments in their own labeled box so they never get mixed up.
DIY ornaments
Craft kits with blank wooden shapes, clear fillable balls or salt dough make an easy holiday activity, and kids are proud to hang what they made. Keep paint and glitter projects for older kids and use washable markers or stickers for younger ones.
Storing kids’ ornaments
Give each child a small labeled box or a section of an ornament organizer. Wrap handmade and personalized ornaments in tissue, and write the year on the back of homemade pieces with a permanent marker, because it becomes surprisingly hard to remember later. Letting kids pack their own box after Christmas teaches care for the collection and makes unpacking next year part of the fun.
Which ornaments suit your kids
Toddlers: soft felt ornaments on ribbon loops. Preschoolers: a shatterproof set in bright colors plus a craft kit. School age: character, sports or hobby ornaments and a yearly personalized piece. Teens: hobby or travel ornaments for their own collection.
FAQ
What ornaments are safe for toddlers?
Soft fabric or felt ornaments without small parts, hung with ribbon instead of metal hooks.
Are shatterproof ornaments really unbreakable?
They are designed to survive drops onto most floors, though they can still crack if stepped on.
How can kids decorate without breaking ornaments?
Give them shatterproof and wooden ornaments for the lower branches and keep glass up high.
What is a good yearly ornament for a child?
A personalized ornament with their name and year that reflects a hobby or milestone.
