Popsicle Stick Santa Craft for Kids
Capture the magic of Christmas with this adorable handprint Santa craft kids will love making.
This handprint Santa craft is a fun and festive project made with craft sticks for Santa’s hat and a child’s handprint for his fluffy beard.
Using simple supplies, this craft is easy for kids of all ages to enjoy.
Toddlers will love making the handprint beard, while preschool and elementary-aged kids can help assemble the craft and add Santa’s face.
Handprint crafts are always a favorite with parents and grandparents because they create meaningful keepsakes that show just how small little hands once were.
Handprint Santa Craft for Kids
- Christmas crafting at home: This is a perfect December activity for families who want to create a festive keepsake together.
- Preschool and classroom activities: Handprint Santa works well for classrooms and makes a cheerful holiday bulletin board display.
- Sunday school or church groups: This craft fits nicely into Christmas lessons and seasonal activities for young children.
- Keepsake gift making: Create this Santa as a thoughtful gift for parents, grandparents, or caregivers who will treasure the handprint beard.
- Holiday parties or playdates: This is an easy, fun craft to include during Christmas gatherings with kids.
Kids of all ages will enjoy making this handprint Santa craft. Toddlers enjoy the sensory fun of making handprints, preschoolers love assembling Santa’s hat and face, and older kids can personalize their Santa with extra details and decorations.
Handprint Christmas Craft Idea for Kids
- Christmas tree ornament: Add a hanging loop to turn Santa into a festive ornament for the tree.
- Refrigerator display: Attach a magnet to the back so Santa can be proudly displayed all season long.
- Classroom bulletin board: Use multiple Santas to create a bright and cheerful holiday display.
- Handmade Christmas gift: This craft makes a meaningful keepsake gift that families will love receiving year after year.
- Holiday decor: Display the finished Santa on shelves, mantels, or tables as part of your Christmas decorations.
This craft is simple to make but full of holiday charm. The craft stick hat gives Santa structure, while the handprint beard adds a personal, keepsake touch. It’s an easy Christmas craft that combines creativity with memory-making.
Tips and Variations for the Santa Craft
- Use white paint or paper for the handprint beard to create a fluffy look.
- Allow paint and glue to dry fully before assembling the craft.
- Add cotton balls or pom-poms for extra texture on the beard or hat.
- Write the child’s name and year on the back to turn the craft into a keepsake.
- Let kids decorate Santa’s hat with glitter or stickers for extra holiday fun.
How to Make a Handprint Santa
Now that you’re ready to make your handprint Santa craft, gather your supplies and follow along with the step-by-step instructions below. This tutorial makes it easy to guide kids through the process and ensures a festive finished Santa.
Materials:
- Jumbo Craft Sticks
- Wiggle Eyes
- Clear Glitter Glue
- Craft Glue or a Glue Gun and Glue Sticks
- Pom Poms, White and Red Tinsel
- Craft Paint – Red & Flesh tone color of your choice
- Cardstock – Green, Red, & White
- Scissors
- Paintbrush
- Pencil
- Black Marker
- Printed Pattern
Instructions:
To make Santa’s hat, create a triangle with three jumbo craft sticks on your work surface, and secure at the corners with glue.
TIP: We used a glue gun and glue sticks for this craft. If you prefer, you can use liquid craft glue for this project, but you will have to wait for it to dry.
Paint the hat with red craft paint. Let dry, and apply a second coat, if necessary.
Download, print, and cut out the Santa Claus patterns.
Trace the Santa hat pattern once onto red cardstock with a pencil.
Cut out the hat patterns with scissors.
Glue the triangle of red cardstock onto the back of the red craft stick triangle.
Attach white tinsel pom poms along the bottom edge of Santa’s hat with glue.
This will be the fur hat trim. Glue one large white tinsel pom pom to the top of Santa’s hat.
Trace your child’s hand three times onto white cardstock with a pencil. (You can use the hand from the printed pattern if necessary)
Cut out the handprints with scissors.
Attach the three hand prints to the bottom edge of Santa’s hat with glue.
Paint a scrap of white cardstock with flesh tone color of your choice craft paint. Let dry, and apply a second coat, if necessary.
Trace Santa’s face pattern onto the painted cardstock and the mustache onto white cardstock with a pencil.
Cut out the patterns with scissors.
Attach the face, the wiggle eyes, and then the mustache to Santa Claus with glue.
Decorate Santa’s beard and mustache with swirls and lines of clear glitter glue. Set aside to allow glitter glue to dry.
Trace two holly leaf patterns onto green cardstock with a pencil.
Cut out the holly leaf patterns with scissors. Outline the leaves with a black marker.
Glue three red tinsel pom poms together in a triangle shape. Glue the holly leaves to the bottom of the holly berries.
To finish, glue the holly berries and leaves to the trim on Santa’s hat.
This handprint Santa craft is a wonderful way to celebrate Christmas while creating a keepsake you’ll cherish for years. Whether made at home, in a classroom, or as a gift, it captures the joy of the season and the magic of little hands. It’s a Christmas craft you’ll love displaying year after year.
