Oh my, you guys have enjoyed our reindeer crafts so much we just had to add another to our collection! Today we’ve got an adorable Printable Accordion Paper Reindeer Craft that the kids can actually play with too. This homemade paper reindeer toy has a simple but cleverly folded body that makes it nice and strong and allows it to stand up and be walked along by little hands. The accordion folds also work a bit like a spring so the paper reindeer can be made to boing and bounce up and down on their bottoms. Seriously so much fun and cuteness!
There’s a FREE PRINTABLE TEMPLATE and full instructions below and you can also see this printable reindeer craft in action in a short video too. I’m sure you’ll agree it is super adorable!
While you’re here why not bookmark our Christmas crafts to come back to later too? And here are a few more of our Free Christmas Printables too. Just click on the photos to go to each printable craft idea.
Printable Accordion Paper Reindeer Craft Tutorial
Paper Accordion Reindeer Toy Supplies
- Printable Accordion Paper Reindeer Craft Template (Click the download link at the bottom of this post.)
- Thick Brown Paper or Card
- Googly Eyes
- Small Red Pom Poms
- Marker Pen
- Glue
How To Make An Accordion Paper Reindeer Craft Toy
Watch the paper reindeer video below and scroll down for written instructions.
1 – Download and print the free paper reindeer craft template (Grab it at the bottom of this post.)
2 – Trace around the reindeer craft template onto thick brown paper or thin card. We chose different shades of brown.
3 – Glue the ears and antlers onto the back of the reindeer’s head.
4 – Flip the reindeer’s head over and glue on some googly eyes and a red pompom nose. Finish off your reindeer toy’s face with a winning smile!
5 – To make this paper reindeer craft’s body and tail we use what I call a double accordion fold. There may be a proper word for it but I’m afraid I don’t know it if there is! It looks a bit tricky but honestly it is super simple and a great craft technique that I’m sure you and the kids will find lots of uses for.
A – Glue the two ends of your long body strips perpendicular to each other.
B – Fold the lower strip over the top of the upper strip.
C – The upper strip is now the lower strip so fold that over the upper strip.
D – keep folding the strips over each other until you have used up the length of the paper.
6 – When you’ve made your reindeer’s body out of the double accordion fold glue the two ends together and snip off any excess. You’ll see that it is now a sort of spring that you can push flat or stretch out.
7 – Glue the accordion folded reindeer’s body between the two pairs of reindeer legs.
8 – Repeat the same process with the little strips of paper to make the reindeer’s tail and glue it into place. Fold over your reindeer’s legs a little at the end to make reindeer hooves for it to stand on.
9 – Glue on the head and your Printable Accordion Paper Reindeer Craft is ready for playing with. We like to sit ours on their bottoms, squash them flat and watch them boing back to shape. So fun!
Why not make a whole herd of reindeer in different shades of brown?
Click here to get your Free Printable Accordion Paper Reindeer Craft Template Emailed Straight To You
Let us know how you get on with your Christmas reindeer craft. We love hearing from you, leave a comment below, come and chat on Facebook or sign up to our email updates.
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