A Christmas Craft for Toddlers

Reindeer Handprint and Footprint Craft

'Tis the season for making cutesy crafts for relatives near and far.  Over the years, I have made many different Christmas projects with Avery and Grant. Those experiences, plus Avery's very wise preschool teachers, have taught me a few things about crafting with the very young.

Most importantly, I like kids' crafts to be about the experience.  This, as I learned from Avery's teachers, is called "process art."  It is art that focuses on the creative process rather than the end product.  I don't want to hand them an outline of a Christmas tree and some green paint.  There is no creativity or learning in that type of project.  I look for craft ideas that leave room for personality and freedom of expression.  I find that those are the projects that I, as a mom, tend to hang onto because they have value and meaning.  They tell me something about my child at that moment in time.  I throw out the coloring pages and assembly crafts that have no personality.  I keep the odd-looking scribbles that Avery explains in detail are her and Grant at the beach (and I write on the back what she told me).  And call me cheesy, but I am a sucker for hand print crafts.  Nothing can bring me to tears like the size and shape of those precious little paws.


However, I have noticed that my kids like to make things that looks like something.  They tend to get frustrated and bored by their own paint smears and scribbles after a while.  They want to paint a Christmas tree or Santa Claus, but they lack the ability.  So, I try to find or invent projects that strike a balance between a creative process and a pleasing outcome.

Also, because I craft with three kids around the age of 2, I try to find crafts that toddlers can do independently or with minimal help.  This is the hardest part.  At the very least, I want them to tell me where to put the eyes or the ornaments or the truck tires as I glue them on.  That reflects what they understand about the world, anyway. 

I had all this in mind today when I found the Reindeer Handprint and Footprint craft online. I did this with my three two-year-olds this morning.  It took about 20 minutes from start to finish, including singing Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer together twice.  We all had fun, and the final products are cute and full of personality and keepsake value.

Nate's reindeer

Grant's reindeer

Layla's reindeer

Step 1: Gather your supplies.  You will need brown and green construction paper; small amounts of white, black, and red paint; glue; scissors; and a pencil for tracing around hands and feet.  If you are smart, you will do this before you mention the words "art project" to your kids.  Mine were impatiently waiting while I scurried around and got the stuff ready.

Step 2: On brown paper, trace around both hands and one foot (don't detail the toes) of each child.  Cut these out.

I labeled the back of each print with the child's initial so I wouldn't mix them up if things got crazy.

Step 3: Give your child the piece of green construction paper and some white paint.  Ask him or her to finger paint a "snowstorm" on the paper.  If you child loves to finger paint, give them several pieces and let them go crazy with it.  If you have a child who doesn't like messy fingers, give them a paintbrush, a circle stamp, or even a used wine bottle cork to paint the snowstorm.  Choose your favorite for the reindeer's background.

Grant likes to finger paint.

Layla HATES messy hands. I should have given her a paintbrush!

Step 4: Glue the footprint and handprints on the page.  If you're feeling bold, allow your child to do this independently. For this craft, I helped because I wanted to create a keepsake that would be recognizable.

Step 5: Dip your child's index finger or thumb in black paint.  Help them place the two eyes.

Step 6:  Dip your child's index finger or thumb in red paint.  Help them place the nose.

Step 7:  Hang this cute little critter where your child can enjoy his or her own artwork all season long.  Make more than one and give them as gifts.  Merry Christmas!