Reindeer Christmas Cards – An Adorable & Easy DIY Craft for Kids

There’s something extra magical about handmade Christmas cards—especially when they’re shaped like sweet little reindeer! These DIY Reindeer Christmas Cards are simple, festive, kid-approved, and adorable enough to send to grandparents, teachers, neighbors, or tuck into a gift bag. With just a few sheets of cardstock, some scissors, and glue, you can turn a simple triangle into the cutest little reindeer face with antlers, bright eyes, and of course—a big red Rudolph nose.

This craft works perfectly as a holiday classroom project, a family December weekend activity, a handmade addition to your annual Christmas cards, or even an easy idea for holiday parties. Kids love the interactive steps—folding the reindeer’s forehead flap, choosing between googly eyes or hand-drawn versions, and sticking on the bright red nose.

In this guide, you’ll find a detailed breakdown of materials, kid-friendly instructions, tips for success, and creative ideas for customizing your reindeer cards. Whether you’re a seasoned DIY parent or a beginner crafter, you’ll be able to whip up a whole herd of reindeer in no time.

Why Handmade Reindeer Cards Make the Holidays Extra Special

There’s a reason handmade Christmas cards never go out of style. They bring warmth, personality, and a touch of whimsy that store-bought cards simply can’t match. Kids especially love seeing their creations displayed on the mantle or mailed to someone special.

These Reindeer Christmas Cards are:

Budget-friendly: Cardstock, glue, and googly eyes are all inexpensive craft supplies.
Perfect for large groups: You can easily make 20 cards at a time for classrooms, clubs, or Sunday school events.
Beginner-friendly: Even young children can participate with just a tiny bit of help with scissors.
Completely customizable: Go traditional, glam, silly, or rustic depending on your theme.
Interactive: With folding, gluing, and layering paper, kids stay engaged from start to finish.

They’re also great teaching tools for simple shapes—triangles for the face, rectangles for the card base, and natural organic shapes for the antlers. Everything comes together beautifully in just a few steps.

Materials You Will Need

To make your Reindeer Christmas Cards, gather the following supplies:

Green and red cardstock (for the card base)
2 brown cardstocks (for the reindeer face triangle)
Dark brown cardstock (for the antlers)
White paper or googly eyes
Red paper circle or red pompon (for the nose)
Scissors
Glue

A quick note: Kids love texture, so if you have felt or foam pompons, they add a cozy 3D look to the reindeer’s nose.

How to Make Reindeer Christmas Cards – Step-by-Step Instructions

These reindeer cards look impressive, but they come together quickly once you get the hang of it. Here is a detailed explanation of each step, including kid-friendly tips and suggestions to make the craft smooth and fun.

Step 1: Fold the Green and Red Cardstocks to Make a Card

Begin by creating your card base.

Use either green or red cardstock to make traditional Christmas-colored cards.
Fold each sheet in half to create a sturdy rectangular card.

If you’re making cards with younger children, you can pre-fold the card bases so they can focus on decorating.

Tip:
Have kids sign the inside of the card before decorating—this helps avoid smudging or bending your finished design later.

Step 2: Cut Two Triangles from Brown Cardstock

Your reindeer’s face starts with two simple triangles.

Cut two identical triangles from brown cardstock.
These will form the main reindeer head shape once glued together.

The triangle shape is part of what makes this craft so simple—kids get to see how a basic geometric shape turns into a recognizable character.

Optional:
Use lighter and darker shades of brown for visual contrast.

Step 3: Glue the Triangle Onto the Card, Point Up

Place one triangle in the center of the card with the point facing up—this forms the reindeer’s chin at the bottom and the forehead at the top.

Glue it down securely.

This is the moment the card starts to look like a reindeer body or face, so kids get really excited!

Step 4: Fold the Top Tip of the Triangle Down to Make the Forehead Flap

This step adds a fun interactive detail to the craft.

Gently fold down the top tip of the triangle.
This creates a cute little “forehead flap” that overlaps some of the reindeer’s face.

The flap adds dimension and helps frame the reindeer’s eyes, giving the card a sweet 3D effect.

Kids especially love this step because the folding transforms the flat triangle into something recognizable.

Step 5: Cut Four Antlers from Dark Brown Cardstock and Glue Them Above the Head

What’s a reindeer without beautiful antlers?

Cut four simple antler shapes from dark brown cardstock.
Glue two behind each side of the reindeer’s head.

You can make the antlers as simple or elaborate as you want—wide, narrow, curvy, branchy, or cartoonish.

Kid Tip:
Pre-cut antlers for younger children, or draw antler templates they can trace and cut themselves.

Design tip:
Layering multiple antlers on each side gives your reindeer a fuller, more magical look.

Step 6: Add the Eyes Under the Folded Flap

Next, add the reindeer’s eyes.

You can:

Glue on googly eyes for a silly, kid-friendly look, or
Cut out small white circles and tiny black circles for a more rustic handmade style.

