Milk Jug Sun Catchers for Christmas
Kids can make these easy milk jug sun catchers to hang on the Christmas tree or to string into a garland. All you need is a plastic milk jug and some Sharpie markers! Great Christmas craft for toddlers and preschoolers but older kids will love it too!
Looking for an easy, last minute Christmas craft to do with your kids? Our milk jug sun-catchers are simple, inexpensive ornaments for toddlers and preschoolers to make, but older kids will have fun decorating a bunch for your Christmas tree as well.
I should specify that here in Canada, our milk doesn’t come in plastic jugs, so we use plastic vinegar containers for this kind of craft. The thickness of the plastic is similar so the results are pretty much the same.
We’ve done a lot of crafts using plastic jugs and Sharpies because the effect of the markers on the plastic is lovely.
Supplies for milk jug sun-catchers:
- milk jug (or similar container)
- Colourful permanent markers (we used Sharpies)
* Any translucent container will work.
How to remove a stubborn sticker:
If your jug has a stubborn sticker on it, here’s trick to help remove a label from a plastic container:
Fill the jug with hot water, and let it sit for a couple of minutes. The heat from the water on the inside of the jug should be enough to soften the glue on outside, and you should be able to pull the sticker off easily. I normally use my blowdryer to heat stubborn stickers, but when you’re dealing with thin plastic, the hairdryer can warp and melt the container, so hot water is a better option.
Making your sun-catcher ornaments:
Choose simple shapes for your sun-catcher ornaments: stars, hearts, circles, etc. Draw your shape on the flattest side of your container. If you don’t have a stencil, you can cut the shape that you want out of a piece of cardboard (think: cereal box), and trace that. I used a Sharpie to draw my stars on the container.
Cut out your shape. A craft knife is handy for this, but I just used scissors, and they went through the plastic easily.
Now have your children colour the shapes with permanent markers. Sharpies are great for colouring on plastic.
Depending on the age of your little one, they may be very simple looking or quite ornate, but either way, they look pretty when they catch the light.
Aren’t these ornaments pretty?
Punch a hole in the top, and hang your sun-catchers in a window or on your christmas tree. 🙂
You’ll also like:
Milk Jug Fall Leaf Sun Catchers
Tie-Dyed Christmas Ornaments with Sharpies and Rubbing Alcohol
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Jackie is a mom, wife, home daycare provider, and the creative spirit behind Happy Hooligans. She specializes in kids’ crafts and activities, easy recipes, and parenting. She began blogging in 2011, and today, Happy Hooligans inspires more than 2 million parents, caregivers and Early Years Professionals all over the globe.
