20 Charming Reindeer Crafts for Little Hands This Christmas

There’s a certain look little ones get around Christmas when someone mentions the reindeer. They want to know how many there are, and which one has the shiny red nose, and whether they really can fly.

So a reindeer craft is a sweet way to spend a cold afternoon together. And most of these use simple things you probably already have, like a paper plate, a few pipe cleaners, or a paper bag from the pantry.

Whether you’re a parent at your own kitchen table, a grandparent with the little ones over, a homeschool mama, or a teacher planning a Christmas lesson, these twenty ideas are easy to set up and easy to clean up.

20 charming reindeer crafts for kids

Here are twenty simple reindeer to make together, running loosely from the easiest little-hand projects to the ones older children will enjoy. So pick one for a quiet afternoon, or work through several as Christmas gets closer.

1. Reindeer footprint craft

Turn those tiny toes upside down and a whole reindeer appears, nose and all.

1. Paint the bottom of your child’s foot brown and press it onto paper with the toes pointing up.
2. Let it dry, so the row of little toes makes the top of the head and the long heel becomes the snout.
3. Add two brown paper antlers at the top, and glue an orange paper ear on each side.
4. Glue on two googly eyes in the middle.
5. Add a red pom-pom at the bottom of the snout for a Rudolph nose.

A footprint like this is worth dating and tucking away, since their little feet don’t stay that size for long.

2. Reindeer handprint craft

One little palm, five fingers for a shaggy chin, and you’ve got a keepsake you’ll hate to part with.

1. Paint your child’s palm and fingers brown and press the hand onto paper with the fingers pointing down.
2. Let it dry, so the palm becomes the face and the fingers make the shaggy chin.
3. Glue two brown paper antlers up at the top corners.
4. Add two googly eyes.
5. Glue a red pom-pom in the middle for the nose.

Handprints make some of the sweetest keepsakes, so if you’d like more, our handprint crafts for kids has plenty to reach for.

3. Reindeer candy canes craft

The hook of a candy cane was practically made to be a reindeer’s nose.

1. Lay a candy cane down with the hooked end facing sideways as the nose.
2. Twist a brown pipe cleaner around the top for antlers, or glue on paper ones.
3. Glue two googly eyes near the curve.
4. Add a small red pom-pom on the hooked tip for the nose.

These are quick enough to make a whole batch, and they hang right on the tree or tuck into a stocking.

4. Reindeer hat craft

This is the one that ends with a little reindeer prancing around your kitchen.

1. Cut a long strip of brown paper for a headband and fit it around the child’s head.
2. Cut a round tan face, two ears, and two antlers, and glue them to the front of the band.
3. Add two eyes, or draw happy closed ones, with little pink paper cheeks.
4. Glue a red pom-pom nose in the middle.
5. Staple the band to size.

Once it’s on, there’s usually a bit of prancing around the kitchen, which is half the fun.

5. Rudolph the red nosed reindeer craft

Every reindeer roundup needs a Rudolph, and this one’s nose lifts right off the page.

1. Cut a brown reindeer face and two antlers from paper, and glue them onto a background sheet.
2. Add two large paper eyes and a set of ears.
3. Cut a red circle, fold a little tab behind it, and glue just the tab down so the nose stands up off the paper.
4. Dust the nose with red glitter so it really shines.

The raised nose is the part little ones love best, since it looks like it’s glowing.

6. Reindeer fingerprint craft

A whole herd of reindeer, each one no bigger than a fingertip.

1. Press a brown thumbprint onto paper for each little face.
2. Let them dry, then draw two thin antlers coming off the top of each one with a marker.
3. Add two dot eyes to each.
4. Give each one a tiny red dot for the nose.

Fill a whole card front with a little herd, and you’ve got a Christmas card the grandparents will keep.

7. Reindeer paper bag craft

Slip your hand inside and this reindeer can nod and sing right along with you.

1. Keep the bag folded so the flat bottom is the reindeer’s face.
2. Glue a tan muzzle across the fold with a red pom-pom nose, so the mouth opens when you lift the flap.
3. Add two googly eyes, two tan ears, and two big paper antlers up top.
4. Glue a paper collar with a jingle bell across the front.

Slip a hand inside and the reindeer can nod along to every Christmas song you sing.

8. Reindeer paper plate craft

A plain paper plate is already the perfect round face, just waiting for a red nose.

1. Paint or color a paper plate brown and let it dry.
2. Glue two paper antlers at the top and a tan oval muzzle near the bottom.
3. Add two eyes above the muzzle.
4. Glue a red pom-pom on the muzzle for the nose.

