Get ready to bring some Christmas cheer to your crafting table with this adorable Rocking Santa paper craft! Santa’s jolly face, iconic red suit, and fluffy white beard come to life in this super simple and fun activity for kids.
Whether you’re decorating your home, classroom, or just looking for a joyful holiday project, this rocking Santa will be a hit. The best part is, it includes a free printable template to make crafting even easier!
What You’ll Need for your Paper Craft Rocking Santa
To get started on your Rocking Santa paper craft, you’ll need a few simple supplies. Gather some construction papers in red, white, and other colors for Santa’s details, along with a trusty pair of scissors for all the cutting.
You’ll also need some glue to hold everything together, a marker to add those finishing touches like Santa’s twinkling eyes, and the free Rocking Santa Template (available below!).
For the base, grab a paper plate or use a round piece of cardboard to create the perfect foundation for your rocking Santa. These easy-to-find materials make this craft both fun and stress-free!
These are all easy-to-find materials, making this the perfect no-stress holiday activity.
Step-by-Step Instructions for your Paper Plate Rocking Santa Craft
Follow along with the step by step instructions below to make your own easy rocking santa craft this Christmas.
Rocking Paper Plate Santa Craft
Create a jolly, rocking Santa that’s full of holiday cheer! This fun and simple paper craft uses a free printable template to bring Santa’s iconic look to life, complete with a twinkling smile and a playful rocking motion.
Materials
- Red Construction paper
- Black Construction paper
- White Construction paper
- Pink, brown or tan Construction paper for Santa's face
- Yellow Construction paper
- Paper plate or cardboard
- Glue
- Scissors
- Black marker
- Free printable template
Tools
- Printer if using template
Instructions
- Make Santa’s Body: Cut a large circle out of red construction paper, fold it in half, and set it aside. This will be Santa’s body and the base of your rocking craft. You can also use a paper plate for this step, to give you a nice ready made circle.
- Prepare the Template: Download, print, and cut out the pieces from the template. Match each piece with the corresponding colored construction paper for a vibrant and festive look - red for santa's hat, white for the fur, black and yellow for the belt and so on.
- Assemble the Details: Start building Santa by attaching the beard and face pieces to the folded red circle. This will form the main part of Santa’s body. First add the beard
then layer on the face 
- Make Santa’s Hat: Get your template pieces ready for the hat
and attach them together 
- Continue to glue santa together. Attach the red and white pieces of Santa’s hat to his head. You can fluff up the design by adding cotton balls if you’re feeling extra creative!
- Finish Santa’s Face: Add the eyes, nose, and mustache to complete Santa’s jolly expression.
- Add the Belt: Use the template to create Santa’s black belt and buckle,
then attach it to his suit. 
- Create the Eyes: Cut two small circles for Santa’s eyes and color the inner part with a black marker for that twinkle in his gaze.
then attach to Santa's face to finish him off 
Once everything is in place, you’ve got a delightful rocking Santa that’s ready to spread holiday cheer!
This craft is great for kids as young as preschoolers, with a little help, and is fun for older kids too. It’s a wonderful activity for home or the classroom – imagine a whole line of rocking Santas decorating a windowsill or mantel!
This project encourages fine motor skills with cutting and assembling, and it’s a great way to spark creativity. Plus, kids will feel so proud of their finished Santa, especially when he rocks back and forth with a gentle nudge.
Download the Rocking Santa Craft Template PDF
Ready to get started? Download the free printable template for the Rocking Santa craft by clicking the link below. It includes all the pieces you need to make crafting easy peasy.
We hope you and your kids enjoy making this Rocking Santa craft as much as we did! It’s a wonderful way to embrace the magic of Christmas while creating something special together – the perfect christmas craft for crafty kids of all ages.
More Santa Crafts and Activities for Kids
Looking for even more holiday fun? Check out our collection of Santa-themed crafts and activities. From paper plate Santas to festive coloring pages filled with Santa Claus , there’s plenty of inspiration to keep the Christmas spirit alive!
- Fun Paper Plate Santa and Sleigh Craft, That Really Moves
- Santa Stuck in the Chimney Christmas Toilet Roll Craft
- Santa Beard Cutting Printable: 14 Pages of Free Christmas Scissor Skills
- Free Printable Santa Coloring Pages for Kids
- Chubby Santa Coloring Pages
More Rocking Christmas Crafts for Kids
If you loved the playful motion of this Rocking Santa, we’ve got even more rocking Christmas crafts coming up to keep the holiday fun going! From reindeer to snowmen, these adorable creations will add a festive touch to your crafting sessions.
If you loved this Rocking Santa craft, we’d love for you to share it with your friends and family on social media. Don’t forget to save it to Pinterest for easy access later. Let’s spread the holiday joy!
Merry crafting, and have a magical Christmas season!
Anna Marikar, mum of four and seasoned blogger, has spent over a decade sharing her parenting journey and passion for kid-friendly crafts and free printables.
Her easy-to-follow craft ideas and practical parenting advice have transformed In The Playroom into a cherished resource for parents.
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