Printable Accordion Paper Reindeer Craft

You can never have too many reindeer crafts in the build up to Christmas! Today we’re sharing an adorable Printable Accordion Paper Reindeer Craft that kids will love to make and play with.

This springy reindeer toy has a simple but cleverly folded body that makes it sturdy and allows it to stand up and be walked along by little hands. The accordion folds work a bit like a spring so the paper reindeer can be made to bounce up and down on their bottoms. Seriously so much fun and cuteness!

There’s a printable template which comes in two sizes so you can make big or little reindeer. All you need to do is trace around the template onto coloured cardstock, cut and stick.

Please note the reindeer in the photos are made from the small template. They also have the addition of wiggle eyes and pompom noses but the template comes with paper eyes and noses if you prefer.

(Post and template updated 1/7/20 There is a small charge.)

While you’re here why not peep at some of our other Christmas crafts too? We love Reindeer Hats, Flying Reindeer and Reindeer Christmas Cards.

Printable Accordion Paper Reindeer Craft Tutorial

Springy Accordion Reindeer Craft Supplies

Printable Accordion Paper Reindeer Craft Template
Thick Brown Paper or Card
Marker Pen
Glue
Scissors
Optional: Googly Eyes, Small Red Pom Poms

How To Make An Accordion Paper Reindeer Craft Toy

1 – Download and print the paper reindeer craft template.

2 – Trace around the reindeer craft template onto thick brown paper or cardstock. 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 face with a happy smile!

5 – To make this paper reindeer craft’s body and tail we use a double accordion fold. 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.

(If you are making the large reindeer, the template has 4 body pieces. You need to glue the ends together to make 2 long strips before starting step 5.)

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 – Fold the end of the legs over to make feet.

9 – Repeat the same process with the little strips of paper to make the reindeer’s tail and glue it into place.

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!