Nutcracker Paper Bag Puppet

The Nutcracker ballet is one of those beloved holiday traditions in so many homes. Whether you just have “Dance of the Sugarplum Fairy” on your Christmas playlist or you regularly watch the ballet, this Nutcracker Paper Bag Puppet is the perfect addition to your holiday fun. 

Nutcracker Paper Bag Puppet

Nutcracker template next to one red and one blue completed nutcracker puppets on white background with blue border

When I took my kids to see the Nutcracker last Christmas, they were mesmerized. We have a few Nutcracker decorations but they are fragile and not to be played with. I knew it was time to create a fun Nutcracker craft that was safe for play! 

This Nutcracker paper bag puppet is really easy to put together, and my kids loved choosing the colors to make each puppet unique from one another. The opportunities for pretend play are endless! I love to see their imaginations at work as they come up with stories for their puppets. 

Once you create this, make even more Christmas paper bag puppets like our reindeer paper bag puppet and our Gingerbread Man Puppet.

Navy blue background with bold white text and images of nutcracker paper bag puppets

Supplies

  • Colored construction paper
  • Pencil – to trace the template
  • Craft glue
  • Sharpie or gel pen
  • Paper Bag
  • Scissors

Printable Template

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How to Make a Nutcracker Paper Bag Puppet

Two nutcracker puppets, one red and one blue with hats and boots on green background

Directions 

Cut out pieces of Nutcracker puppet on white background
  • Select different colored paper for the puppet. Print and cut out the template patterns. Trace the patterns on selected construction paper and cut them out. 
Red hat with yellow zigzag embellishment across the top.
  • Starting with the hat, attach the zigzag border along the top of the hat cutout, lining up the straight sides of each cutout. 
Red hat with yellow zigzag across the top and darker yellow stripes across the top and bottom
  • Glue the hat borders along the top and bottom of the hat. 
Round face cutout with black hair on each side next to a red hat with yellow and orange embellishments
  • Glue the hair to each side of the nutcracker’s head and attach the circular hat embellishments to the hat. 
Round pink face with darker pink triangle nose and black mustache with eyes and eyebrows drawn on with pencil. Black hair on the sides of the head and red and yellow hat on top of the head.
  • Glue the nose and mustache to the nutcracker’s face and the hat on top of his head. Use a pencil to draw eyes and eyebrows. 
Finished nutcracker head with hat on top, mustache and beard, and eyes, eyebrows and mouth drawn on with marker
  • Fill in the eyes and eyebrows with a Sharpie. Draw a small mouth and glue the beard underneath it. 
Red rectangle arms with rounded pink hands on the ends and a black belt with yellow buckle made of paper on grey background
  • Glue the hands to the ends of the sleeves and slide the belt through the buckle.
Large red paper rectangle next to brown paper bag
  • Cut a large rectangle out of construction paper to cover the front surface of the paper bag (this is the nutcracker’s body)
Red paper rectangle with a black and yellow belt across the middle and two yellow stripes above the belt next to brown paper bag
  •  Glue the belt horizontally across the middle of the body piece, and then add the two smaller rectangle strips horizontally above the belt. Use a Sharpie to draw buttons and lines between the buttons on the strips. 
Red nutcracker uniform with arms attached to the sides on top of brown paper bag
  • Glue the arms onto the sides of the body and then glue the body to the paper bag. 
Red nutcracker body and arms with black boots attached to the bottom glued onto a brown paper bag
  • Glue the boots to the bottom of the body. 
Finished red nutcracker puppet on grey background
  • Glue the nutcracker’s head to the flattened bottom of the paper bag to complete the puppet.

Tips and Tricks

  • A nutcracker can be any color you like so you can really get creative. Give him a different color outfit, different hair, different skin tones, whatever you want. 
  • In order to get the arm pieces to attach straight at the puppet’s sides, glue the hands on the outward edges of the arms so there is an extra strip for gluing. 
  • Craft a small sword out of paper for your nutcracker to hold

More Ideas…

Experience the full story of the Nutcracker with this beautiful book that has buttons to push on each page so you can hear Tchaikovsky’s music! You can also watch portions of the ballet on Youtube. 

Once your kids have used this nutcracker puppet to act out their own story, they’ll definitely want to create puppets from more beloved Christmas classics! These Rudolph Story Puppets are the logical next step! 

Nutcracker Paper Bag Puppet

Nutcracker Paper Bag Puppet

This Nutcracker Paper Bag Puppet is such a fun craft to do with your kids this Christmas break! Simple and easy to put together, your kids are going to love playing with this puppet when they're done.

Materials

  • Colored construction papers
  • Pencil – to trace the template
  • Craft glue
  • Sharpie or gel pen
  • Paper bag

Instructions

Select different colored construction papers for the nutcracker puppet. Print and cut out the template patterns. Trace the template patterns on the selected craft papers and cut out the traced pattern.

Take the hat patterns and glue the zigzag border along the top side of the hat base, keeping the straight side along the top border of the hat base.

Glue the hat borders along the top and bottom side of the hat base.

Take the head and hair cutouts. Glue the hair cutouts on both sides of the head cutout.

Glue the nose, and mustache on the head cutout and the hat on the top side of the head. Use a pencil to trace the eyes and eyebrows of the papercraft nutcracker. Use a sharpie to fill the traced eyes and eyebrows.

Glue the hand cutouts to the sleeve cutouts, and the buckle cutout to the belt cutout.

Prepare a piece of paper to cover the front surface of the paper bag.

Glue the belt and 2 strips above the belt on the prepared paper. Use sharpie to draw buttons and lines between the buttons on the attached strips.

Glue the arms on both sides of the prepared paper and then attach the paper to the front surface of the paper bag.

Glue the boot cutouts to the bottom of the uniform (open side of the bag).

Flatten the bottom flap of the paper bag onto the front side of the puppet. Glue the head on the flat bottom flap of the bag to complete the paper bag puppet craft.

 
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Nutcracker Paper Bag Puppet Template.
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How Do I Print A PDF?

You’ll need a program that supports PDFs. Adobe Acrobat is a great option. Open the program, click file then print. Select your printer and the number of copies you want to print. Be sure you click double-sided if you want it to print on both sides. 

Can I Resell These?

You may not resell any printable or template that you find on our website or received in your email. You may use them for class parties, at church, at home, or in the classroom. You may get these printed at an office supply store or copy center at your own expense.

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