Place the eyes just under the folded flap so they peek out adorably. Kids love adjusting the googly eyes to create their reindeer’s “expression”—surprised, sleepy, excited, or silly.

Step 7: Glue a Red Circle or Pompon at the Bottom Point for the Nose

Now for the best part: the Rudolph nose!

Cut a red paper circle
OR
Glue on a red pompon for a fluffy nose

Place it at the bottom point of the triangle so it completes the reindeer face.

Instantly recognizable and oh-so-cute.

If you use a pompon nose, it pops off the card in the cutest way, making the card more tactile and visually charming.

Step 8: Let Everything Dry

Let the glue set fully before handling or stacking your cards. If you’re crafting with a classroom or group, place the finished cards somewhere safe so they can dry flat.

This is a great moment to talk about where kids want to send or gift their reindeer cards—grandparents, friends, teachers, or maybe Santa!

Creative Variations to Try

Once you’ve made a few reindeer cards, you’ll get excited about trying different styles. Here are some fun variations to inspire your crafting:

1. Add a Festive Scarf

Cut a tiny strip of patterned scrapbook paper or plaid cardstock to create a scarf under the reindeer’s face. Add two little “tails” of the scarf for extra charm.

2. Glitter Antlers or Glitter Nose

A little sparkle goes a long way. Brush glue onto the antlers and sprinkle fine glitter for a magical touch. Kids also love glitter glue as a no-mess alternative.

3. Use Brown Felt Instead of Cardstock

Want a soft, textured look? Swap out the triangle face for felt pieces. The felt contrasts beautifully with the cardstock card base.

4. Draw Eyelashes or Eyebrows

Personalize each reindeer by drawing:

Long eyelashes
Curved eyebrows
Little freckles

Kids love making their reindeer “happy,” “sleepy,” or “surprised.”

5. Turn It into a Gift Tag

Scale down the triangle shape and glue it onto a small folded piece of cardstock for an adorable gift-tag version of your reindeer.

Perfect for Christmas presents or teacher gifts.

6. Add Background Decorations

Decorate the card around the reindeer with:

Snowflakes
Stars
Christmas lights
Holly leaves
Gold foil accents

Stickers work great for this step, especially with younger kids.

7. Use Photos for the Face

Print a child’s face and glue it where the brown triangle goes for a funny, personalized version! These are always a hit with grandparents.

Tips for Crafting with Kids

Crafting is most fun when the process is as smooth as the final project. Here are some tips to help the activity go well with kids of all ages:

Prep Ahead for Large Groups

If you’re doing this craft in a classroom or holiday party setting, pre-cut the following:

Cards
Triangles
Antlers
Noses

Kids can assemble everything quickly without waiting for scissors or templates.

Use Glue Sticks for Younger Kids

Liquid glue can oversaturate paper and cause wrinkling. Glue sticks keep everything cleaner and dry faster.

Create a “Sample Reindeer” to Display

Kids work more confidently when they can see an example. Hold up a finished card or place it in the center of the table.

Make a Reindeer Crafting Station

Set up stations for kids to rotate through:

Triangle cutting (or selecting)
Antler gluing
Eye placement
Nose sticking
Decoration station

Kids love the independence this gives them.

Let Them Personalize Everything

Even with the same materials, no two reindeer will look alike—and that’s the best part! Encourage kids to mix up colors, shapes, and expressions.

What to Write Inside Your Reindeer Christmas Card

Here are some cute messages perfect for the inside of your handmade cards:

“Wishing you a holly jolly Christmas!”
“Rudolph and I hope your holidays are merry & bright!”
“Sending reindeer hugs and Christmas cheer!”
“You’re on the NICE list this year!”
“Merry Christmas from our herd to yours!”

Let kids sign their names big and bold—they’ll be proud of their handmade creations.

Why Kids Love This Craft

Children are naturally drawn to animal crafts, bright colors, and characters from classic Christmas stories. Creating a reindeer taps into everything they love:

Rudolph from holiday movies
The satisfying red nose
Cute googly eyes
The fun shape transformation
Personalizing each reindeer

This craft encourages creativity, fine motor skills, and imagination—all while creating a keepsake parents and grandparents will treasure.

Make It a Family Tradition

These Reindeer Christmas Cards are so simple and festive that they can easily become part of your family’s holiday traditions. Every year, you can:

Try new antler designs
Use different shades of brown
Add glitter, bows, or buttons
Make new versions as your kids grow
Create a “family photo” reindeer herd to mail out

It’s a lovely way to capture your kids’ creativity year after year.

Final Thoughts

If you’re looking for a Christmas craft that is cute, easy, affordable, and perfect for kids, these Reindeer Christmas Cards belong at the top of your holiday project list. They blend classic holiday imagery with creative hands-on crafting, giving children the joy of making something meaningful and festive.

Whether you create one reindeer or an entire herd, these sweet handmade cards will bring warm smiles to everyone who receives them. Grab your scissors, cardstock, and pompons—and get crafting!