How to Make the Best Do-It-Yourself Shrinky Dink Ornaments for the Classroom or Home
After years of making adorable thumbprint ornaments with my students, I eventually found myself wanting something different, especially as other grade levels began making similar crafts. I wanted a keepsake that felt unique to our classroom and truly captured who my students were at that moment in time. That’s when one of my favorite December traditions was born: Do-It-Yourself Shrinky Dink Ornaments!
These Do-It-Yourself Shrinky Dink Ornaments quickly became my absolute favorite holiday craft for a few reasons. Not only are they low-cost to make, but they also showcase not only a child’s handwriting, but also their drawing and coloring skills frozen in time in the cutest miniature form. Students are always amazed to see how tiny their artwork becomes after shrinking, and I love hearing siblings tell me they still have the ornament they made in my class years before. Nothing makes my teacher-heart happier than hearing the excitement when their younger sibling gets to make “their own” ornament, too!
If you have students who don’t celebrate Christmas, you can easily adapt this activity. Choose a winter-themed directed drawing such as a snowman, penguin, or mug of hot cocoa and swap the ribbon for a keychain ring instead. It still makes a wonderful, inclusive keepsake.
How to Make Do-It-Yourself Shrinky Dink Ornaments in the Classroom
Materials Needed
- Shrink Paper
- Colored pencils
- Sharpie markers (black + assorted colors)
- Hole punch
- Ribbon or key rings
Step-by-Step Directions
- Cut the Shrink Paper in half (hamburger style).
2. Draw the illustration.
I prefer making these Do-It-Yourself Shrinky Dink Ornaments in small groups so I can keep a close eye on the details and help students as needed. On the shiny side, have students create their drawing using a black Sharpie. I love using directed drawings for this step, but you can absolutely let students create their own artwork.
3. Add name and year.
Students should choose a colored Sharpie to neatly write their name and the year at the bottom of their design. Let it dry for a minute or two before flipping the paper over for the next step.
4. Flip it over and color.
On the dull side, students will use colored pencils to color in their illustration. This creates a smooth, vibrant finish once it shrinks.
5. Punch the holes.
Add 3–4 overlapping hole punches at the top. Trust me, the hole gets much smaller once shrunk!
6. Bake the ornaments.
Preheat your oven to 325°F. Place two ornaments on a cookie sheet (one on each side), shiny side up.
Watch closely. They usually take 2-3 minutes to shrink! Once they flatten back out and stop moving, they’re ready to come out.
7. Cool and fix any warped pieces.
Place the ornaments on a flat surface to cool. If an ornament curls or folds, simply reheat it or warm it with a hair dryer, then gently flatten it with a heavy book or object.
8. Add ribbon and package the gift.
Once the ornaments have cooled, tie a festive ribbon through the hole.
If you have students who do not celebrate Christmas, you could add a keychain ring to the top instead of ribbon.
I also have students create a gift bag using a brown paper lunch bag. They decorate the outside with crayons and winter illustrations, then wrap their Do-It-Yourself Shrinky Dink Ornament inside with tissue paper. Parents love this!
If you’d like to create these ornaments with your students, you can get the Shrink Paper here. I hope you and your students enjoy creating these Do-It-Yourself Shrinky Dink Ornaments as much as my classes always have. They’re simple, low-cost, and guaranteed to be cherished for years to come!
For other classroom holiday ideas, click here!
