It’s that time of year when our minds turn to Christmas crafts isn’t it? I just adore the opportunities the festive holidays brings for all sorts of colourful and jolly arts and crafts for kids. This year we are kicking off the season with an adorable Dancing Newspaper Elf Craft. You can of course make this cheeky elf from ordinary paper or card but I LOVE the recycled element!

Not only does this Newspaper Dancing Elf Craft look super cute but you can play with it too and make it dance! It has long legs that are folded in a way that allows them to move freely as if the elf was dancing a jolly Christmas jig!

We’ve made a little video below so you can see the newspaper elf craft in action. I’m sure you’ll agree that it is totally adorable! There’s also a free printable template too so it’s super easy to make at home.

While you’re here why not bookmark our other Christmas Crafts? There lots to keep your kids creative all through the holidays. Here’s a few to whet your appetite. Just click on the photos to go straight to the instructions.

These colourful pom pom popsicle stick stars will look amazing hanging on your Christmas tree or as a bright and cheery bedroom or nursery display all year round. — Pom Pom Star Decorations

ADORABLE BURLAP REINDEER ORNAMENTS - a simple no-sew Christmas craft for kids. A lovely homemade reindeer decoration for the Christmas tree. — Rustic Burlap Reindeer

This easy gingerbread house recipe is great fun for the whole family. Forget the frustrations of 3D houses that fall down and make pretty 2D gingerbread houses instead. Just as pretty and delicious but without all the hassle! These cute gingerbread houses can be hung on the Christmas tree and given as gifts too. — Easy Gingerbread Houses

Cute PRINTABLE REINDEER ANTLERS to cut out and paint. — Free Printable Antler Headband

Now grab your newspaper and let’s get making those adorable elves!

Dancing Elf Newspaper Craft

Watch The Elf Craft Video

Supplies To Make A Dancing Newspaper Elf Craft

Dancing Elf Craft Printable (Get yours at the bottom of this post.)
Newspaper
Paint
1 Sheet of A4 Card
Small Jingle Bell (Optional)
Googly Eyes
Mini Red Pompoms
Marker Pen
Glue
Scissors

How To Make A Dancing Paper Elves

1 – Print out your Elf Craft Template. (Grab yours at the end of this post.)

2 – Paint some newspaper sheets. We used slightly watered down acrylic paint but watercolours would work well too. You can choose the colours you want for your elf craft. We painted a big sheet green for the body, hat and shoes, And a small sheet red for the trimmings and striped red for the elf’s legs.

3 – Cut out your elf craft template. You’ll see that each piece has instructions on saying how many to cut out of newspaper and tells you which colours we chose.

4 – Lay your elf craft template pieces onto the painted newspaper and draw around them and cut them out.

5 – To start building your dancing elf craft concertina the long leg pieces and glue them onto the bottom of your A4 piece of card. Then glue on the elf’s cute curly toes dancing shoes!

6 – Add some mini red pompoms to finish off your elf’s dancing shoes.

7 – Take your large newspaper triangle (which forms the elf’s body and hat in one) and concertina fold the top two thirds. Glue the flat bottom third onto the bottom of your card to join the elf’s legs.

8 – The concertina folds let you bend your elf’s hat to the side. Stretch and bend the elf hat to the top and side of your card and glue into place at the very top adding a jingle bell if you choose (Please be careful with small children as the bells could be a choking hazard.)

9 – Now glue on your elf’s face and ears. We only stuck the ears where they join the head so they stick out from the page a bit making the elf craft a little 3D.

10 – Glue on the red trimmings to your elf’s hat and neck and then give your elf a cheeky face. We used 2 googly eyes, a mini pompom for a nose and marker pen for the smile.

Now you can wiggle your newspaper elf craft from side to side and hear his bell jingle merrily and see those cute wibbly wobbly legs do a festive dance. How darn adorable!

Click Here For Your Dancing Elf Craft Printable Template

Looking for another elf idea? How about egg carton elves from crafty morning? They are so cute too!

Do you have a favourite Christmas craft to do with kids, perhaps something you remember fondly from when you were a child?? We love hearing from you, leave a comment below, come and chat on Facebook or sign up to our email updates.

Print the instructions below:

Newspaper Elf

Active Time 30 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Materials

Dancing Elf Craft Printable
Newspaper
Paint
1 Sheet of A4 Card
Small Jingle Bell (Optional)
Googly Eyes
Mini Red Pompoms
Marker Pen
Glue
Scissors

Instructions

Print out your Elf Craft Template.
Paint some newspaper. A big sheet green for the body, hat and shoes, and a small sheet red for the trimmings and striped red for the elf’s legs.
Cut out your elf craft template. You’ll see that each piece has instructions on saying how many to cut out of newspaper and tells you which colours we chose.
Lay your elf craft template pieces onto the painted newspaper and draw around them and cut them out.
Concertina the long leg pieces and glue them onto the bottom of your A4 piece of card. Then glue on the elf’s cute curly toes dancing shoes.
Add some mini red pompoms to finish off the shoes.
Take your large newspaper triangle (which forms the elf’s body and hat in one) and concertina fold the top two thirds. Glue the flat bottom third onto the bottom of your card to join the elf’s legs.
The concertina folds let you bend your elf’s hat to the side. Stretch and bend the elf hat to the top and side of your card and glue into place at the very top adding a jingle bell if you choose.
Glue on your elf’s face and ears.
Glue on the red trimmings to your elf’s hat and neck and then give your elf a cheeky face. We used 2 googly eyes, a mini pompom for a nose and marker pen for the smile.