Paper Plate Reindeer Craft (It’s a Pouch!)

This paper plate reindeer craft is not your typical craft. When you’re done making it you have a fun Christmas pouch to use for all of your little treasures. Create Blitzen, Donner, Dasher or even Rudolph when making this fun and simple Christmas craft.

If you like this reindeer craft, you’re also going to love making this rocking Rudolph craft, these large paper fan Christmas decorations, or this Santa in a chimney Christmas card.

Nourish Your Relationship with Your Kids as You Craft Together all Year Long…

Fun Facts about Santa’s Reindeer

• Another name for reindeer is caribou
• Though typical reindeer don’t fly, they are very fast…running as quikcly as 48mph.
• Santa didn’t always have reindeer.
• Donner and Blitzen used to have different names. In 1823, they were referred to as Dunder and Blixem.
• Rudolph was not one of the original reindeer and joined the crew about 100 years later.
• Santa’s reindeer are all girls. We know this because they still have their antlers by Christmas. Male reindeer shed their antlers by early December.
• Some people think that Santa has more than just the 9 reindeer that are part of most stories.

To learn more about each of Santa’s reindeer, check out this article from “I Spot Santa”.

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Combine Reading with Crafting

The best way that I can think of to elevate the crafting experience is to combine it with reading a good book. Here are a few of our favorite reindeer themed books for kids.

SUPPLIES FROM THE BAG

• 2 Paper plates (9-inch coated)
• Newspaper
• Pompom
• Clothespin
• Brown paint
• Construction paper
• Scissors
• Glue stick
• Pencil
• Stapler with staples
• Single hole punch
• Black Sharpie marker
• Yarn

Let’s be honest for a minute…you want to make crafts with your kids (or you wouldn’t be here) but time gets away from us. It’s so easy to let the day to day take over and miss out on crafting memories together. Well, that stops now. Because one you fill your bag using our master list, you’ll be ready to craft at a moment’s notice any time you find yourself with just a few spare minutes. Don’t let the opportunity pass you by again. Fill your bag and craft along.

Save this Christmas craft for later. Pin it to your favorite Pinterest board…

How to make a Paper Plate Reindeer Craft

Step 1: Paint the Plates

• Lay out some newspaper on your crafting surface.
• Place the 2 paper plates on the newspaper, bottom up.
• Pinch a pompom with a clothespin to form your “paint brush”.
• Now paint each of the plates brown for your reindeer. We left the very top edge unpainted since we won’t be using that part.

*If you prefer not to get out the paints, simply use crayons or markers to color the bottoms of your paper plates instead. It will still turn out totally adorable…promise.

Step 2: Cut Out the Parts

• With your pencil, draw and cut out a large oval for your reindeer’s nose. This can be made from black or red (if you’re making Rudolph) construction paper.
• Then draw and cut from light brown construction paper a set of antlers. These can simple be a little nub or more elaborate. Don’t make them too big so that they can fit on top of your craft easily.

*For little ones, you may want to complete this step in advance so that they only have to glue and not cut. You know your child’s skill level when it comes to using scissors. So, use your best judgement. Let them be as independent as possible.

Step 3: Trim the Plates

• Now that the paint has dried, cut the top third off of each of the plates. The plates should match up.
• From the scraps left, cut out 2 ears for your reindeer.

Step 4: Start to Assemble Your Reindeer Craft

• On one of the cut plates, glue in place your reindeer’s ears and antlers (as pictured).
• Now add the nose to your reindeer craft.

Step 5: Make Her Smile

• Use your black Sharpie marker to give the reindeer some eyes and a little smile. If you prefer, you can also use googly eyes for your craft.
• We also added a few other details while we were finishing off the reindeer’s face, like rosy cheeks that we cut from pink construction paper and markings on the ears and antlers. You can add whatever you want during this step.

Step 6: Staple the Reindeer Pouch

• Line up the 2 plates that you cut so that they are front to front, with a pocket in the center. The painted sides will be facing out.
• Staple all around the outside rounded edge (not across the top). Staples should be about 1 to 1 1/2 inches apart.
• Use your hole punch to place a hole on each side of the top of your reindeer pouch. This will be for your handle.

Step 7: Add a Handle to Your Christmas Craft

• Cut 5 lengths of white yarn, about 1 yard long each.
• Now put a knot in the center of the strands of yarn.
• Add a couple more knots on each side to keep your pouch handle all together.
• Feed one end of the yarn through one of the holes that you punched and tied another knot to keep it in place.
• Do the same on the other side.
• Trim the ends of your yarn to clean them up and make them even.

Now that you know how to make this adorable paper plate reindeer craft, you’re going to want to decide what special treasures to put in it. Maybe you’ll make some Christmas cookies or candies together and put them in the reindeer pouch to give as a gift. Wouldn’t that be fun? We put some greenery and candy canes in ours and used it as a Christmas decoration.

Enjoy this video together of the reading of a favorite Reindeer story…

Save this Rudolph Craft for later. Pin it to your favorite Pinterest board…