This cute coffee filter reindeer is the perfect Christmas craft for kids. It’s easy to make, uses common craft supplies, and only takes 20-30 minutes plus drying time.
I love how these coffee filter reindeer make the perfect addition to your Christmas tree!
Looking for more Christmas coffee filter crafts?
Check out our Coffee Filter Christmas Wreath, Coffee Filter Angels, Coffee Filter Poinsettia, Coffee Filter Santa, and Coffee Filter Holly.
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Christmas Reindeer Coffee Filter Craft
Aren’t these coffee filter reindeer adorable? With the red pom pom nose, they look like Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer!
They make a great holiday craft project to make at home as a family or at school for a simple holiday art center.
Preschoolers and kindergartners will practice fine gross motor skills as they color the coffee filters and paint the clothespin antlers.
Grade schoolers can practice measuring pipe cleaners and cutting with scissors.
Children will love spraying these coffee filters with water and watching the colors blend too.
You can use these reindeer faces to decorate gift bags or string them together to create a reindeer banner decoration.
They can also be placed on your Christmas tree or made into an ornament by attaching a loop of ribbon to the back.
To mix things up a bit and give your reindeer a little variety, try black and brown pom pom ball noses.
Coffee Filter Reindeer Craft Supplies:
- Wooden Spring Clothespins
- Round White Coffee Filters
- Assorted Googly Eyes
- Washable Markers – Browns and Yellows
- Brown Acrylic Craft Paint
- Assorted Red Pom Pom Balls (brown and black also work)
- Brown Pipe Cleaners
- Tacky Craft Glue
- Paintbrush
- Scissors
- Water Spray Bottle (for color blending)
- Paper Plate (optional)
- Scrap of Cardboard (optional)
- Glue Dots (optional)
How to Make Holiday Coffee Filter Reindeer:
Start by flattening out the round coffee filters. Draw on them with brown washable markers in a variety of patterns or simply lightly color the entire area.
You can use just one color brown or use different shades of brown. For a lighter fur color, try mixing in a little bit of yellow marker as well.
Place the colored coffee filter on a paper plate, craft mat or large zipper baggie and spray with water. Have fun watching the magic of the colors move and blend!
Set aside to dry. The drying time will vary depending on the amount of water used and humidity.
While the coffee filters are drying, it’s time to paint the clothespins.
Use a scrap of cardboard to clip the clothespins onto for easier painting. Paint all sides of the clothespins with brown craft paint and a paintbrush.
You will need 2 clothespins per reindeer. Set aside to dry.
Fold your dried coffee filter in half and then in half again until the bottom forms a pointed tip.
If making a smaller reindeer, now is the time to cut off the top 1 inch edge of the filter.
Cut brown pipe cleaner into two 3 inch pieces. Attach the 3 inch pipe cleaners to each dried clothespin by wrapping it around and twisting them into place.
For the smaller reindeer head, use two 2 inch pipe cleaner sections.
Clip both of the clothespins onto your folded coffee filter.
Glue on the wiggly googly eyes. Or simply use peel and stick eyes.
Now it’s time to add the reindeer’s nose! Use glue or glue dot to add red pom pom to the bottom tip of the folded coffee filter.
Additional Tips for Making Coffee Filter Reindeer Faces:
If you are making a smaller reindeer, use small 1.5 inch clothespins instead of your standard 3 inch clothespins. This will keep the proportions, otherwise the antlers may look too large with the smaller reindeer face.
Glue dots can be used instead of school or tacky craft glue. It’s a nice option that eliminates glue drying time and is less messy. Another option is to use a low temp hot glue gun.
If you do not have brown paint on hand or would prefer not to paint, you can also color the clothespins with brown markers.
Did you make this project with your kids or students? We’d love to see it! Take a picture of it, then join our private Facebook group and show us in there.
More Christmas Crafts:
- Clay Pot Reindeer Ornament
- Clay Pot Christmas Tree Ornament
- Christmas Tree Cones Edible Craft
- Homemade Gingerbread Scented Playdough
- DIY Christmas Ornaments
- Christmas Tree Crafts for Kids
- Homemade Ornament Christmas Card
Coffee Filter Reindeer
Make adorable Christmas decorations with this easy Coffee Filter Reindeer craft for kids.
Materials
- Wooden Spring Clothespins
- Round White Coffee Filters
- Assorted Googly Eyes
- Washable Markers – Browns
- Brown Acrylic Craft Paint
- Assorted Red Pom Pom Balls
- Brown Pipe Cleaners
Tools
- Glue
- Paintbrush
- Scissors
- Water Spray Bottle (for color blending)
- Paper Plate (optional)
- Scrap of Cardboard (optional)
- Glue Dots (optional)
Instructions
- Start by flattening out the round coffee filters. Draw on them with brown washable markers in a variety of patterns or simply lightly color the entire area.
- You can use just one color brown or use different shades of brown. For a lighter fur color, try mixing in a little bit of yellow marker as well.
- Place the colored coffee filter on a paper plate, craft mat or large zipper baggie and spray with water. Have fun watching the magic of the colors move and blend!
- Set aside to dry. The drying time will vary depending on the amount of water used and humidity.
- While the coffee filters are drying, it's time to paint the clothespins.
- Use a scrap of cardboard to clip the clothespins onto for easier painting. Paint all sides of the clothespins with brown craft paint and a paintbrush. You will need 2 per reindeer. Set aside to dry.
- Fold your dried coffee filter in half and then in half again until the bottom forms a pointed tip.
- If making a smaller reindeer, now is the time to cut off the top 1 inch edge of the filter.
- Cut brown pipe cleaner into two 3 inch pieces.
- Attach the 3 inch pipe cleaners to each dried clothespin by wrapping it around and twisting them into place.
- For the smaller reindeer head, use two 2 inch pipe cleaner sections.
- Clip two clothespins onto your folded coffee filter.
- Glue on the wiggly googly eyes. Or simply use peel and stick eyes.
- Now it’s time to add the reindeer’s nose! Use glue or glue dot to add red pom pom to the bottom tip of the folded coffee filter.
Notes
Drying time is an estimate and will vary depending on how much water, paint, and glue is used and the humidity.
If you are making a smaller reindeer, use small 1.5 inch clothespins instead of your standard 3 inch clothespins. This will keep the proportions, otherwise the antlers may look too large with the smaller reindeer face.
Glue dots can be used instead of school or tacky craft glue. It's a nice option that eliminates glue drying time and is less messy. Another option is to use a low temp hot glue gun.
If you do not have brown paint on hand or would prefer not to paint, you can also color the clothespins with brown markers.
