Paper Bag Reindeer Puppet

Learn how to make this festive Paper Bag Reindeer Puppet craft and enjoy creating new family traditions with your children.

Paper Bag Reindeer Puppet

The holiday season can be hectic with family visiting and all sorts of events and errands. I always need ways to entertain my kids and any visiting kids! My Grinch Paper Bag Puppet is always a hit, so I decided to make this paper bag reindeer puppet too!

Paper bag puppets are great activities for cozy nights with the family, or even indoor recess if you are a teacher. 

You can also make this part of your holiday traditions. Get in some comfy pajamas, turn on Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer, make some Homemade Hot Cocoa, pull out this simple and fun craft, and enjoy making some memories with your children.

How to Make a Reindeer Paper Bag Puppet

Printable Template

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Directions

• Start by choosing your colored papers. You will need three different shades of brown (light, medium, and dark colored) as well as a red and pink sheet. After you have chosen your colors, you will begin tracing. On the medium brown shade, trace the head, body, legs, and ear patterns. On the light brown shade, trace the belly and face patterns. Then you will trace the horns and the hoof patterns on the dark brown paper. 
• Next, trace the inner ear patterns and the blush patterns on the pink paper. Finally, you will trace the nose on the red paper. You can use the eyes directly from the template. Now that everything is traced, grab your scissors and carefully cut out the patterns.

• Now you will start gluing. Grab the belly cutout and glue it along the bottom side of the body base cutout (the rounded side is the bottom). Next, you will glue the inner ear cutouts (pink) in the middle of the main ear cutouts (brown). Then you will glue the face cutout along the bottom side of the head cutout. Also glue the hoof cutouts along the bottom side of the leg cutouts, making sure to match up all the edges. 

• Now we will work on putting the head together. First, start by attaching the horns on the top side of the head pattern. Next, you can glue the ears onto the head, placing them on the outer sides of each horn. 

• Start creating the face by gluing the blush cutouts (pink) on both cheeks. Then attach the nose cutout in the middle of the face.

• Finish the face by gluing the eyes on the top side of the face. Use a sharpie or gel pen to draw the mouth of the papercraft reindeer. 

• Select a paper bag appropriate for the size of the papercraft reindeer. If you do not have a paper bag on hand, you can craft your own from brown paper or wrapping paper. Attach the leg patterns near the open end of the bag, keeping the hoof parts slightly hanging past the end of the bag. The open side of the bag will be the bottom side of the papercraft reindeer.

• Attach the body pattern on the top side of the legs, keeping the belly part of the body pattern near the legs.

• Finally, flatten the bottom side of the paper bag, creasing the flap to face the reindeer’s body. Glue the head of the reindeer puppet onto that flap. Enjoy your completed Reindeer Puppet Paper Craft!  

Tips and Tricks

• Grab a red pipe cleaner, curve it into a spiral, and attach that as the nose to add some shine and texture. 
• When tracing out all of your pieces, trace an extra set of legs and hooves. Glue them to the left and right sides of the paper bag before gluing down the reindeer’s body to create arms for your reindeer.

Shop More Christmas Printables

More Paper Bag Reindeer Puppet Craft Ideas

Whip up some yummy snacks to munch on while you create your Reindeer Puppet. My kids love these Hot Chocolate Cookies. They are so easy to make. If you’ve already made the homemade hot cocoa mix mentioned above, it is even easier to use some of it to make these delicious cookies.

Get your kids involved in some holiday inspired service. Make these DIY Winter Hot Chocolate Bombs with your kids and deliver them to people who could use some holiday cheer. What a great way to help your kids learn how to show their love to others.

Paper Bag Reindeer Puppet

Print

Learn how to make this festive Paper Bag Reindeer Puppet craft and enjoy creating new family traditions with your children.

Materials

• Colored papers
• Paper Bag
• Craft glue
• Pencil
• Marker
• Scissors

Instructions

Start by choosing your colored papers. You will need three different shades of brown (light, medium, and dark colored) as well as a red and pink sheet. After you have chosen your colors, you will begin tracing. On the medium brown shade, trace the head, body, legs, and ear patterns. On the light brown shade, trace the belly and face patterns. Then you will trace the horns and the hoof patterns on the dark brown paper. 

Next, trace the inner ear patterns and the blush patterns on the pink paper. Finally, you will trace the nose on the red paper. You can use the eyes directly from the template. Now that everything is traced, grab your scissors and carefully cut out the patterns.

Now you will start gluing. Grab the belly cutout and glue it along the bottom side of the body base cutout (the rounded side is the bottom). Next, you will glue the inner ear cutouts (pink) in the middle of the main ear cutouts (brown). Then you will glue the face cutout along the bottom side of the head cutout. Also glue the hoof cutouts along the bottom side of the leg cutouts, making sure to match up all the edges. 

Now we will work on putting the head together. First, start by attaching the horns on the top side of the head pattern. Next, you can glue the ears onto the head, placing them on the outer sides of each horn. 

Start creating the face by gluing the blush cutouts (pink) on both cheeks. Then attach the nose cutout in the middle of the face.

Finish the face by gluing the eyes on the top side of the face. Use a sharpie or gel pen to draw the mouth of the papercraft reindeer. 

Select a paper bag appropriate for the size of the papercraft reindeer. If you do not have a paper bag on hand, you can craft your own from brown paper or wrapping paper. Attach the leg patterns near the open end of the bag, keeping the hoof parts slightly hanging past the end of the bag. The open side of the bag will be the bottom side of the papercraft reindeer.

Attach the body pattern on the top side of the legs, keeping the belly part of the body pattern near the legs.

Finally, flatten the bottom side of the paper bag, creasing the flap to face the reindeer’s body. Glue the head of the reindeer puppet onto that flap. Enjoy your completed Reindeer Puppet Paper Craft!  

Notes

Grab a red pipe cleaner, curve it into a spiral, and attach that as the nose to add some shine and texture. 

When tracing out all of your pieces, trace an extra set of legs and hooves. Glue them to the left and right sides of the paper bag before gluing down the reindeer’s body to create arms for your reindeer.