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Elf On The Shelf Paper Bag Puppet [Free Template]

Does your family have a mischievous little elf on the shelf that appears each Christmas?

If so, we know your kids will have a blast recreating their elf with this elf on the shelf paper bag puppet craft!

They can play with it, make it do tricks, tell jokes and so much more.

Any kid will love this cute and festive craft, and we’ve got the step-by-step guide and free printable template to help you make it!

We hope your kids have as much fun with it as they do with their cute little elf on the shelf!

Also, be sure to check out all of our easy elf on the shelf crafts for even more ideas for Christmas!

Elf On The Shelf Craft Idea

elf on the shelf paper bag puppet craft image collage with the words elf on the shelf paper bag puppet

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Supplies

  • Brown paper bag
  • Colored cardstock or construction paper
  • Scissors
  • Glue stick
  • Elf template (enter your email in the form at the end of this post to have the link sent to you)

Directions

Download the elf template, print, and cut out the pieces you need.

hand holding elf on the shelf paper bag puppet craft template

Take the hair and glue it to the top of the head.

hand gluing hair to elf on the the shelf puppet craft

Next, glue the eyes just below the eyebrows, one on each side.

hand gluing eye to elf on the the shelf puppet craft

Glue the nose in between the eyes and just above the mouth.

Finish up the face by gluing the cheeks on each side of the mouth, underneath the eyes.

hand gluing cheek to elf on the the shelf puppet craft

Place the completed face on the flap portion of the brown paper bag and glue it in place.

hand gluing head to elf on the the shelf puppet craft

Begin to make the outfit by gluing the collar to the top of the body.

hand gluing collar to elf on the shelf puppet craft body

Take the completed outfit and glue it to the main portion of the brown paper bag, beneath the head. Trim off any excess brown paper bag that hangs below it.

hand gluing body to elf on the the shelf puppet craft

Make the hat by gluing the fluff to the bottom part of the hat. Cut off the excess paper from the sides.

hand gluing fluff to paper elf on the shelf hat

Finish the elf by gluing the hat to the top of the head!

hand gluing hat to elf on the the shelf puppet craft

That’s it! Now your child has a cute Christmas craft they’ll love showing off!!

Looking for some more fun Christmas activities to keep the kids busy? We’ve got you covered with this Christmas printables bundle! There are color by numbers, pattern block mats, do a dot printables, letters from Santa and so much more. No more hours of screen time – these activities will keep them engaged and happy!

elf on the shelf paper bag craft

Christmas Unit For Kids

Keep the fun and learning going by creating an entire Christmas unit study for kids! Below we’re sharing some of our favorite ideas to get you started.

First up are books! We always recommend starting a new unit by reading aloud to kids. It’s so beneficial for their development and is fun too!

Below are some of the top Christmas books to read to your kids!

Dasher: This wonderfully illustrated Christmas book for kids gives you the back story on one of Santa’s favorite reindeer, Dasher! Girls will especially love to read this since Dasher is a girl.

Construction Site On Christmas Night: Fans of the fun characters of the construction site books have to add this Christmas-themed story to their collection. See how the trucks get ready for Christmas!

How To Catch An Elf: Kids everywhere love the silliness of this Christmas story. The rhymes and the illustrations will draw the kids in as well. This is a Christmas book kids will want to read every year!

2 paper bag elf on the shelf crafts

Add in more crafts for even more practice with scissors, fine motor development, and creativity! Below we’ve listed some of our favorite projects:

Merry Christmas Headband Printable – This year, make things even more festive with this Christmas headband. This printable is the perfect way to add some holiday cheer to any of your kids’ outfits. Simply print out the template, color it in and then cut it out.

Popsicle Stick Grinch Craft – One way to get into the Christmas spirit is by making crafts, and there are few Christmas crafts more iconic than the Grinch. This year, try making a popsicle stick Grinch with your kids. It’s a fun activity that lets them paint, cut, and glue to create their own version of the Grinch.

Christmas crafts for kids image collage

Fingerprint Reindeer Card – These cards are the perfect way for kids to show their holiday spirit! Just grab some paint or a stamp pad and add your child’s fingerprints to the card. The reindeer heads will be created by their tiny fingerprints, while the rest of the card is Santa and his sleigh. These cards are sure to bring a smile to whoever receives them!

Buddy The Elf Ornament Craft For Kids – No Christmas is complete without a tree, and no tree is complete without Buddy the Elf. This year, bring the movie to life with this easy and fun Buddy the Elf ornament craft for kids. All you need is some paper, scissors, and a little bit of elf magic.

Christmas Activities For Kids

Help your child work on their letters, improve handwriting and gain fine motor skills with these free Grinch worksheets. It’s perfect for kids in preschool, pre-k, or kindergarten! Make sure you download the PDF to print it out at home or at school. These are also great if you’re looking for something fun to do while waiting on Santa to come down the chimney 😉

Christmas is coming and it’s time to get ready for some fun learning. These Christmas do a dot printables are so much fun – they help kids learn about letter recognition, counting, and visual discrimination. They’re perfect for preschoolers or kindergarten children who want more practice in these areas.

hand holding elf on the shelf paper bag craft

The holidays are right around the corner and we know kids will want to play this printable roll a reindeer game! It can help your little one learn how to take turns, count, and have fun doing it! It’s easy enough that even preschool and kindergarteners can enjoy playing during Christmas time!

This Christmas play dough kit is perfect to keep your little ones entertained with their favorite Christmas characters like Rudolph, Santa, the Abominable Snowman, and more. This sensory activity will have them exploring hands-on, all while having fun! The colors are great for this time of year and the set comes with everything you need for lots of festive fun!

Christmas Fun

Share With Us

Did you make this craft with your kids or students? We’d love to feature them on our social media!

For a chance to have your child’s craft featured, simply snap a picture of the completed project and post it to our Facebook page, email it to us directly by clicking here, or use #simpleeverydaymom on your social media!

More Christmas Ideas For Kids

2 paper bag elf on the shelf crafts

Elf On The Shelf Paper Bag Puppet

Prep Time: 12 minutes
Active Time: 16 minutes
Total Time: 28 minutes
Difficulty: Easy

This elf on the shelf paper bag puppet is a fun craft that will keep kids entertained and happy this holiday season!

Materials

  • Brown paper bag
  • Colored cardstock or construction paper
  • Scissors
  • Glue stick
  • Elf template

Instructions

  1. Download the elf template, print, and cut out the pieces you need.
  2. Take the hair and glue it to the top of the head.
  3. Next, glue the eyes just below the eyebrows, one on each side.
  4. Glue the nose in between the eyes and just above the mouth.
  5. Finish up the face by gluing the cheeks on each side of the mouth, underneath the eyes.
  6. Place the completed face on the flap portion of the brown paper bag and glue it in place.
  7. Begin to make the outfit by gluing the collar to the top of the body.
  8. Take the completed outfit and glue it to the main portion of the brown paper bag, beneath the head. Trim off any excess brown paper bag that hangs below it.
  9. Make the hat by gluing the fluff to the bottom part of the hat. Cut off the excess paper from the sides.
  10. Finish the elf by gluing the hat to the top of the head!

Did you make this craft?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Pinterest

Free Elf On The Shelf Template

Elf Template

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JODI GRAVERSON

Sunday 18th of December 2022

DARLING!

Sam

Tuesday 20th of December 2022

Oh, thank you!

Tyler Cudney

Thursday 15th of December 2022

Thank you!

Sam

Friday 16th of December 2022

No problem!

Christy Williams

Friday 9th of December 2022

Love It

Angela

Thursday 24th of November 2022

Cant wait! Thank you!

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