Easy paint swirl ornaments are a kid friendly Christmas craft and DIY Christmas ornament idea
paint swirl ornaments
Paint swirl ornaments are an easy Christmas craft for kids AND adults.
So my daughter spotted a box of plain, glass ornaments in our ornament bin. I tried to hide them, because our tree is already so overloaded, but she can’t be fooled. She wanted to decorate them.
I wanted to decorate them in as easy a way as possible. (It was that kind of day.)
I remember my sister-in-law made paint swirl ornaments years ago, long before the kids were even thoughts in our heads. I remember these ornaments so many years later, because mine is hanging from my tree as I type.
Turns out, swirling paint in ornaments is perfect for kids, except for the part where her paints were too thick so we had to use my craft acrylics.
The acrylics worked well, but they aren’t as washable as poster paint, so just be careful with the drips and drops on the finery.
more Christmas crafts
- Christmas ornaments kids can make
- 21 peppermint candy crafts
- DIY Christmas plates
- crystal-coated pipe cleaner ornaments
how to make paint swirl ornaments:
supplies you will need:*
paint (acrylic craft paint)
glass or clear plastic ornaments
yarn, ribbon or ornament hooks
*Find the ornaments and paint at the craft store. For the paint, I used acrylics from the craft store, as the consistency was just right.
What to do:
Take the top off of the ornament. Squirt a couple colors of paint inside and swirl away.
I only added about a teaspoon each at first, and then added more paint as needed.
Overturn the ornaments to remove excess paint. Resting on an empty egg carton works well for this.
Let the ornaments dry.
Replace the top and add yarn, ribbon or a hook to hang.
paint swirl ornaments
Fun Christmas craft for kids: Paint swirl ornaments
Materials
- paint (acrylic craft paint)
- glass or clear plastic ornaments
- yarn, ribbon or ornament hooks
Instructions
Take the top off of the ornament. Squirt a couple colors of paint inside and swirl away.
I only added about a teaspoon each at first, and then added more paint as needed.
Overturn the ornaments to remove excess paint. Resting on an empty egg carton works well for this.
Let the ornaments dry.
Replace the top and add yarn, ribbon or a hook to hang.
Notes
Find the ornaments and paint at the craft store. For the paint, I used acrylics from the craft store, as the consistency was just right.
ca king says
WHAT KIND OF PAINT DO YOU USE THAT YOU CAN SQUIRT?
meaghanmountford says
Hi ca king, we just used craft store acrylics. Michaels, Jo-Anns, hobby lobby and AC Moore should have them. They have tops that squirt.
Danielle says
Did you have to “prep” your ornaments first? wash, rise…?
meaghanmountford says
Hi Danielle, I did not, and mine have been going strong for a few years, but it certainly wouldn’t hurt to swish some alcohol inside and let it dry. The one thing I wish I had done, and didn’t, was, after painting, overturning the ornaments (on a paper cup or egg carton) to let excess paint drip out. Ours have some little pools of paint in the bottoms that you can see if the light hits it right.
lISA bROWN says
CaN YOU USE PL;ASTIC ORNAMENTS?
meaghanmountford says
Hi Lisa, Absolutely! The clear plastic ones would work great.
Jamie says
I made them but when I let it hang out while it dried all the paint came off the ball n when I turned it upright it all went to the bottom.. what am I doing wrong.. please help..
meaghanmountford says
Hmm, was the paint crumbly? Were you using craft acrylics? And were the paints past expiration? I’m not sure what could have caused it other than the paint itself.
Bailey says
Thinking about doing these with my preschoolers. Do you think washable Crayola paint would work for these? or does it need to be acrylic? Was wondering if the washable would stick to the ball, and it’s a much cleaner option 😉
meaghanmountford says
I think it should work! Definitely worth a try, and I think if there’s enough in there it will still stick to the ball.
Kasi says
My acrylic paint is think could I add some paint thinner to make it easier to swirl around in the ball?
meaghanmountford says
I think that should work!
Julie says
These are adorable. Want to try them with my granddaughter. How many different colors did you add to each ornament? It appears to be 2, just curious….she will want to add 6 or more! Thanks!
meaghanmountford says
Hi Julie! I have two girls. I know how that over-enthusiasm works! I did add 2, a couple have 3. Too many and the colors muddle and end up brown. But if you have a couple spare ones, it’s worth them experimenting with those!
Sue says
I have made these several times, it is addictive, you just want to keep making them, trying different colors!
meaghanmountford says
I agree! There are so many possibilities, and it’s easy and calming.
Annika says
I am thinking about doing this as an activity. How long does it take to dry?
meaghanmountford says
Hi Annika, Acrylic paints dry relatively quickly. I would let them sit for an hour or two just to be sure!