Handmade for Kids: How to Make a Paper Tube Napkin Ring

by Bev Feldman of Linkouture

Hosting a family-friendly dinner party or holiday meal? Involve your children in the decorating process and add a little pizzaz to the table with these easy-to-make and super inexpensive paper tube napkin rings. You can make them holiday-themed or generic for any day of the year. 

For this craft you will need the following:

• Tissue paper or colorful magazine pages
• Paper tubes (hold on to them when you finish a roll of paper towels or toilet paper)
• Mod Podge
• A pair of scissors
• A sponge or foam paint brush*

*Don't have either a paint brush or spare sponge? Fingers work as well!

1. Cut the paper tubes into smaller pieces, about 1-2 inches in width. Children might need help with this step, or you can draw lines on the tube to guide them in their cutting.

2. Cut the tissue paper or magazine pages into little square. Alternatively, younger children can tear them into pieces.

3. Using a sponge or a foam paintbrush, start to paint the Mod Podge onto the tube, doing a small section at a time. (You might want to pour a small amount of Mod Podge into a paper or plastic cup or plate for your child.)

4. Start gluing the paper pieces onto to the paper tube. If the pieces are overlapping, more Mod Podge will need to be added so that the tissue paper is glued securely to the tube. Don't worry if the tissue paper bleeds. What matters most is that your child is having fun in the process!

5. Make sure that the interior of the tube is also covered.

6. Let the tubes completely dry, about 20 minutes. Paint another coat of Mod Podge over the surface and interior of the tubes. Make enough for each place setting, and use at your next dinner party or family dinner!