Cardboard Tube Christmas Tree Craft with Gold Paper Ornaments

Measure 2.5-centimeter sections along the tubes and mark them with a pencil. An adult should cut exactly ten rings. Gently flatten each section only as much as needed to cut it, then reshape it into a circle. Trim loose edges so each ring can sit evenly against the backing.

Cut or prepare the 18 × 24-centimeter cardboard panel. Glue cream cardstock over its front and smooth it carefully. Let this covering settle flat while you work with the rings. Keep the ten unpainted rings separate; do not assemble the tree yet.

For younger children, preparing the rings and panel beforehand keeps their part of the activity focused on painting and arranging.

Place the ten rings on protective scrap paper. Paint the outside and inside of each ring forest green. Use thin coats, holding each piece gently so it stays round. Lightly color the front rim, but avoid saturating the cardboard.

Let the rings dry fully according to the paint instructions. Turn them if necessary so a damp edge does not stick to the protective sheet. Thin coats usually dry more evenly than one heavy coat; add a second coat only if needed.

Keep the rings separate in two rows of five while they dry. At this stage there should be no star, ornaments, trunk, or assembled tree. This makes the construction order clear and prevents wet paint from weakening the glue connection later.

Dry-fit the rings on the cream backing before using glue. Arrange four rings across the bottom, three above them, two in the next row, and one at the top. Center each shorter row over the gaps in the row below. Leave room above for the star and below for the trunk.

Cut the brown paper rectangle and glue it beneath the center of the bottom row. Apply a thin bead of tacky glue around the rear rim of each ring, then press that rim onto the backing. Start with the bottom row and work upward.

The backing supports every ring individually. You do not need to balance the rings on one another or rely on narrow side-to-side glue joints. Keep the panel lying flat while the glue sets. If a ring lifts, check whether its rear edge is uneven and add a little glue where contact is missing.

Cut one simple five-point star from gold paper. Glue it to the backing above the top ring, keeping it within the panel edges. Cut or punch six small gold circles and place them on selected front rims.

Use a small dab of tacky glue for each circle. Position the circles so they bridge a rim rather than falling into the open center. Vary their placement across the tree for a relaxed handmade arrangement.

Leave the finished panel flat until all glue has dried completely. Drying may take several hours or overnight, depending on the product and how much glue was used. Follow the glue label before moving or displaying the craft.