These yarn-wrapped popsicle stick reindeer ornaments are a super cute Christmas craft for kids to make! Children will wrap yarn around a craft sticks glued to form a triangle and add details to make a reindeer craft that looks just like Rudolph. This post contains two versions of this reindeer craft, one for younger children and one for older children.
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I always love finding crafts that kids can do on their own with minimal help from adults. These homemade reindeer ornaments are perfect! I created two versions so both younger kids AND older children can both have success making these on their own. These popsicle stick reindeer Christmas ornaments turn out absolutely adorable and make a wonderful keepsake to add to your Christmas tree each year! (Also be sure to check out our handprint reindeer ornament craft– another sweet keepsake!)
See it in action here:
Yarn-Wrapped Craft Stick Reindeer Ornament Craft for Kids
Materials for Yarn-Wrapped Reindeer Ornament
- Popsicle sticks
- Mini craft sticks
- Liquid glue or hot glue gun
- Red pompoms
- Googly eyes
- Brown pipe cleaner
- String, yarn, or ribbon for hanging
Directions for Older Children
1. Glue to regular sized popsicle sticks and one mini popsicle stick together to form a tall, skinny triangle. This will be the reindeer’s head. We used a glue gun so we wouldn’t have to wait for the craft sticks to dry, but you can also have children use liquid glue to make their triangles.
2. Hot glue one end of your brown yarn to the pointy top of your triangle.
3. Slowly wrap your yarn around and around the triangle, working your way toward the flat bottom. Once you get to the bottom of the triangle, add a layer of glue to secure the end of your brown yarn. Cut off any ends.
4. Glue a red pompom nose onto the pointy end of your triangle to form your reindeer’s nose. Add two googly eyes.
5. Turn your reindeer over.
6. Cut one brown pipe cleaner in half. Cut about 1 1/2 inches of the top of each half.
7. Take the smaller piece of the pipe cleaner and twist it onto the longer piece forming an antler. Do this with the other two pieces so you now have two antlers.
8. Glue the antlers to the back of your reindeer.
9. Glue some cute yarn or ribbon to the back of your reindeer for hanging.
You’re done!
Directions for Younger Children
1. Use liquid glue to make your popsicle stick triangle. Encourage kids to do this on their own. Let it dry completely.
2. Tie one end of a long piece of brown yarn to the pointy top of the triangle. (Thicker yarn is easier for younger kids to use.)
3. Invite children to wrap and weave the yarn all around the triangle. Tie off the end. Cut off any pieces hanging off.
4. Add your googly yes and red pompom nose with glue.
5. Turn your reindeer over and glue two small pieces of brown pipe cleaner to the back for antlers. (You can bend the antlers slightly.)
6. Glue ribbon or yarn to the back for hanging.
That’s it!
Tips
- If doing this craft in just one day with a short amount of time (like a classroom party), I would have all the popsicle sticks already glued into triangles. It would also speed things up to have the starting end of the brown yarn tied or glued to the top of the triangle.
- Give younger children as much independence with this craft as possible. Encourage younger children to wrap the yarn any way they want around the popsicle sticks. Even big holes left between the yarn look super cute. And if the eyes or antlers are glued on crooked, even cuter!