Paper plates turn into just about any animal, so our paper plate crafts for kids is full of easy ideas for another day.

9. Popsicle stick reindeer craft

Three little sticks in a triangle, and you’ve got an ornament for the tree.

1. Glue three craft sticks into a triangle with the point facing down, and let it dry.
2. Paint the triangle brown.
3. Twist brown pipe cleaners along the top two sticks for antlers.
4. Glue on two googly eyes and a red button or pom-pom nose at the bottom point.
5. Add a ribbon loop at the back for hanging.

A few colorful pom-poms tucked along the antlers make it look decorated for the season.

10. Wooden spoon reindeer craft

Dig a wooden spoon out of the drawer and hand your little one a reindeer puppet.

1. Paint the bowl and handle of the spoon brown and let it dry.
2. Paint or glue two antlers at the top of the bowl.
3. Add two googly eyes and a pom-pom nose on the rounded part.
4. Wrap a small pipe cleaner around the handle for arms.

The long handle gives little hands something easy to hold and wave about.

11. R is for reindeer craft

Here’s a sneaky bit of letter practice hiding inside a Christmas craft.

1. Cut a big letter R from brown paper.
2. Trace and cut two handprints for the antlers, and glue them at the top.
3. Add a googly eye and a smile.
4. Glue a red pom-pom or a glittery red circle at the end of the R’s leg for the nose.

It’s a fun one to pair with letter practice, and our fun alphabet crafts has a make for every letter.

12. Clothespin reindeer craft

Small enough to make a bunch, and they pinch right onto the tree or a card.

1. Leave the clothespin its natural wood color, or color it brown.
2. Glue two small felt or paper antlers near the top.
3. Add two little bead or dot eyes.
4. Glue a small red pom-pom or felt circle at the tip for the nose.

Because they clip, they can pinch right onto a garland, a card, or a branch.

13. 3D reindeer craft

A few flat paper strips, a couple of folds, and suddenly your reindeer stands up on its own.

1. Cut brown paper into strips, and bend two into loops, one for the body and one for the head, taping each closed.
2. Join the head to the body.
3. Add four short folded strips underneath for legs so it stands.
4. Glue on paper antlers, two googly eyes, and a red nose.

Little ones always find it a bit magical when a flat strip of paper stands up on its own.

14. Santa and reindeer craft

Make these two as a pair, so there’s one for each hand and a little show to put on.

1. Cut one red triangle for Santa and one brown triangle for the reindeer, and glue each to a craft stick.
2. For Santa, add a paper beard, a hat, and a little pom-pom.
3. For the reindeer, add two paper antlers, two googly eyes, and a red pom-pom nose.
4. Hold one in each hand for a little Christmas show.

Making the two together gives siblings or classroom partners one to hold each.

15. Reindeer egg carton craft

Save one cup from the egg carton and you’ve got a chubby-cheeked little reindeer.

1. Cut one cup from an egg carton and paint it brown.
2. Let it dry, then poke or glue two paper antlers into the top.
3. Add two googly eyes.
4. Glue a red pom-pom on the front for the nose.

Those cartons are worth saving, and our easy egg carton crafts for kids puts a few more cups to good use.

16. Reindeer toilet paper craft

Give that empty cardboard tube one last job before the bin.

1. Wrap a cardboard tube in brown paper or paint it, and let it dry.
2. Twist two brown pipe cleaners into antlers and poke them into the top.
3. Glue on two googly eyes and a red pom-pom nose.
4. Wrap a pipe cleaner around the front for a little scarf.

Those tubes pile up this time of year, so our toilet paper roll crafts for kids has more ways to use them.

17. Flying reindeer craft

Give this one a tap and watch the reindeer really spring into the air.

1. Color and cut out a small paper reindeer.
2. Coil a pipe cleaner around a pencil to make a little spring, then tape the reindeer to the top.
3. Stand the spring up in a little mound of cotton snow.
4. Give it a tap and watch the reindeer bob.

A candy cane poked into the snow beside it finishes the little scene.

18. Reindeer sleigh craft

The big one: a whole team of reindeer pulling Santa’s sleigh across the table.

1. Paint a cardboard egg carton brown and let it dry, so the cups become the team of reindeer.
2. For each reindeer, cut a round face from brown paper and glue on two googly eyes, a little black nose, two pink cheeks, a smile, and two brown paper antlers.
3. Glue a reindeer face onto each cup, and give the one out front a red pom-pom nose for Rudolph.
4. Fold a small piece of red paper into a flat sleigh and set it on the back of the carton, then add a little Santa figure and a tiny gift sack on top.
5. Run two lengths of red-and-white striped string from the sleigh down each side of the team for the reins.

