It’s finally December and we’re in full-blown Christmas celebration! If you’re looking for a quick and easy Christmas craft for your kids to make, this paper elf craft is perfect.
It’s simple enough to make with young children and it comes with a free printable template. Just download, cut, and get crafting!
And, if you need more ideas, check out all of our festive elf crafts for kids.
Watch our quick video tutorial below to see exactly how to make this craft with your kids or students!
How To Make A Paper Elf

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Supplies
- Colored cardstock or construction paper
- Scissors
- Glue
- 1 cm white pom poms
- 1″ white pom pom
- Crayons
- Elf template (enter your email in the form at the end of this post to have the link emailed to you)
Directions
Download the elf template, print, and cut out the pieces you need.

Begin to create the elf by gluing the hat to the top of his head.

Next, glue the eyes slightly above the mouth. Use the crayons to draw on the eyebrows and cheeks.


Finish off his face by gluing the 1 cm pom pom between his eyes to become the nose.

Glue the elf’s shirt to the bottom of the neck, then glue the shirt trim to the top of the shirt.


Position the mittens on each end of the elf’s arms and glue them in place.

Glue the pants to the back of the shirt, then finish off the shirt by gluing 2 small pom poms in the center.

Complete the hat by gluing the large pom pom to the tip of his hat!

Now you’re done! Isn’t this a sweet Christmas craft for kids?

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!
Christmas Fun For Kids
Don’t stop here! We’ve got tons more Christmas crafts and activities to keep the kids entertained and learning during break or for the whole month!
Christmas is a magical time of year, and one of the best ways to enjoy it is by reading holiday stories with your kids. Nothing could be more festive than gathering around the tree with your little ones and enjoying some holiday cheer. Reading Christmas stories is also a great way to spend time with your children and create lasting memories. So this holiday season, make sure to cozy up with your kids and enjoy some entertaining books. It’s sure to be a festive experience that you’ll all treasure for years to come.
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!
Kids’ Christmas Crafts
The Christmas season is the perfect time for kids to get crafty! There are so many fun and festive projects to choose from, and crafting is a great way to get into the holiday spirit. Plus, it’s a great way to keep little ones occupied while they wait for Santa to arrive.
Crafting is also a great way to encourage creativity and self-expression. Kids can let their imaginations run wild as they make unique gifts for friends and family. And who knows – they might even discover a hidden talent in the process! Try out some of these fun Christmas crafts:
Photo Gingerbread Man Paper Craft – This year, why not try something new and turn your child into a gingerbread boy or girl with this fun gingerbread craft? All you need are a few simple supplies and our free template.
Popsicle Stick Grinch Craft – The Whos down in Whoville sure love Christmas! They go all out with decorations, feasts, and singing. Even the Grinch couldn’t help but be impressed (although he did try to steal Christmas). If you’re looking for a fun way to be like the Whos look no further than this Grinch craft. It can easily be turned into an ornament to hang on the Christmas tree too!

Buddy The Elf Ornament Craft – This holiday season, bring some extra cheer to your home with this funny Buddy the Elf ornament craft for kids! This classic character from the hit movie Elf is sure to put a smile on everyone’s face, and he’s easy to make out of paper.
Elf On The Shelf Handprint Craft – Is your family getting ready for the holidays? If you have kids, then chances are they’re excited about their elf on the shelf. What better way to get them into the holiday spirit than by making this fun elf handprint craft? Not only is it a great activity to do together, but it’s also a lovely keepsake that you can cherish for years to come.
Christmas Activities For Kids
If you have a preschool or kindergarten child, you have to check out these fun Christmas do a dot printables. They’re not only cute, but they’re also great for children to work on fine motor skills, letter recognition, counting, and more!
These Christmas bingo printables are another hit with the kids and teachers love them too! Just download, print, and laminate (if you want to use them each year).

These Christmas pattern block mats are also another great activity for kids. They’re helpful for kids learning shapes, working on fine motor skills, and patterns.
Also, be sure to try out our Christmas I Spy printables! They’re great for counting and visual discrimination.

Christmas Fun
- Have Santa accidentally drop his sleigh driver’s license for some festive magic!
- These reindeer candy cane sleeves are a great small gift for the classroom or friends.
- Grab your kids one of these cute personalized drink tumblers.
Share With Us
Did you make this project with your kids or students? We’d love to feature them on our social media!
For a chance to have your child’s project 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!

Paper Elf Craft For Kids
Materials
- Colored cardstock or construction paper
- Scissors
- Glue
- 1 cm white pom poms
- 1 ” white pom pom
- Crayons
- Elf template
Instructions
- Download the elf template, print, and cut out the pieces you need.
- Begin to create the elf by gluing the hat to the top of his head.
- Next, glue the eyes slightly above the mouth. Use the crayons to draw on eyebrows and cheeks.
- Finish off his face by gluing the 1 cm pom pom between his eyes to become the nose.
- Glue the elf’s shirt to the bottom of the neck, then glue the shirt trim to the top of the shirt.
- Position the mittens on each end of the elf’s arms and glue in place.
- Glue the pants to the back of the shirt, then finish off the shirt by gluing 2 small pom poms in the center.
- Complete the hat by gluing the large pom pom to the tip of his hat!
Free Elf Template

Sam is the crafter and founder of Simple Everyday Mom. She has been featured in Oprah Mag, Good Housekeeping, The Spruce Crafts, Country Living, The Bump and more. Read more.
Sandra Clarke
Tuesday 3rd of December 2024
It was very easy for my three and four year old kids to make!! They loved it! Thanks for sharing.
Sam
Tuesday 3rd of December 2024
That’s awesome to hear! So glad the little ones had fun with it.
Ana
Monday 2nd of December 2024
I’ll be thankful if you share the template.
Sam
Monday 2nd of December 2024
Hi! All you need to do is enter your email in the form at the end of this post to have the confirmation link sent to you.
Ann
Thursday 28th of November 2024
Fab.looking forward to doing the elf with my grandchildren. Thank you
Sam
Friday 29th of November 2024
Thank you! Hope the little ones have fun with it!
Melissa
Saturday 2nd of November 2024
Adorable and perfect for my grade 3s
Sam
Monday 4th of November 2024
Oh, wonderful! Glad you can try it out!
Shweta
Monday 11th of December 2023
I'll be thankful if you share the template. :)
Sam
Tuesday 12th of December 2023
Of course! All you need to do is enter your email in the form at the end of this post to have the link sent to you. Once you've been confirmed as an email subscriber (by clicking the link in the first email), you simply enter your email in any of the forms and it'll automatically redirect you to the download page.