Christmas Tree Bowling: A Christmas Activity for Kids

water bottles painted to look like christmas trees set up like bowling pins

Some Christmas traditions are loud and full of energy. Others are quiet and cozy. And then there are the ones that turn the living room, deck, or even the sidewalk into a mini bowling alley lined with green “Christmas trees” ready to topple over. Christmas Tree Bowling is a craft, a game, and a memory-maker all rolled into one.

With a few empty water bottles, some paint, and a ball, the ordinary transforms into something fun. Suddenly, a set of bowling pins looks like a forest of decorated evergreens, each one standing tall until CRASH! A strike sends them tumbling across the floor or bouncing across the pavement. Sure, there are cold snowball fights and peaceful walks, but this outdoor Christmas activity for kids is all about active fun.

DIY Christmas Tree Bowling Craft

Before the first ball rolls, the fun begins with a Christmas craft for kids. Every “pin” in this bowling alley starts as an empty water bottle, waiting to be transformed into a Christmas tree.

Step 1: Paint the bottles green. Acrylic paint works beautifully here, turning plastic into a row of cheerful trees.

empty water bottle paint brush and red yellow and green paint

Step 2: Paint the lids yellow. With just a little paint, each lid becomes the star shining at the top of the tree.

using a q tip with red paint to add red dots onto a green water bottle

Step 3: Add ornaments. A Q-tip dipped in red paint makes perfect tiny ornaments scattered across each bottle-tree.

And just like that, ten ordinary water bottles turn into a miniature evergreen wonderland. It’s a craft that’s simple enough for little helpers yet fun enough for older kids too.

Setting Up the Bowling Alley Indoors or Outdoors

Every bowling game needs pins and a lane. Luckily, this version doesn’t require polished wooden floors or neon lights. A living room, hallway, or playroom works perfectly for an indoor setup.

Want more space? Head outside. The driveway or sidewalk makes a great bowling lane too. The fresh air adds an extra layer of fun, and rolling a ball across the pavement gives the game an unpredictable twist.

Line up ten decorated bottles in the classic bowling triangle formation: four in the very back, then three, two, and one in each row moving forward. It’s an instant lane of Christmas tree bowling pins, standing proud and ready for action.

Any lightweight ball becomes the bowling ball: a playground ball, a foam ball, or even a balled-up pair of socks for a softer option indoors.

If kids are getting frustrated because the lightweight bottles keep falling over during setup, add just a bit of water to each of them. Only enough to add a little weight, so they still tip over when they’re supposed to.

An Outdoor Christmas Activity for Kids That Gets Everyone Moving

Christmas activities often involve sitting, such as decorating cookies, making crafts, or wrapping gifts. But this one gets everyone on their feet. Balls roll, bottles tumble, cheers echo through the house or across the driveway.

One round isn’t enough. The pins get reset, the ball is loosed yet again, and kids keep score, or don’t. Either way, the real fun is found in the laughter and the clatter of bottles falling everywhere.

Christmas Craft and Game in One

What makes this activity shine is its multiple opportunities for fun. It’s a Christmas craft for kids, complete with painting and decorating. Then, it transforms into a full-on game that can last all afternoon.

Unlike some Christmas crafts that get admired once and then set aside, this one gets used again and again. The bottles are both decorations and toys. Kids set up the game, play, and then start it all over.

Imaginative Variations for Christmas Tree Bowling

The best part about DIY Christmas activities is the freedom to add personal twists. Christmas Tree Bowling leaves plenty of room for imagination:

Glitter Snow Trees – Add a touch of white paint or glitter to the tops for a snowy effect.
Rainbow Lights – Instead of only red ornaments, use multiple colors for a string of lights look.
Bowling Challenges – Make the lane shorter or longer, or roll the ball backwards between the legs for extra laughs.
Family Teams – Divide into teams and see who can knock down the most pins in three rounds.

Each variation keeps the game fresh, turning it into an activity that feels new every time.

Why Christmas Tree Bowling Works

This DIY Christmas game isn’t complicated. That’s the charm. It uses materials already in the house, doesn’t require screens or fancy gadgets, and brings laughter in its simplest form. Empty water bottles become trees. Lids turn into stars. A ball becomes the highlight of the afternoon. It even keeps single-use plastics out of a landfill.

In a season filled with big events, lights, and endless to-dos, it’s often the simple activities that leave the biggest impression. Christmas tree bowling is the kind of game that turns a plain afternoon into a fun Christmas story retold long after the bottles have been recycled.

Christmas Activity for Kids that Builds Memories

The sound of pins falling across the floor, the sight of painted trees toppling over, and the triumphant cheers after a strike all add up to Christmas memories. It’s a reminder that DIY Christmas activities don’t need to be complicated to be magical. Sometimes, all it takes is a set of painted bottles, a ball, and a little imagination.

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