It takes a bit longer, so it’s a nice project to stretch across a rainy afternoon.

19. Reindeer pom pom craft

Wind, tie, and snip some yarn, and you’ve made the fluffiest reindeer of the bunch.

1. Wind yarn around your fingers many times, tie it tight through the middle, and snip the loops.
2. Trim it into a round, fluffy ball.
3. Glue two brown pipe cleaner antlers to the top and two googly eyes to the front.
4. Add a red pom-pom nose and a loop of string for hanging.

Winding the yarn is good, quiet work for little fingers, and the trimming is oddly satisfying.

20. Pinecone reindeer craft

Bring home a pinecone from your next walk and turn it into a little woodland reindeer.

1. Lay a pinecone on its side so the wide end is the face.
2. Bend two brown pipe cleaners into antlers and tuck them into the scales at the top.
3. Glue on two small felt ears and two googly eyes.
4. Add a red or orange pom-pom nose and a ribbon loop for hanging.

Pinecones make wonderful little ornaments, and our nature crafts for kids is a lovely place to look for more.

why kids love a good reindeer craft

There’s something about reindeer that lands just right with little ones at Christmas. They’re gentle and a little bit magic, tied up with the whole story of Santa and the night sky, and they’re friendly in a way that even the youngest child warms to.

A reindeer craft also gives you a natural moment to talk about the season while your hands are busy, about giving, and waiting, and the fun of Christmas Eve. Those little conversations tend to stick.

And reindeer fit right in with all the other cold-weather making, so if you’re gathering ideas for the whole season, our charming winter crafts for kids has plenty more to keep little hands busy.

simple supplies to keep on hand

The nice thing about reindeer crafts is how little they ask of you. A stack of brown paper, a bag of googly eyes, a few red pom-poms, and a bottle of brown paint will carry you through most of this list. Keep some paper plates and a few cardboard tubes on hand too, since so many of these start with one or the other.

From there, a handful of extras stretch things further. Brown pipe cleaners for antlers, a little ribbon or yarn, and a jingle bell or two show up again and again, so they’re worth keeping in a little bin by the table.

A few of these use bits you can gather or save, like a pinecone from a walk or an empty egg carton. But most of it is probably already sitting in your craft drawer.

tips for crafting with little ones

A little prep goes a long way. Cut the antlers and ears ahead of time for the youngest ones, and set the pieces out in little piles so small hands can just glue and go.

Then let them place things where they like. A reindeer with one antler higher than the other, or a nose glued off to the side, has a charm all its own. The point isn’t a perfect reindeer.

And keep a wet cloth close for painty fingers. A bit of mess is part of it, and that’s alright.

pick one reindeer craft to try this week

So pick the one that fits your supplies and the ages around your table. You don’t need to make all twenty. Just one good idea and a few googly eyes is plenty.

The craft is fun on its own, but the time you spend together, antlers glued on a little crooked and all, is the part that tends to stay with them.

If you and your little ones make a few of these reindeer, I’d love to see how they turned out. Leave a photo in the comments when you get a chance, or send one our way. And if it’s alright with you, yours might be featured right here on the site to cheer on other families crafting at home. So glad you’re here.

With love,
Betty

frequently asked questions

what age are reindeer crafts best for?

Most work beautifully for ages two through ten with a little adjusting. The footprint, handprint, and fingerprint reindeer are gentle enough for the very littlest, while the 3D reindeer, the sleigh, and the pom-pom reindeer give older children more to do.

what supplies do i really need?

Not much at all. Brown paper, paper plates, googly eyes, red pom-poms, glue, and a little brown paint will cover most of the list. Add some brown pipe cleaners for antlers and a few cardboard tubes, and you’ll be ready whenever the mood strikes.

how long do these take?

Most come together in about fifteen to twenty minutes, though the painted ones like the paper plate or the pinecone reindeer need some drying time. The sleigh takes longer, so save that one for an afternoon when you’re not in a hurry.

can we use real pinecones and other natural bits?

Yes, and the natural ones are lovely. A gathered pinecone is perfect for the pinecone reindeer, and a saved egg carton or cardboard tube works well for others. Just let any painted pieces dry fully before the little ones add the eyes and nose.

how do i keep the finished reindeer?

The handprint and footprint keepsakes are worth dating and tucking into a memory box. The ornaments, like the popsicle stick, pom-pom, and pinecone reindeer, come with a ribbon loop so they hang on the tree year after year.