Are you searching for the perfect Christmas crafts for kids to make? Look no further! Delight your little ones with our adorable reindeer plate craft, a charming, festive activity that can fill your home or classroom with holiday cheer.

Perfect for preschool, kindergarten, and elementary school kids, this cute paper plate reindeer is not just fun to make but also a great way for kids to encourage their creativity and develop fine motor skills. So, let’s gather our supplies and bring to life a friendly reindeer just in time for Christmas!

White text on green at the top says Reindeer Plate Craft Christmas Craft for Kids. Photo of completed reindeer made out of a paper plate laying on top of red and green construction paper.

This adorable reindeer plate craft is perfect for sparking creativity, adding a holiday vibe, and giving children a hands-on experience they’ll absolutely love. As a parent or educator, incorporating this craft into your December art center plans will bring joy and excitement to the learning environment.

Not only will the kids be creating their own cute reindeer, but they’ll also be developing their fine motor skills and boosting their imaginative powers. So let’s embrace the festive spirit, gather those paper plates and construction papers, and create unforgettable holiday crafts together!

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Paper Plate Crafts for Kids

Paper plate crafts are an exceptional choice for kids’ activities because they are cost-effective and readily available to use. From a simple plate, kids can create anything – from animals and flowers to imaginative landscapes.

This type of craft promotes creativity, helps develop motor skills, and can teach children about colors, shapes, and textures. Kids will love discovering the joy of turning a common household item into an extraordinary piece of art!

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Benefits of This Reindeer Paper Plate Craft

This reindeer plate craft offers a multitude of benefits for children. Firstly, it helps to hone fine motor skills via a variety of tactile tasks such as painting, tracing, cutting, and gluing.

As kids dip their brushes into paint and color their plates, they develop hand-eye coordination.

The act of tracing the template fine-tunes their precision and control, while the process of cutting out the pieces encourages them to practice dexterity and hand strength.

Lastly, the action of gluing the pieces onto the plate is an excellent exercise for working on spatial awareness.

It’s not just a fun holiday activity—it’s a well-rounded developmental tool wrapped up in a cute reindeer package!

Big and small paper plate reindeer crafts.

Reindeer Books for Kids

Reading and crafting are two activities that naturally complement each other. They both stimulate creativity, improve concentration, and foster a love for learning in children.

Reading about a certain topic like reindeer, for instance, and then creating a craft based on that subject, adds an interactive element to learning. It reinforces what they learned from the book, making the experience more engaging and memorable.

So, why not plan a day of festive fun? Start with reading a captivating story about reindeer, and follow that up by making your very own reindeer craft.

This combination not only aids in enhancing their comprehension skills but also allows them to express their understanding and interpretation through art. It’s a great way to blend education and enjoyment this holiday season!

How to Catch a Reindeer Reindeer: On the Move! (Penguin Young Readers, Level 4)The Littlest Reindeer The Clumsy Little Reindeer: An Adorable and Sweet Christmas Book for Little Ones Never EVER Race a Reindeer: A Funny Rhyming, Read Aloud Picture Book Dasher: How a Brave Little Doe Changed Christmas Forever

Reindeer Plate Craft Supplies

Here’s the good news: creating this adorable Reindeer Plate Craft requires nothing more than a few affordable and readily available art supplies. You’ll likely find most, if not all, of these materials already in your home or classroom art stash!

Paper Plate – You have the flexibility to use round paper plates of any size. We have successfully made them using both regular-sized dinner paper plates and smaller ones.

Craft Paint – Feel free to use any brown craft paint you have on hand. We personally recommend Apple Barrel Nutmeg Brown. It’s a great choice for this project!

Construction Paper – You’ll need brown construction paper as well as pink for the inner earpieces.

Pom Pom – To create the reindeer’s nose, you can use either a red or black pom pom. If you don’t have pom poms available, you can easily make a nose piece out of construction paper or simply draw it on.

Reindeer Craft Template – I have personally hand-drawn the craft template based on the craft I created. It is provided for your convenience, and you can access it for free by filling out the form located at the bottom of the post. I suggest printing the template on white cardstock paper, as it will make it easier for kids to trace onto construction paper.

