Footprint Reindeer

Make a silly reindeer using your footprint and handprints

Skill Level: Moderate

Time Needed: 1/2 hour

Age(s): 6 to 12

Appropriate For: Christmas

Supplies Needed:

Project Rating:

Trace one of your feet on a sheet of brown construction paper or felt.
Cut out the footprint.
Trace both of your hands on a sheet of light brown or yellow construction paper or felt.
Cut out the handprints.
Glue the handprints to the back of the footprint. Position the handprints so that they look like antlers. Glue the footprint and handprints to a piece of foam board.
Make a reindeer face on the footprint. Glue a pair of Jiggly Eyes in the center of the footprint. Glue on a pom pom for a nose and a construction paper mouth. Let the glue dry completely.
Hang up the reindeer for others to seet!

Teaching Tips:

Discuss the reindeer with your students. Explain to students that reindeer are medium-sized members of the deer family. They are also called caribou. Talk about a reindeer's physical appearance, diet, and habitat. Have students write the new facts that they learn on a note card.
Talk about the habitats of reindeer. Explain to students that reindeer are mostly found in cold, frozen climates. Introduce vocabulary words such as arctic, tundra, and plain. Have students locate countries where reindeer live on a classroom map or globe.
Encourage students to write letters to Santa Claus. Use the exercise to introduce proper letter writing skills. Have students address envelopes to Santa Claus, too. Talk with students about postage and the proper way to mail a letter through the postal service.
Encourage students to make other animals using their handprints or footprints. For example, a handprint makes an excellent turkey and a footprint makes an excellent bear. Allow students to be creative as possible in designing and creating their animals.