Paper bag reindeer puppet for preschoolers

Age: 3+ · Time: 30 min · For: Ages 3–5 Ages 6–9

A plain brown paper bag becomes a cheerful reindeer puppet in half an hour. Your child's handprints are the antlers, the flap is the head, and once a hand goes inside, the reindeer starts talking.

It is a craft and a toy in one, perfect for a little Christmas puppet show for the family.

What your child does, where you help

Your child: chooses the nose, glues, draws the face and gives the reindeer a voice.
You: draw and cut the hands.

Variations

A whole herd: make one for every member of the family.
Snowman puppet: use a white bag with an orange paper nose and a scarf.

You need

a brown paper bag with a flat bottom, such as a paper lunch bag
a piece of brown cardstock or paper for the antlers
a pencil, and scissors for the grown-up
a circle of colored paper, a pompom or a ball of paper for the nose
a glue stick or white school glue
markers

Steps

Lay the bag flat with the folded bottom facing up. The flap is the reindeer's head; your child's hand goes inside to make it talk.
Draw around both of your child's hands on the brown cardstock. A grown-up cuts them out. These are the antlers.
Glue the hands to the back of the flap so the fingers stick up above the head.
Glue the nose at the bottom of the flap. A red nose is cheerful, but any color is fine.
Draw two eyes above the nose, or glue on googly eyes.
Add a smile under the flap so it shows when the mouth opens, and decorate the body with a scarf or a bell drawn on.