DIY Santa Puppet from a Brown Paper Bag
Ah, the cozy, fun vibes of the holiday season! The jingles, the glittery decorations, and the joyous anticipation for Santa’s visit. But who says you need to wait until December 25th to have Santa around? With a simple brown paper bag, a bit of creativity, and sprinkle of holiday cheer, you can create a Santa puppet right in the comfort of your home! Busy moms, this craft is a delightful way to keep the little ones engaged and bubbling with festive spirit. Plus, it’s as easy as pie!
Having an easy craft project on hand for kids to do while you’re making dinner or cleaning up is a great distraction. This paper bag craft is also a great project for a daycare school classroom to do during the holiday season, or even the class party. You could also make this in conjunction with reading a holiday book, learning a new holiday song, or watching a holiday movie.
What Do I Need to Make Paper Bag Santa Puppets?
One of the great things about this craft is that you don’t need too many things to create your Santa puppet. Here’s a short list of supplies:
- Colored craft paper
- Pencil – to trace the template (you could cut all the pieces out in advance or copy them onto the colored paper to save the step of tracing templates)
- Craft glue
- Scissors
- Sharpie or gel pen
- Paper bag
If you want to add a little bit more flair to your Santa puppet, these supplies could be fun to use too:
- Googly eyes
- Cotton balls or white craft fur
Here are a couple of tips to help make the crafting process easier:
- Have multiple templates available (printed on a thick card stock) if you’ll be crafting with a group of kids.
- Same time tracing onto the paper and copy the templates onto the colored paper for kids to cut out.
- To make the craft go faster, you can provide the pieces already cut out for the kids to use on their crafts.
- If you’re crafting with a group of students, you can have each step of the process at a different station. Put the appropriate pieces, supplies, and directions at each station. This is also a great way for volunteers to help with crafting.
- For younger crafters, consider having them work in small groups of two to three kids with an older child or adult helping them make their Santa puppet to help alleviate frustration, mistakes, and accidents.
- Have some extra supplies on hand if someone accidentally cut something they shouldn’t or a piece gets misplaced or thrown out accidentally.
- This craft is a great take home craft. Give each child a paper bag with the pieces and instructions inside the bag so nothing gets lost.
- Be sure to have kids write their name on their puppet before crafting (in a place that won’t be covered up later) if you’re crafting with a group of children.
Step-by-Step Guide to Crafting Your Santa Puppet
Depending on the ages of the kids you’re crafting with, you can set out the instructions and let them work on this project or walk through each step with them. While it’s not a challenging craft to make, supervision and reminders will still be helpful for younger crafters.
Step 1: Trace and Cut Your Pieces
Select your colored construction paper for the Santa puppet to trace the templates on. The most common colors used are black, white, pink, yellow and red.
The template includes the following patterns: Santa’s head, Santa’s hat, the hat border, his beard, mustache, eyebrows, hat pompom, gloves, shoes, legs, sleeve border, belt, and belt buckle.
Trace the template patterns on the selected craft papers and cut out the traced pattern from the colored papers.
Step 2: Make Santa’s Arms and Legs
Use glue to attach the top of the shoe cutouts to the bottom of the leg cutouts. Then attach the glove border pieces to the glove base cutouts with the glue. Set the arm and leg pieces aside. They’ll be attached to the paper bag later.
Step 3: Make Santa’s Hat and Belt
Attach the hat border along the bottom side of the hat cutout with the glue and attach the pompom cutout (small round shape) on the top end of Santa’s hat. Next, attach the buckle to the belt cutout. Put the hat and belt aside so they can be attached to the paper bag later in the process.
Step 4: Assemble Santa’s Head
Attach the beard cutout on the bottom side of the head cutout using the glue and put Santa’s head aside to be added to the paper bag later.
Step 5: Make Santa’s Face
Now it’s time to attach the eyebrows and the mustache cutouts onto Santa’s head that has the beard on it.
Step 6: Add Santa’s Hat to His Head
Put the hat pattern on the top side of the head pattern with the beard and face on it. Use a pen, crayon, marker, or paint to draw the rest of Santa’s face onto the head cutout.
Step 7: Get Your Paper Bag Ready
Select a brown paper bag or you can make your own customized paper bag using brown paper or craft paper. Place the bag on the table with the opening of the bag facing the crafter and flap on the bottom of the bag facing up (the flap will become Santa’s “mouth”).
Step 8: Add Santa’s Clothes
Use a piece of paper to cut out Santa’s jacket. Then add the white border along the bottom side of Santa’s jacket and attach the legs you made earlier on the bottom side as well. Attach the assembled legs to the back of Santa’s jacket so that you can’t see the top of the legs using glue.
Step 9: Add Santa’s Body to the Paper Bag
Attach the prepared lower-body pattern of the Santa to the bag to cover the top side of the bottom half of the paper bag (the flat part of the bag facing up below the flap) with glue.
Step 10: Add Santa’s Arms to His Body
Now it’s time to add the arm patterns on both sides of the body paper with glue. Remember to glue the arms to the back side of Santa’s body so you can’t see the glued area.
Step 11: Add Santa’s Head to the Bag
Once the body, arms, legs, and belt are attached to the flat part of the paper bag, it’s time to add Santa’s head to the top of the flap. Carefully flatten the bottom part of the paper bag and attach Santa’s head using glue.
