Some of the best holiday crafts come from things already sitting in your kitchen drawer. This sweet reindeer scene uses plain brown cupcake liners, a sheet of cardstock, and a few little fingertips dipped in white paint. The result? A trio of cheerful reindeer peeking into a snowy winter sky.
This project works well for preschoolers and early elementary kids. It’s simple enough for small hands and leaves plenty of room for creativity. The best part is the finger-painted snow. Kids love it, and no two snowfalls ever look the same.
Whether you’re crafting at the kitchen table, in a classroom, or at a holiday party, this one is sure to bring smiles.
Craft Supplies:
- 1 sheet of cardstock paper (gray or blue is great!)
- 3 brown cupcake liners (standard size)
- Glue stick or white school glue
- Black marker
- Red dot stickers
- Scissors
- White washable paint
- A paper plate or shallow dish for the paint
- Baby wipes or a damp paper towel for clean-up
- Optional: white paper snowflake cutouts or snowflake stickers
Quick tip: Cover your table with newspaper or a plastic tablecloth before you start. Finger painting is fun, but it can get a little messy!
Directions:
Step 1: Fold the Cupcake Liners
Flatten each brown cupcake liner, then fold it in half to make a half-circle. This shape becomes your reindeer’s head. Press along the fold so it stays put.
Little ones can do this part themselves. Show them how to line up the edges first, then smooth it down like they’re ironing it flat.
Step 2: Glue the Reindeer to the Paper
Lay your cardstock flat so it’s standing tall (vertical). Now place the reindeer heads along the edges so they look like they’re peeking into the picture:
- Glue one reindeer along the left edge, facing right.
- Glue two reindeer along the right edge, one near the top and one near the bottom, both facing left.
Put glue on the flat, folded side of each liner and press it against the paper. The rounded side should face up so there’s room for antlers.
Step 3: Draw the Antlers
Grab the black marker and draw two antlers above each reindeer. Start at the top curve of the liner and draw them reaching up onto the blue paper.
Antlers can be simple lines with a few branches, or as wild and twisty as your child likes. There’s no wrong way to draw a reindeer antler!
Step 4: Add the Eyes
Use the black marker to draw one dot on each reindeer for its eye. Place it a little in from the edge of the liner, near the top. This small detail brings each reindeer to life right away.
Step 5: Give Them Red Noses
Place one red dot sticker on each cupcake liner design. Just like Rudolph, these reindeer are ready to guide the way through the snow!
Step 6: Make It Snow!
Now for everyone’s favorite part. Pour a little white paint onto a paper plate. Have your child dip one fingertip into the paint, then gently press it onto the blue paper to make a dot.
Keep going all over the sky. Encourage kids to:
- Mix big dots and small dots (try a pinky for tiny flakes)
- Spread the snow all around the page
- Dot a little near the reindeer so they look like they’re out in a real snowstorm
Wipe fingers clean when the snow is done, and let the paint dry completely. At this point in time you can also add your snowflake stickers to really set the scene!
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This cupcake liner reindeer craft is a wonderful way to spend a winter afternoon together. It builds fine motor skills, sparks imagination, and gives kids something they’ll be proud to show off. Plus, those tiny fingerprint snowflakes capture just how small their hands were this holiday season.
So gather your supplies, put on some Christmas music, and let it snow! Happy crafting, my friends!
