Get creative this holiday season with an adorable egg carton Santa puppet craft! These recycled finger puppets are a fun and eco-friendly Christmas craft idea for kids, as well as an excellent way to reuse empty egg cartons.
The pyramid shapes from an egg carton are the perfect size for crafting cute Christmas characters that fit right on your fingers. With just a bit of paint, glue, and imagination, kids can bring Santa, reindeer, angels, and penguins to life. You can even turn them into Christmas tree ornaments!
This upcycled Christmas craft is simple, sustainable, and full of festive fun, perfect for classrooms, holiday parties, or cozy afternoons at home.
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DIY Santa puppet for kids
Why You’ll Love This Egg Carton Santa Craft
- Eco-friendly: teaches kids about recycling and reusing materials.
- Low-prep: uses supplies you already have at home.
- Engaging for all ages: fun for preschoolers through early elementary.
- Versatile: turn them into finger puppets or ornaments.
- Perfect for groups: great classroom or holiday activity.
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- Egg carton Santa Puppet
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- Colorful Santa finger puppets
Materials Needed for Egg Carton Santa Puppets
You only need a few basic supplies:
- Egg carton box or seed trays
- Acrylic or tempera paint (we used Amsterdam Acrylics)
- Round cotton pads for Santa’s beard
- Small pink-brown bead for the nose (optional)
- Googly eyes (optional)
- Small white pom-pom for Santa’s hat (optional)
- White strip of felt or cotton fabric
- Skin-colored paper or cardstock
- Scissors
- Glue
Egg Carton Christmas Puppets: deer, Santa, penguin, Angel
Recycled egg carton puppets
How to Make Recycled Egg Carton Santa Finger Puppets
Step 1: Cut Out Your Egg Carton Shapes
Gather your materials and cut out the pyramid sections from your egg carton (see picture B above). Trim the bottoms so each piece sits neatly on your finger.
Step 2: Paint Your Puppets
Paint the egg carton pieces in festive colors. We made Santas in red, blue, green, pink, and yellow, but feel free to mix it up! You can use a sponge for smooth coverage and let them dry completely. We used acrylic paint for perfect coverage, but washable kids’ paint works well on an egg carton too.
Cut Santa’s beard from a cotton pad
Step 3: Create Santa’s Beard
Cut a regular cotton pad into a crescent shape for Santa’s beard. Gently pull apart the top layer of cotton to make it fluffy. Glue the beard around the base of the egg carton cone.
Step 4: Add Santa’s Face
Cut a small circle from skin-colored paper for the face, trimming a straight line across the top for the hat. Glue it onto the cone above the beard. See images G and H below for reference.
Christmas Puppets for Kids
Step 5: Add Eyes and Nose
Glue on two googly eyes and a tiny pink or brown bead for the nose. If you don’t have these, simply draw them with a black marker or fine liner. See images I, J, K for reference!
Step 6: Make Santa’s Hat
Cut a narrow strip of white felt or cotton to form the hat border and glue it around the top of your cone. Then add a tiny white pom-pom on top for the finishing touch. See image I above.
Egg carton Santa craft Christmas
Step 7: Play and Display
Your egg carton Santa puppet is ready! Slip it onto your finger and start a Christmas puppet show. You can create matching characters, a reindeer, a penguin, or an angel to go along with your Santa. See images below for inspiration!
For an extra festive touch, attach a loop of string to the top and turn your Santa into a Christmas ornament.
Crafting Tips
- For younger kids, pre-cut the egg carton pieces in advance.
- If you want a cleaner finish, paint two coats and let each dry thoroughly.
- Use eco-friendly paints or natural dyes for a sustainable twist.
- Encourage kids to design their own holiday characters!
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- Recycled Egg Carton Christmas
Educational Benefits
This project encourages fine motor skills, creative thinking, and environmental awareness. Children learn how to reuse materials while expressing their imagination through color and design, all while celebrating the joy of the Christmas season.
Final Thoughts
This eco-friendly egg carton Santa puppet craft is a simple yet delightful way to celebrate Christmas creatively. With just a few recycled materials, kids can make their own colorful puppets or ornaments while learning about sustainability.
So grab an egg carton, some paint, and your imagination and let the holiday crafting fun begin!
29 Fun Christmas Crafts For Kids!
More Fun Christmas Crafts
Looking for even more festive craft ideas? Discover our 29 fun and easy Christmas crafts for kids, filled with creative projects for all ages.
Or explore our other favorites:
- Beautiful Paper Angel Ornaments
- Upcycled Volkswagen Vans with a Christmas Twist
Want ready-to-print crafts that save prep time? Check out our BIG Christmas Craft Printable Bundle, complete with templates, coloring pages, and easy craft projects for kids ages 5–8. Everything is low-prep and ready to go. Just print, cut, and start creating. See the graphic below with a sneak peek of the craft activities!
Find it now on Teachers Pay Teachers or in our Etsy Craft Printables Shop and bring more magic to your holiday crafting.
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