How to Make an Easy Jingle Bell Reindeer Ornament Craft

Learn how to make a super simple jingle bell reindeer ornament craft, perfect for kids to make as a reindeer or holiday party activity. It’s also a great gift for teachers to make for students. The supplies are inexpensive, and the ornament comes together quickly. As a teacher and mom, I’m always looking for fun, easy holiday crafts and art projects for Christmas. This makes a fun Christmas preschool activity, as well as a creative Christmas activity for kindergarten, first grade, and any other age. Get the tips for making this ornament part of your holiday celebrations!

My Jingle Bell Reindeer Ornament Craft Backstory

Every year, I wanted to give my students something fun and memorable for the holidays, but it was difficult to decide what that would be.Some celebrated Christmas, some celebrated Hanukkah,  and some did not celebrate. What could I give that was festive? That’s when this easy reindeer ornament craft came into my life. One of my teaching colleagues suggested it, and I made it every year after that before I became a school librarian. So, how do you make a reindeer ornament? Here’s the easiest way I know. If I can make these, you know you’ve got this.

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In Search of a Creative, Budget-Friendly Idea

When you have a class of about 30 students, the gifts can’t be too expensive. I’d usually save my book club points and get each child a book. I’d also buy a big pack of felt-tipped markers and give each student one or two. I needed something to add that was unique. I wanted something I could personalize with the year. The easy reindeer ornament craft met all of these requirements. There was another challenge, though. Maybe, if you have read my other posts about being artistically challenged, you might have guessed the answer. The craft needed to be extremely simple, with little artistic talent required.  Guess what? This reindeer ornament craft met that requirement as well!

Jingle Bell Reindeer Ornament Craft Supplies

I’m fortunate in that my school district gives teachers and students the whole week of Thanksgiving off from school. It was the perfect time to make 30 cute little reindeer ornaments. I went shopping in a nearby town for my supplies. If you don’t feel like leaving the comfort of your own home, you can have these supplies delivered to your door. Here’s what you will need for 30 easy reindeer ornaments. You will have some supplies left over.

4  9-count packs of gold or bronze jingle bell ornaments (available at Dollar Tree, but if you order online, you have to buy 36 boxes) 

All of the supplies below are available at Michael’s Craft Stores:

Brown pipe cleaners (search for Brown Chenille Pipe Cleaners 100 pack) You will only need 1/2 a pipe cleaner per student. 

Wiggle eyes (search for 6mm 300 count pack)

Red pom-poms (search for  80 count 5mm Mini Pom Poms by Creatology) 

*Optional: Black sharpie marker (search for black retractable Sharpie)

*Substitution: Sometimes I use brown thread if there aren’t enough gold ornament ties in the box of jingle bells

*Substitution: Sometimes I substitute gold pipe cleaners for the brown ones. (search for glitter chenille pipe cleaners 100 pack) 

The total cost per student, assuming you already have a hot glue gun, a Sharpie, and brown thread is very inexpensive. (I avoid quoting exact prices since they are constantly changing.)

Take Me To Michael’s Craft Stores!

Jingle Bell Reindeer Ornament Craft Equipment

A hot glue gun (available at Michael’s Craft Stores and Amazon)

Jingle Bell Reindeer Ornament Craft Directions

Plug in the hot glue gun and place it on a piece of cardboard to catch drips.

Cut one of the brown pipe cleaners in half.

Get a jingle bell and a piece of gold string (usually comes in the box with the jingle bells). Thread the gold string through the hole in the top of the jingle bell.

Take the cut half of a pipe cleaner and thread it through the same hole as the thread. Be sure to put the gold string through the hole first.

Bend the pipe cleaner so it looks like antlers.

Mark some small black dots on the jingle bell where you want the eyes and nose to go.

Glue the eyes and the nose onto the jingle bell by placing small dots of hot glue on the jingle bell.

Write the year somewhere on the underside or back of the jingle bell, if you wish.

That’s it! Your reindeer ornament craft is now finished.

Can Little Kids Learn How to Make a Reindeer Ornament?

Aside from the use of the hot glue gun, kids can easily complete this project. If you decide to have kids do this activity at a party, you could station an adult at a table and use it as an activity station. Kids could rotate through and do everything except gluing the eyes and nose on the jingle bell.

More Easy and Fun Holiday Ideas

Are you now ready to make this easy reindeer ornament? Can you think of someone who might enjoy receiving one of these easy reindeer ornaments? I hope you’ll be inspired to go ahead and try this simple project. If you are looking for more easy holiday ideas, you can check out my Holiday Ideas board on Pinterest. There you will find many other simple ways to make any holiday special. You can learn about a super simple way to make a gingerbread house out of graham crackers. In keeping with the reindeer theme, you could also make some cute Nutter Butter reindeer, Santa, and snowman cookies with inexpensive supplies. Get into the holiday spirit with this list of books to read to kids. So many ideas to choose from!

If You Liked This Easy Jingle Bell Reindeer Ornament Craft, Here Are Some More Projects You Might Enjoy:

• How to Make Pressed Flower Greeting Cards: An Easy DIY
• Easy Origami Greeting Card
• Pointillism: A Fun Art Project for All Ages
• Fun and Easy Father’s Day Gift For Young Kids to Make

Free Party Planner

Organizing a party takes planning. Whether you are planning a holiday party, sunflower-themed party, a lemon-themed party, a butterfly-themed party, or a tea party, here’s a FREE monthly planner you can use to plan your holiday party or any other event. Use it throughout the year to keep daily, weekly, and monthly tasks organized. Since it’s undated, you can print out a new planner each year or anytime you need a fresh place to put your ideas. Get it here!

Get the sunflower planner!