December is almost here, which means it’s officially Christmas craft season. If you’re looking for a project that kids can make at school or home, this reindeer brown paper bag craft is adorable, simple to create, and fun to play with afterwards as a puppet or display piece. If your child loves cutting, gluing and making characters come to life, this is a craft they’ll genuinely love.
Paper bag crafts like this one are brilliant for students and kids aged 3 or 4 and up. It works for young children and grade school kids, and is easy enough to make at home but structured enough for teachers to use with students too. What makes this paper bag reindeer craft extra special is that it isn’t just about making something cute, it actively supports motor skills, fine motor confidence, and creative expression.
Cutting the reindeer paper shapes from a template, tracing them onto construction paper, and assembling them step by step is fantastic for growing fine motor skills. Yarn adds texture, glue helps develop grip control, and the paper bag base turns the craft into something kids can interact with and play together with.
Christmas Reindeer craft projects like this one also encourage focus, planning, hand strength, and that lovely pride of making something themselves.
Materials for the Paper Bag Reindeer Craft
This reindeer bag craft uses kid-friendly materials that are easy to work with and hold well for assembling. You will need construction papers in assorted colors, yarn for a cozy textured detail, scissors to cut and shape your reindeer paper pieces, glue to stick everything securely, and a paper bag as the base.
The paper bag gives the craft its structure and personality, making it a perfect foundation for a puppet or puppet-making design. Construction paper works best because it’s sturdy for tracing templates and easy for students to cut clean shapes from.
You will also need a red pom pom (or any pom pom you prefer) to finish the signature reindeer nose detail just below the eyes.
How to Make Your Reindeer Paper Bag Craft
Here’s a quick intro to the process before we jump into the steps, you’ll be cutting out your reindeer bag template shapes first, transferring them onto their matching construction paper pieces by tracing, and then assembling them in layers onto your reindeer brown paper bag base. The details add charm and personality, and the pom pom nose brings the face to life just below the eyes.
How to make a Paper Bag Reindeer puppet
This reindeer brown paper bag craft is cute, quick, and hands-on with construction paper shapes, yarn details, and a bright pom pom nose bring it to life. A great way to build fine motor confidence while making something kids proudly say they made themselves.
Materials
- Construction paper in red, yellow, brown, black and white
- Red Yarn or a pre made red pom pom
- Scissors
- Glue
- Brown Paper bag
- Free printable template
Tools
- Printer for the template
Instructions
- Print your templates
- Cut the templates and trace them to their corresponding papers then cut again.
- Assemble the templates one by one as shown in the procedure photo.
- Attach the antlers and ears at the top of the paper bag on both sides.
- Attach the eyes.
- Cut two strips of red paper
- Then attach it diagonally.
- To make the pom pom, wrap yarn around your fingers about 30–40 times. Carefully slide the looped yarn off your fingers and tie a piece of yarn tightly around the middle.
- Cut through all the loops on both sides and trim the strands into a round pom pom shape.
- Attach the pom pom just below the eyes.
- Your paper bag reindeer is ready!
Once built, kids can use their reindeer bag for puppet play, storytelling, or hanging on a wall or school display.
This bag craft brings a quiet table activity to life in a big way. Watching kids glue antlers onto a puppet face, build their reindeer layers step by step, and finish it off with a pom pom nose is pure craft joy.
It’s one of those projects where the simplicity is the biggest win with minimal materials, maximum personality. Students can make them all look unique while practicing patience, hand control, and motor skills along the way.
Download Reindeer Paper Bag Craft PDF Template
The printable for this activity includes the template shapes for the antlers, ears, eyes, diagonal paper detail strips, and all main pieces needed to assemble a reindeer paper bag puppet or character design. Having a paper bag reindeer template makes this craft easy for teachers and families to replicate, so kids can spend their time creating rather than trying to draw every piece from scratch. It’s a great way to keep cutting, crafting and motor skill practice fun and focused. Simply download, print, grab glue, and start making your reindeer bag come to life.
Terms of use: Our free reindeer template created for non-commercial home or classroom use.
This reindeer paper bag craft is a simple creative win for November and December students, classrooms, or home craft time. It brings kids, paper, glue, yarn and imagination together into a project that builds fine motor skills, encourages creativity, and becomes something children can play together with long after the glue dries. Whether it becomes a reindeer paper bag puppet or display piece, it’s a craft kids can say they truly made themselves.
More Reindeer Crafts for Kids
If you’re searching for more reindeer craft ideas, there are so many creative projects to explore that feel just right in December.
- Rocking Reindeer Craft
- DIY Reindeer Ornaments
- Folded Paper Reindeer Card
- Handprint Reindeer Christmas Craft for Kids
More Christmas Crafts for Kids
Paper bag crafts are a staple for kids and students in November leading into December. We have more Christmas paper bag crafts, and more ideas using some of our other go-to simple materials too!
- Paper Bag Gingerbread House Craft for Kids with Free Printable Template
- Easy Paper Plate Christmas Tree Craft
- Christmas Elf Craft
- Popsicle Stick Christmas Tree Craft
If you enjoyed this reindeer paper bag craft, please share this post on social media, like Facebook or Pinterest. We appreciate your support and it might be exactly the idea another parent or teacher is looking for today.
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.