12 Santa Claus Crafts Kids Will Love Making
Kids ask for holiday crafts before we’ve even packed away the fall decorations, and honestly, I get why. Anything with that classic red suit and squishy cotton beard gets an instant “yes” from them, but most parents are secretly wondering how to keep it simple without creating a tornado of glitter on the kitchen table. I’ve been there more times than I can count, especially on those afternoons when everyone’s wired and I just need something easy that still feels a little magical.
That’s why these 12 Santa Claus crafts have become my go to list. They’re quick, they’re doable with basic supplies, and they make kids feel wildly proud of themselves. A few of them are speedy five minute projects for the days you’re running on fumes, while others turn into those sweet keepsakes you’ll tuck into the holiday bin and smile at next year.
If you’re hoping for low stress, high fun ideas you can use at home or in the classroom, you’re in exactly the right spot. Let’s add a little calm, a little creativity, and just enough Santa charm to make December feel lighter.
Santa Spoon Puppets With Cozy Cloaks
This Santa starts with a wooden spoon painted rosy peach at the rounded end for the face. Kids glue a triangle of red felt behind it to form a cloak that swishes when they wave the spoon around. A cotton ball beard gets stretched longer than normal because kids love dramatic beards. The hat is a piece of red felt rolled into a cone, hot glued on by an adult because it’s wiggly. Kids draw the tiniest smile with a fine tip marker. We wrap silver pipe cleaners around the handle to give Santa “sparkle sleeves.” Puppet shows always erupt after this craft, usually involving Santa negotiating with reindeer. These spoons last a surprisingly long time. Some families plant them in plants as decorations afterward. They look hilarious peeking out from behind leaves.
Santa’s Shaky Snow Globe Plate
Kids start with a clear plastic plate flipped upside down. They glue a paper Santa inside, but the trick is adding micro pom poms and biodegradable confetti around him before sealing it. When kids shake the plate, Santa looks like he is stuck in a swirling snowstorm, which they find hilarious. We add a red construction paper ring around the edge so it feels like a real globe frame. A cotton rim goes around the top to look like Santa accidentally stepped inside his own hat. Older kids love drawing tiny North Pole signs behind him so it feels like a mini scene. The shaking part is the big hit here. Teachers love that it doubles as an ornament if you punch two holes at the top and add ribbon. It’s budget friendly, wild looking, and surprisingly sturdy.
Santa’s Accordion Leg Dancer
This Santa uses a big circular face at the top and two long accordion folded legs dangling below. Kids attach giant black paper boots at the end that flap when you shake it. They always make the boots huge because it makes Santa look like he is wearing clown shoes. The beard is fringed paper so it swings with the legs, giving the whole thing a goofy vibe. We glue a jumbo craft stick behind the head so kids can make him “dance.” When they shake it, the legs bounce like a holiday puppet. It becomes an instant parade toy. This one is especially good for classrooms because the laughs echo all the way down the hallway.
Santa’s Marshmallow Beard Portrait
This craft starts with a giant Santa face outline printed on cardstock. Instead of cotton, kids glue on real mini marshmallows to form the beard. The texture is irresistible. They inevitably eat two or three, and honestly that is part of the fun. To add detail, they draw peppermint swirls in the cheeks and color the hat with glitter crayons. We finish by spraying the whole beard lightly with craft sealant so it lasts all season. The result looks like Santa dipped his chin in hot cocoa foam. Kids hang them on the fridge like a proper holiday portrait. It smells faintly sweet for days.
Santa’s Secret Chimney Pop-Up Scene
Kids build a paper chimney from a toilet paper roll wrapped in brick patterned paper. Then they make a mini Santa on a popsicle stick. When they push the stick up, Santa pops out of the chimney with wide eyes and a stunned expression. When they let go, he drops back down like he’s stuck again. They add cotton “snow” on the chimney ledge for texture. Some kids draw reindeer peeking over the edge, spying on Santa. You can glue the whole thing to a cardboard snow hill so it stands upright. It becomes a little puppet show where Santa keeps getting stuck, and for some reason that absolutely destroys kids in laughter.
