Cute Christmas Puppets (With Free Printable Template)
Make Santa, Mrs. Claus, and an elf with these Christmas puppets and our free printable template. Trace the pieces onto colored paper, cut and glue them together, then attach popsicle sticks for a Christmas storytelling activity.
I’m sure that the kids are all hyped up right about now thinking about Santa being on his way!
Packing up his sleigh, getting ready to deliver toys to all the boys and girls around the world. What an exciting time!
Since we love crafting in our house, we’re busy crafting all the holiday things that we can this time of year.
Some of our favorite Christmas crafts right now include these Christmas caroler puppets, which are similar to these. We’re also having fun with these printable Christmas crafts.
So gather up the simple supplies to get started! Let’s go!
Materials
Colored craft papers: Choose red, white, yellow, black, and a skin-tone paper for Santa and Mrs. Claus. Add green for the elf, plus your choice of colors for the hair and details.
Pencil: To trace the template
Christmas puppet template: You can find it at the bottom of the tutorial.
You’ll also need these simple supplies:
- Scissors (with adult help for small pieces and buckle slits)
- Craft glue
- Sharpie or gel pen
- Popsicle sticks
Instructions
Start by gathering the colored paper you need for your chosen character.
Our printable includes a Santa template, a Mrs. Claus template, and an elf template. You can make the elf with long or short hair.
Print the template, cut out the pattern pieces, and trace them onto your chosen craft paper. Cut out the colored pieces and keep each character’s parts together. The photos below show how to assemble Santa.
For each figure it’s the same process, basically just putting together all the pieces.
Glue the white trim along the bottom of Santa’s red hat, then add the white paper circle at the tip.
Have an adult help cut two slits inside the yellow buckle. Thread the black paper belt through them, leaving the yellow frame visible.
Glue the belt across the middle of the red body piece, with the buckle facing forward.
Add the boots to the bottom of Santa’s body.
Then add the beard, mustache, and eyebrows onto Santa’s head.
Use a black marker or pen and draw on his eyes, mouth, and nose.
Glue the hat on top of the head.
Then attach the assembled head to his body.
Add the hands on both sides of the body.
Create the Mrs. Claus puppet by tracing, cutting, and gluing her pattern pieces in a similar way.
We drew her face, glasses and added a belt to her dress.
Assemble the elf using the same trace, cut, and glue process, choosing the long or short hair pieces. Glue a popsicle stick to the back of each finished character, leaving enough stick below the body to hold. Let the glue dry before using the puppets.
See how fun they are to make? You can make them all!
Tips for younger crafters: Cut out the small pieces ahead of time and let children arrange them before gluing. Use a thin layer of glue so the paper stays flat. If a puppet bends during play, add a small piece of cardstock behind its body for support.
Try a Christmas puppet story: Have Santa ask the elf to find a missing present, let Mrs. Claus plan a surprise, or take turns introducing each character. Children can practice speaking for their puppet and listening for their turn. For another seasonal puppet project, try our Halloween stick puppets.
Grab the Christmas Puppet Template
To make your own Santa puppet craft, grab our free printable template.
Put your email in the box below, and we’ll send the template straight to your inbox.
These are for personal or classroom use only, please. Not for commercial use. Thank you!
Christmas Puppets
Look how cute these Christmas puppets are! Perfect for holiday fun!
Materials
- Colored craft papers - Choose red, white, yellow, and black.
- Pencil – to trace the template
- Craft glue
- Sharpie or gel pen
- Popsicle sticks
Instructions
Gather up the colored craft paper to get started. The template includes the ability to make Santa, Mrs. Clause, and the elf.
Trace the templates on the paper and then cut them out. We'll be showing you how to do the Santa puppet below.
Put the hat border and the pom poms on the base of the hat.
Cut two slits on the buckle and insert the belt through the slits. This makes a belt pattern.
Put the belt in the middle of the body.
Add the boot cutouts on the bottom of the body.
Attach the beard, mustache, and eyebrows onto the cutout of the head.
Use a sharpie marker and draw on the eyes, mouth, and nose of Santa.
Put the hat on top of the head.
Put the head on top of the body.
Add the hands on both sides of the body.
Create the Mrs. Clause puppet by tracing, cutting, and pasting the patterns. Do the same for the elf puppet.
