A Simple Reindeer Craft to Teach Shapes This Holiday Season
If you’re looking for a fun way to bring learning and creativity together this holiday season, this simple reindeer craft might become one of your favorite reindeer crafts! It’s an easy Christmas craft that introduces preschoolers, toddlers, kindergarteners—and even older kids—to basic shapes while strengthening fine motor skills. Plus, it’s just so much fun and adds a sweet homemade touch to your Christmas activities.
This reindeer paper craft is built entirely from shapes and brown construction paper, making it the perfect festive craft for home or school. Whether you’re a parent searching for easy reindeer crafts or a teacher planning a seasonal fun activity, this adorable reindeer craft will fit right in. And the best part? Kids love turning their handprints into the reindeer’s antlers!
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Materials You’ll Need
- Brown construction paper
- Light blue construction paper (background)
- Scissors
- Glue stick or white glue
- Small red pom pom balls or one large red pom pom nose
- Googly eyes
- Optional: pipe cleaner or yarn for an extra 3D tail or collar
How to Make This Cute Reindeer Craft (and Learn Shapes!)
This craft teaches shapes in such a fun way that children barely realize how much they’re learning. Here’s how to create your little reindeer:
1. Cut Out Your Shapes
This step can be done solely by an adult in advance, but using scissors is a great way to practice those fine motor skills for kids of all ages. Check out our tips for using scissors with young children here. Start by cutting the following from brown construction paper:
- One large rectangle for the body
- Four skinny rectangles for the legs
- One small rectangle for the tail
- One square or a triangle shape for the head
We cut out some extras just in case. Talking about these shapes as you cut is a great way to build vocabulary for younger kids and challenge older children with comparisons like size and orientation.
2. Make the Antlers
Trace your child’s hand on brown paper and cut it out—this becomes the reindeer’s antlers! Handprint crafts are not only meaningful keepsakes but also a fun boost for fine motor skills.
3. Assemble the Reindeer
Glue all the shapes onto the light blue background to build your simple craft reindeer:
- Body rectangle first
- Legs underneath
- Head on top
- Tail behind
- Handprint antlers above
Kids love seeing how shapes transform into Santa’s reindeer right before their eyes. It’s truly one of the best ideas for easy reindeer crafts because the results always turn out cute!
4. Add the Silly Details
Now comes the magic:
- Glue on googly eyes
- Add a red nose using your red pom pom (or small red pom pom balls) and a dab of glue
- Optional: twist a pipe cleaner into a bow or collar
Suddenly your creation goes from simple shapes to an adorable reindeer craft full of personality! Also optional: You can add some snow to your reindeer masterpieces with white paper or white paint.
Why We Love This Shape-Learning Craft
This fun reindeer craft combines creativity and learning beautifully:
- Encourages understanding of shapes
- Strengthens fine motor skills through cutting and gluing
- Boosts imagination
- Works well for younger kids and older children
- Makes a great addition to any paper crafts or Christmas activities collection
Plus, it’s just so festive and brings so much joy—kids feel proud of their little reindeer, and parents love keeping these memories for years to come.
Merry Christmas and Happy Crafting!
Whether you’re doing this at home on a snowy afternoon or adding it to your classroom’s easy Christmas crafts, I hope this brings you as much fun as it brings the children. Shaping a fun activity around creativity and learning is what makes the holiday season shine.
Merry Christmas, and enjoy making your adorable, shape-learning reindeer paper craft!
More Christmas Fun
If you’re looking for another easy craft or homemade Christmas decorations for kids to make, check out our favorite craft ideas!
Christmas Collage
Another perfect Christmas activity that’s great for fine motor skills and always turns out cute is our simple Christmas collage! Check out how to make these here.
Homemade Christmas Ornaments
Check out our favorite homemade ornaments to decorate your Christmas tree! These are all easy enough for young kids to make. Read all about them here.
