DIY Holiday Hat Ring Toss

With Winter Break starting next week, I’m already stockpiling ideas to keep the kids busy. I thought it would be fun to make a game we could all play, even James! This hat game was cheap and easy to make – you just need felt, pipe cleaners, and glue. You can make a red Santa hat, a green elf hat, a blue hat with snowflakes…the possibilities are endless.

A large piece of craft felt (mine was 36″ by 36″)
A sheet of stiffened felt (you can buy it for $.99/sheet at craft stores)
Pipe cleaners
Glue
Fabric measuring tape
Pen
Fabric scissors
Felt in accent colors

Start by measuring the circumference of the child or adult with the largest head. Divide that number by two, then add one (so for me, 22 inch head divided by two is 11, plus 1 is 12). I know, math. Next, fold your felt at a corner so you make a sort of triangle, lining up the edges. Find the place on your folded felt that’s as wide across as your number, then mark the edges.

Because you’re making a cone, you need a round bottom. I made mine by holding one end of my measuring tape at the top of the cone, and then I put my pen at one of the marks from the previous step and, while holding onto the measuring tape, swung the pen across the felt to the other side – a sort of DIY compass.

Cut out the cone.

With the stiffened felt, cut out a smaller cone.

Bring the edges of the triangle together so they form a cone.

Glue down the overlapping edges so the cone is secure.

Do the same with the smaller cone.

Put the smaller, stiffened felt cone inside of the larger felt cone. This makes the hat sturdier. Add some glue to secure the cones together.

If you’re going to decorate the outside of your hat, do it now! I made mine look like it belonged to Santa Claus by cutting out black strips of felt. Don’t forget to round the strips just like you rounded the bottom of the hat.

I then glued the strips all the way around the hat.

Next, I cut out a gold “buckle: and glued it onto the front of the hat, on top of the black felt.

Time to make the rings! I found that four pipe cleaners per ring gave them the perfect amount of weight to fling. Start by wrapping two pipe cleaners around each other.

Next, overlap about three inches of the double pipe cleaners and twist them together. Repeat on the other side, forming a circle.

Rings for tossing…although, right now I’m really regretting not making five golden rings.

All ready to catch your rings!

We are having a lot of fun with this hat. Annie is trying to catch Gramma’s rings here.

And then it was my turn to catch Annie’s tosses.

The hat also stands fine on its own.

She did it!

You can even get your baby brother in on the fun!

Any questions, let me know. Have fun!

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