Paper palm trees are perfect for decorating a tropical-themed party or classroom event. They're fun to make, and they're a good project for kids to help with too. You could even make them with a Sunday school class for Palm Sunday. And it's amazing how realistic these palm trees look. You may be tempted to spread out a beach towel and lay under them.
Things You'll Need
Cardboard tubes
Brown paper
Green construction paper
Rubber bands
Stapler
Scissors
Duct tape
Container with pebbles or sand
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1. Connect the cardboard tubes
Put enough cardboard tubes together end to end to make the trunk of the palm tree. Tape the ends of the cardboard tubes together with duct tape.
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Tip
The extra-long cardboard tubes that come with wrapping paper work best, but you can also tape together shorter tubes, such as paper towel tubes or even toilet paper tubes.
2. Prepare the brown paper
Tear pieces of brown paper wide enough to wrap around the tubes with the edges overlapping slightly. Then, squeeze the pieces of brown paper to wrinkle them. The wrinkled brown paper will give it a more realistic look.
Tip
You may want to cut apart paper grocery bags to help make your paper palm tree a “green” project by reusing materials.
3. Cover the tubes with paper
Wrap pieces of brown paper around the tubes, holding them in place with rubber bands and overlapping them slightly so that the cardboard tubes are completely covered. The rubber bands also do double duty as the rings on the tree trunk. Peel back the brown paper at random points to get the look of peeling bark.
4. Cut the leaves
Cut about eight large leaf shapes from green construction paper. Fold the leaves in half lengthwise. Crease the leaves and then unfold them.
Tip
To make this project even more eco-friendly, paint newspapers with green tempera paint and cut leaf shapes out of them.
5. Cut slits in the leaves
Cut deep slits in the sides of the leaves to make them look like palm fronds. Do not cut all the way through the leaves.
6. Staple the leaves together
Take four of the eight leaves and face them in different directions. Then, staple the leaves together at the base. Repeat with the other four leaves.
7. Secure the leaves to the top of the trunk
Place the two stapled leaf sections in the top of the trunk and secure them by squeezing a balled-up piece of brown paper between them so they don't fall out. Unfold and spread the leaves so they fall in different directions around the trunk.
8. Anchor the trunk
To make the paper palm tree stand up, fill a bucket or large plant container with sand or pebbles. Insert the bottom of the cardboard trunk into the container.
Tip
Try placing two or three palm trees of different heights in the same container.
And there you have it! A cheerful DIY paper palm tree—or maybe a grove of palm trees—that you can enjoy right in the comfort of your own home this summer.