Glue – You have the option to use either glue sticks or liquid glue. Personally, I find that liquid glue works best for attaching the pom pom nose.

Apple Barrel Acrylic Paint Set, 16 Piece (2-Ounce), Best Colors Count Bassion Pack of 2 Kids Art Smocks, Children Waterproof Artist Painting Aprons Long Sleeve with 3 Pockets for Age 2-6 Years AdTech Ultra Low-Temp Cool Tool | Mini Hot Glue Gun for Safe Crafting | Children and Kids | Item #05690 , White Aleene’s Turbo Tacky Glue, 4 FL OZ – 3 Pack, Multi

Can This Be Made Without Paint?

Yes, this craft can be made without paint! Instead of painting, you can have kids color their plates or find brown party plates to use.

This not only adds a fun twist to the activity but also gives kids the opportunity to showcase their creativity and personalize their crafts.

How to Make a Paper Plate Reindeer

To begin, start by painting the plate using brown paint. Apply a second coat of paint if necessary.

While allowing the plate to dry, carefully cut out the antler, ear, and nose craft templates. Trace all of these templates onto brown paper, except for the inner ear template which should be traced onto pink paper.

Collage of four photos showing the steps to create the reindeer paper plate craft.

Next, glue the pink inner earpieces onto the brown ears.

Flip the paper plate over and glue the ears and antlers onto the backside of the plate near the top. Flip the plate back over to the painted side and glue the eyes and the nose piece in the center of the plate.

You can either use the paper eyes provided in the printable template or opt for plastic googly eyes.

Completed reindeer made with a large paper plate.

Lastly, affix a pom pom in the middle of the nose piece. Set the project aside and allow it to dry completely before hanging it up.

Feel free to add your own personal touches to your reindeer, such as a mouth or a bow.

Two finished reindeer plate crafts made using different sized paper plates, paint, and construction paper.

More Reindeer Crafts for Kids

If you loved making the paper plate reindeer craft, we have some additional reindeer-themed craft ideas for your little ones.

These projects are not only fun and engaging but also help in boosting their creativity and motor skills. Here are some more delightful and charming reindeer crafts for kids.

As we wrap up, remember that crafting with your little ones is more about the process than the product. Enjoy the giggles, the glitter, and even the mess; after all, these are the moments that truly matter!

Creating this adorable paper plate reindeer craft not only provides a fantastic opportunity to bond with your kids but also helps them develop their fine motor skills and artistic skills. So, grab those craft supplies and let the festive creativity flow!

Reindeer Plate Craft

Yield: 1

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Active Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Difficulty: Easy

Estimated Cost: $5 or less

With just a paper plate, paint, and some construction paper, you can create this cute and festive Reindeer plate craft. Perfect for the holidays!

Materials

1 Paper Plate
Brown Paint
Reindeer Craft Template Printable
Brown and Pink Construction Paper
Red or Black Pom Pom
Glue

Tools

Paint Brush
Scissors

Instructions

Start by painting the plate with brown paint. Apply a second coat of paint as needed.
While the plate is drying, cut out the antler, ear, and nose craft templates. Trace all of the templates onto brown paper except for the inner ear template. Trace that one onto pink paper.
Then glue the pink inner earpieces onto the brown ears.
Flip the paper plate over. Glue the ears and antlers onto the backside of the plate near the top. Flip the plate back over to the painted side. Glue eyes and nose piece in the center of the plate.
I included paper eyes in the printable template that you may use or you can use plastic googly eyes.
Lastly, glue a pom pom in the middle of the nose piece. Set aside to dry completely before hanging up.
Feel free to add personal touches to your reindeer to make it your own! For example, you can add a mouth or a bow.

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Darcy Zalewski

Darcy is the founder of “Life With Darcy and Brian,” where she combines her love for education, board games, and crafting to create engaging learning experiences for kids. Her creative projects and writing have been featured in outlets like The Toy Insider, CafeMom, Mom.com, Parents.com, Country Living, and The Pioneer Woman.