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Christmas Tree in a Bottle: Christmas Activity for Preschoolers

Christmas Tree in a Bottle! Let your toddler or preschooler explore the tree safely with this fun activity. Great for counting and color practice. Makes a toddler friendly Christmas decoration too!

My boys love Christmas trees. Their Halloween costumes were still warm when they first asked me to put up our tree. Since I started decorating early this year I agreed to put up a small tree in their playroom. When one of the boys asked if he could take the tree up to bed with him I knew I needed another idea... and our Christmas Tree in a Bottle was born.

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I love making discovery bottles. This year we've made a Polar Express Bottle, a Pumpkin Patch in a Bottle, and a Glow in the Dark Ocean Bottle. The boys love them and they are awesome for quiet time. So why not put a Christmas tree in a bottle? Sounds crazy but don't worry, it is super easy and cheap too!

Christmas Tree in a Bottle


To make your own Christmas Tree in a Bottle, you'll need:
  • Water Bottle (I use VOSS bottles because of their smooth shape and wide opening).
  • Christmas Tree Branches (I snipped mine from an artificial garland we weren't using so it would last. You could also use some real branches but they will brown and lose their needles eventually).
  • Miniature Ornaments (mine came from the $1 spot at Target. If you can't get to Target these look very similar.)
  • String

Putting together your Christmas Tree in a bottle is super easy. Snip your branches to approximately 4 inches in length. Tie one ornament to each branch, about 1 inch from the top.


Then drop each branch carefully into the bottle, with the ornament at the top. This will help them lay properly so that it looks more like a tree with the ornaments on the outside. Keep going until your bottle is full - we used 10 total for a large VOSS bottle.


One of my guys really wanted to help! The string is a little too small for him to tie but this would be a great activity for older kids.


Once the bottle is full, your tree is done! Screw the cap on tightly - if you think your kids may try to open it you can use a little glue to seal it shut.


My sons love their new Christmas Tree in a Bottle! We had fun counting all of the ornaments inside and checking out how many there were of each color. They also just love carrying it around and letting it decorate the room they are in. I love that they can hold it, examine it, and take it with them where ever they go without worrying about it breaking or toppling over like a big tree.


Want to see how I toddler proofed our Christmas tree last year? Check it out here!

And don't miss these awesome holiday discovery bottles from my blogger friends too!


Preschool Inspirations | Jingle Bells Discovery Bottle
Sugar Aunts | Calm the Holiday Overwhelm with a Christmas Discovery Bottle

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