Santa Hand Puppet: DIY Santa Craft for Kids
- Jessie
- Dec 4, 2023
- 6 min read
Updated: Oct 18
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Get ready to spread some holiday cheer with this Santa Hand Puppet: DIY Santa Craft for Kids! This jolly Christmas craft is the perfect way to get kids into the holiday spirit while sparking their creativity. With just a few simple supplies like paper, glue, scissors, and crayons, children can create their very own Santa puppet that comes to life with every wave, “ho ho ho,” and merry smile. Whether you’re a teacher looking for a festive classroom project or a parent planning a fun holiday activity at home, this printable Santa hand puppet craft is sure to bring plenty of Christmas magic!
This Santa craft for kids is designed to be simple, fun, and mess-free—making it perfect for kids of all ages. Using the printable template, children can color Santa’s bright red suit, rosy cheeks, fluffy white beard, and iconic hat. Once cut and glued together, the puppet transforms into a cheerful Santa that kids can wear on their hands for hours of pretend play. It’s a great way to combine art, play, and holiday storytelling all in one joyful project!
Parents and teachers love this DIY Christmas paper craft because it’s low-prep, budget-friendly, and easy to make with just basic supplies. Simply print the Santa template on cardstock, color, cut, and glue—it’s that easy! The finished puppet makes an adorable decoration for the classroom or home, and it doubles as a fun prop for Christmas plays, storytime, or family skits. Kids will be thrilled to see their handmade Santa come to life as they sing carols or act out scenes from the North Pole!
The Santa Hand Puppet is also a wonderful way to encourage creativity and fine motor skill development during the holiday season. Kids can personalize their Santas by adding glitter to the hat, cotton balls for the beard, or even stickers and sequins for a little extra sparkle. Every Santa puppet turns out unique, making it a great craft for group projects where children can show off their own version of the big man in red. It’s a hands-on way to keep little ones entertained while building artistic confidence.
This project is perfect for classroom Christmas crafts, Sunday school lessons, or cozy family crafting nights at home. Once complete, the Santa Hand Puppet can be used for puppet shows, storytelling, or pretend play as kids join Santa on his Christmas Eve adventure. It’s also a fun way to introduce the spirit of giving, imagination, and kindness that make this time of year so special.
If your kids love this Santa craft, they’ll have a blast exploring all the other fun Christmas crafts for kids on the blog! You can make a magical Nutcracker Snow Globe, design your own Paper Stocking that actually holds small surprises, or try the festive Santa and Present Agamograph, where Santa magically transforms as you tilt the page. For even more holiday fun, check out the Crayon Resist Stockings Craft or the silly Santa Cootie Catcher, perfect for classroom games or family laughs. Each Christmas craft is designed to be easy, affordable, and full of festive joy for creative kids and families!
This DIY Santa Puppet Craft is more than just an art project—it’s a memory in the making. Kids will love bringing Santa to life through imaginative play, while parents and teachers will enjoy how easy it is to organize and clean up. Crafts like this create lasting moments of laughter and connection, reminding everyone that the best part of the holidays is spending time together.
So grab your art supplies, put on some Christmas music, and let the creativity begin! This Santa Hand Puppet Craft for Kids is an easy, festive, and magical way to celebrate the holiday season. It’s perfect for classrooms, parties, or at-home crafting—and when the puppets are finished, kids can use them to spread Christmas cheer all around.
As we've danced through previous crafting adventures, from the mischievous antics of our Reindeer Cootie Catchers to the festive cheer of our Gingerbread Scented Play Dough Recipe, each project has been a joyful celebration of creativity.
Now, let's embark on a new journey with the Santa Hand Puppet, where simple materials and a sprinkle of creativity come together to craft a ho-ho-whole lot of holiday fun! So, don your crafting cap, and let's spread some cheer with this jolly DIY Santa craft for kids.
Materials Needed:
Santa Puppet Template
White cardstock paper
Scissors
Glue
Markers or colored pencils
Print Santa Hand Puppet Template
To kick off your santa project, first download and print the template. Find directions at the end of this post for purchasing the template. For best results, I recommend printing the template on 8.5x11 white cardstock.
Let your child get creative! Use crayons, markers, or colored pencils to color the puppet. Classic red santa outfit is always cute, but rainbow outfits are totally welcome too!
Assembling Your Santa Hand Puppet:
Step 1: Cut
Using scissors, cut out each of the shapes.
Step 3: Fold on the Dotted Line!
Fold on all of the dotted lines. Start with the head by folding the mouth in half. You do this by aligning the glue tabs together and creasing down on the center of the mouth to get the fold. Then fold the the lips and four glue tabs on the dotted line. Last of all, fold all of the glue tabs on the two white strips.
Step 4: Glue the Legs, Hat and Arms
Carefully apply glue to the designated areas on the puppet template for the legs, hat, and arms. Align each piece precisely, ensuring a snug fit to bring your Santa Hand Puppet to life. Press down gently and let the magic unfold as the festive character takes shape.
Exercise patience and let the glue work its magic. Allow the puppet to rest undisturbed until the glue dries completely. This step is crucial for ensuring the stability of your Santa Hand Puppet before moving oto the next step.
Step 5: Assemble the Santa Hand Puppet
Glue the pieces together to bring your Santa Hand puppet to life. Start by Attaching the brains to the top of the head. Then glue the ears and arms on. Glue the legs to the bottom underneath the torso. Allow for the glue to completely dry before glueing the next pieces together.
Then glue the four glue tabs to the back of the mouth at the "jaw line". Flip it upside down and glue the two paper strips in an arch on the upper and lower part of the jaws. These strips of paper will make it so your hands stay in the puppet and gives you the ability to open and close the hand puppet's mouth.
Congratulations—your Santa Hand Puppet is now complete! 🎅✨ You’ve created your very own jolly Santa, ready to spread Christmas cheer wherever he goes. Once the glue is dry, slip your hand inside and bring him to life—make him wave, say “Ho Ho Ho,” or deliver pretend presents to friends and family. Display your Santa puppet as part of your holiday decorations, use him for a festive puppet show, or let him join your other Christmas crafts for some merry pretend play. However you use him, your DIY Santa Hand Puppet Craft is sure to make this holiday season extra joyful, creative, and full of Christmas magic!
How Do I Download the Santa Hand Puppet Template?
You can purchase the Santa Hand Puppet Template directly from Artsy Kids Zone. The template is available in in black and white (perfect for kids to color and customize. After purchase, you’ll receive an instant digital download—no waiting, no shipping costs. Simply download the PDF, print at home, and start crafting! By purchasing, you’ll not only enjoy this fun project, but you’ll also be supporting Artsy Kids Zone so we can continue creating more creative activities for kids.
***These printables are intended for personal and school use exclusively. Unauthorized copying, uploading, republishing, distributing or alteration of these files in any manner is strictly prohibited. If you plan to showcase these printables, please ensure to include a link back to artsykidszone.com.
If you loved making this Santa Hand Puppet Craft, be sure to stay and explore all of the other fun crafts for kids on the blog! There’s a world of creativity waiting to be discovered—from the frosty Salt Painting Yeti Craft, to adventurous Pirate Paper Masks, to magical Mermaid Clothespin Puppets and so many more! Each craft is designed to spark imagination, encourage creativity, and bring smiles to kids of all ages. Whether you’re looking for holiday projects, animal crafts, or everyday creative fun, you’ll find endless inspiration right here on Artsy Kids Zone!
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