Let your Santa puppet rest so the glue can dry before he stars in your next puppet show. You can add cotton balls or faux fur to Santa’s beard and mustache to make them stand out and look even more lifelike. Adding it to the fluffy part of Santa’s suit, gloves, and hat can also give your puppet more character. Want Santa’s belt to look more realistic? Add a bit of glitter to his belt buckle.
Paper Bag Santa Puppets FAQs:
How to Make a Santa Bag Puppet out of Paper?
The steps above outline a simple yet fun way to create a Santa puppet with a brown paper bag. It’s a fuss-free activity with room for your own creative touches!
What Can I Make with Brown Paper Bags?
Besides Santa puppets, brown paper bags can morph into reindeer, snowmen, or even holiday lanterns with a bit of craft magic.
How Do You Make a Paper Bag Step by Step?
Crafting with paper bags often involves cutting, gluing, and decorating to morph them into whimsical creations. For detailed steps on making different items, cut different items out of colored construction paper and assemble as described above.
How Do You Make a Brown Paper Bag Reindeer?
Similar to the Santa puppet, a brown paper bag can easily transform into a cute reindeer with some additional brown construction paper for antlers, black markers for facial features, and a red pom-pom for the shiny nose.
Suggestions for Making Your Crafting Experience Easier
Crafting with young children can be a joyful and enriching experience. Here are some tips to make the process smooth, enjoyable, and safe:
Preparation is Key:
- Have all materials ready and within reach before you start.
- Choose a crafting spot that’s easy to clean up like a kitchen table or a floor with a washable mat.
Age-appropriate Crafts:
- Select crafts that are suitable for the child’s age and skill level to keep frustration at bay.
- For younger kids, simple projects with larger, easy-to-handle materials are ideal.
Safety First:
- Always supervise children, especially when using items like scissors, glue, or small objects that could be a choking hazard.
- Opt for child-safe materials and tools whenever possible.
Embrace the Mess:
- Crafting can get messy, and that’s part of the fun!
- Keep cleaning supplies handy for quick cleanups.
Encourage Creativity and Expression:
- Let kids explore and express themselves creatively, even if the final product strays from the original plan.
- Compliment their effort and creativity rather than focusing on the perfection of the end result.
Learning Through Crafting:
- Incorporate learning elements such as colors, shapes, and textures.
- Discuss the process, ask questions, and encourage observation and discussion.
Be Patient:
- Children may need time to understand instructions or complete tasks.
- Offer help when needed but allow them the satisfaction of completing steps on their own.
Make it a Group Activity:
- Crafting can be a social activity that fosters teamwork and shared experiences.
- Invite siblings or friends to join in and share the creative process.
Documentation:
- Take photos or videos to document the crafting process and the final creations.
- It’s a great way for both you and the kids to see the progress and reminisce about the fun times later.
Enjoy the Process:
- The goal is to have fun, learn, and spend quality time together.
- Cherish the moments of laughter, discovery, and shared creativity.
- With these tips in mind, you’re well on your way to creating memorable crafting adventures with the young ones!
What Can I Do with My Paper Bag Santa Puppet?
Playing with paper bag puppets like this Santa puppet can be a whimsical and educational experience for young children. Here are some tips to make the playtime enjoyable and enriching:
Narrative Play:
- Encourage children to create a little story or scenario involving Santa. This can help in enhancing their imaginative and narrative skills.
Voice Modulation:
- Teach kids to modulate their voices to mimic Santa’s jovial and hearty tone. This can be a fun way to explore vocal expressions.
Character Interaction:
- If you have other puppets, have them interact with the Santa puppet. It could be a dialogue between Santa and a reindeer or an elf. This way, children can learn about social interactions and dialogues in a playful setting.
Musical Adventure:
- Incorporate holiday songs and music into the puppet play. Have kids sing along with the puppet to their favorite holiday tunes.
Creative Expression:
- Encourage children to add their unique touches to the puppet, like drawing on the paper bag or adding additional decorations to Santa’s attire.
Role Play:
- Engage in role play where the child takes on the persona of Santa while maneuvering the puppet. This can be a whimsical way to explore different characters and scenarios.
Movement and Dance:
- Incorporate movement and dance into the puppet play. Have Santa dance around to holiday music, which can also help improve kids’ motor skills.
Teaching Moments:
- Use Santa puppet to teach kids about the spirit of giving and the essence of Christmas in a light-hearted and engaging manner.
Family Involvement:
- Make it a family affair by having other family members join in with their own puppets. This can help foster a sense of community and shared joy.
Record the Play:
- Record the puppet play sessions. They not only serve as beautiful memories but also provide an opportunity for children to watch and learn from their performances.
Feedback and Praise:
- Offer positive feedback and praise to boost their confidence and encourage their creative efforts.
Keep it Fun:
The primary aim is to keep the experience fun and enjoyable. So, go along with the flow, laugh, and create beautiful memories together!
These tips should help foster a playful and educative environment where young kids can explore their creativity, learn, and most importantly, have fun with their Santa puppet.
With a pinch of patience and a dollop of creativity, crafting a Santa puppet from a brown paper bag can turn into a new traditional holiday activity. It’s about the laughter, the family bonding, and the joy of creating something together. So, roll up your sleeves, summon your inner elves, and let the holiday crafting begin!