Santa’s Pocket Storybook Badge
Kids fold a tiny red paper book that fits in the palm of a hand. The cover gets a cheerful Santa face with a cotton beard and gold foil hat trim. Inside, kids draw mini comic panels telling a silly Santa story. The book gets glued to a cardboard circle decorated like a giant badge. Add a safety pin on the back so kids can wear it proudly on their shirts. It becomes a walking craft show and conversation starter. Teachers love how it combines creativity and writing. Kids love announcing their “Santa author badge” to everyone who walks by.
Santa’s Wiggly Mustache Mask
Kids cut a Santa face mask shape from cardstock, but the secret is the mustache. They attach two white pipe cleaners curled at the ends with brads so the mustache wiggles when they talk. The beard is fringed felt that sways with every step. Kids color rosy cheeks and decorate the hat with sticker jewels for sparkle. An elastic band lets them wear the mask, but many kids end up holding it like a photo booth prop. When the mustache wiggles, it looks like Santa is telling jokes. This craft always leads to noisy giggles and chaotic pretend play.
Santa’s Fizzy Beard Science Craft
Kids start by drawing a big Santa face on a paper plate, but instead of adding cotton, they spread a thin layer of baking soda where the beard should go. Then they use droppers filled with vinegar dyed white with a tiny bit of paint. When they drip the vinegar onto the “beard,” it foams and bubbles like Santa is laughing too hard. The fizzing creates natural snowy peaks that stay once the reaction calms down. Kids sprinkle biodegradable glitter on top for sparkle. They color the hat with bold markers and add a pom pom on the brim. This craft sits right at the intersection of science and holiday magic. Teachers love that it sneaks in a little learning. Kids love the chaotic, bubbly beard transformation.
Santa’s Jingle Bell Beard Shaker
Kids decorate the top half of a cardboard circle as Santa’s face. Below it, instead of drawing a beard, they punch holes and tie on strings of mini jingle bells. The bells hang like a curtain beard that sparkles and makes noise with every movement. The hat gets glitter trim and a soft cotton pom. When kids shake the craft, Santa becomes a musical instrument. Some kids add eyebrows that wiggle, which somehow makes the jingling funnier. This one is loud, festive, and impossible for kids to put down. It also makes a great classroom parade prop.
Santa’s Giant Button Beard Portrait
This Santa uses a large cardboard circle for the face, but the beard is made entirely out of mismatched white buttons. Kids glue them on in tight clusters so it looks dimensional and satisfyingly bumpy. They stack buttons on top of each other in some spots for extra fluff. The hat gets trimmed with felt and a pom pom the size of a golf ball. Kids add rosy cheeks with chalk, smudging them for a realistic blush. The finished craft looks unexpectedly fancy. Teachers usually end up hanging these in hallways because they’re too good to send home right away. Kids love digging through the button bin like treasure hunters.
Santa’s Balloon Belly Totter Craft
Kids draw Santa’s head and arms on cardstock, then tape them to the top of a red balloon. When the balloon is blown up, it becomes Santa’s huge round belly. They add a black paper belt and gold buckle right to the balloon. When the kids tap it, Santa wobbles back and forth like a Weeble toy. The whole thing sits inside a paper stand decorated like a snowy hill. Kids love making his belly wiggle while shouting “Jolly belly time.” It’s silly, quick, and great for groups.
Santa’s Glitter Trail Snow Slider
Kids glue a small plastic Santa figurine (or a flat cutout) onto a cardboard “sled” covered in aluminum foil. Then they create a snowy slide from a long sheet of poster board folded into a gentle slope. They draw glitter trails with glue so it shines like Santa is speeding across ice. When they place Santa at the top and let him go, he slides all the way down in a sparkly path. Kids race their Santas and adjust the slope to go faster. This craft combines engineering, decoration, and pure chaos. It becomes the centerpiece of any holiday craft day.
Holiday crafting always seems to bring out the best kind of chaos, and Santa projects have a way of getting every kid on board. These 12 ideas give you a mix of quick wins and slow, cozy moments, whether you’re wrangling a classroom or just trying to keep two siblings from arguing over glue sticks. Pick one, set out the supplies, and let the creative mess do its thing.
If you’re in the mood for even more festive inspiration, you can browse the rest of our Christmas crafts and holiday activity guides anytime. Wishing you a season filled with warm drinks, happy kids, and plenty of handmade magic.
