Santa Paper Plate Yarn Lacing Craft (Free Template)

Make your own paper plate Santa craft and get into the holiday spirit this Christmas! This simple craft is perfect for little hands and creates a cute face that looks just like the jolly man himself. Not only is it fun to make, but it also helps kids work on fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination while they’re busy creating. Ready to get crafting? Let’s bring Santa to life!

• Table Of Contents:
  • Materials
  • Instructions
  • Santa Template Download
  • Tips & Troubleshooting
  • Benefits of This Santa Craft For Kids
  • Final Thoughts

Materials

• Paper plate
• Single hole punch
• Scissors
• Construction paper
• Printable template
• Yarn
• Pompoms or white cotton balls
• Tape

Instructions

Step 1)

Fold a paper plate in half to make it easier to cut a circle out of the center of the plate. Then use a single hole punch to make holes around the edge of the plate. Older kids will be able to punch holes themselves while you may need to prep this step ahead of time for younger kids.

Step 2)

Cut a piece of yarn and use a piece of tape to make one end of the yarn easier to thread through the holes. Knot the other end of the yarn so it doesn’t slide through the holes. You can also tape the yarn end to the back of the plate. Thread the yarn though the holes in the paper plate. 

Take your string and lace it through the top center hole, then go down through the bottom center hole. Next, pull the string up through the hole next to the first one at the top, then bring it down through the matching hole at the bottom. Continue working around the plate in a clockwise direction, alternating between the top and bottom holes. When you’ve laced all the way around, tie a knot or bow to secure your string!

Step 3)

Cut out the template pieces and trace them onto colored paper then cut the shapes out of the colored paper.

Step 4)

Color black pupils on the white circles for eyes and cut out a large equilateral triangle from red paper; the bottom edge of the triangle should be as long as the width of the top of your paper plate.

Step 5)

Glue Santa’s eyes, moustache, mouth and cheeks to the yarn on the paper plate.

Step 6)

Glue the red hat triangle to the top of the paper plate then fold over the top so it looks like a hat. Glue white pom poms or cotton balls to the bottom edge of the hat and top point. Add a red pom pom as the nose for your Santa above the moustache.

Video Instructions

Prefer video instructions for your crafts? Subscribe to the YouTube channel for Crafty Kids Play and check out the full video for this Santa craft here.

Santa Template Download

You can print this Santa template for your craft on regular white printer paper. If your children are very young and have a hard time cutting out the little details, you may want to cut out the template pieces with or for them. Young kids should be supervised by an adult during craft time, especially while handling safety scissors. 

This printable template is only for you to use or for classroom use, not for resale or commercial use; if you want to share this template with a friend, please send them the link to this article instead of sharing the template directly. 

Tips & Troubleshooting

Difficulty with threading the yarn:

If your child is struggling to thread the yarn through the holes, try making the end of the yarn stiffer by wrapping a small piece of tape tightly around it. This will act like a “needle” and make the lacing easier.

Yarn slipping through the holes:

Make sure to tie a secure knot at the end of the yarn before starting. If the knot slips through the holes, double knot it for extra security.

Glue not sticking to the yarn:

Use a good amount of glue or glue dots to secure Santa’s features (like the eyes and moustache) to the yarn. Press and hold each piece for a few seconds to ensure it sticks.

Hat looks uneven or floppy:

 If the hat keeps unfolding, use a small dab of glue to secure the fold. You can also staple it in place if the yarn is thick.

Benefits of This Santa Craft For Kids

Fine Motor Skills

Doing a lacing activity is a great way to help kids strengthen their finger muscles and fine motor skills, which are important for things like writing and using scissors later on.

Creativity:

From designing Santa’s face to decorating the hat, kids get a chance to tap into their imagination and create their own unique Santa. You can use googly eyes instead of white paper circles or try adding some glitter glue to Santa’s hat or come up with your own ideas to get really creative with this craft.

Hand-eye Coordination:

Threading the yarn through the holes requires concentration and patience, giving kids a chance to practice their hand-eye coordination in a fun way.

Learning to Focus:

Following steps and taking their time to lace around the plate encourages young children to slow down and focus.

Holiday Fun:

This is a perfect holiday activity to keep kids entertained while also sneaking in some developmental benefits. Plus, they’ll have a homemade decoration to show off!

Final Thoughts

This lacing project is so much fun, and it’s a great activity for little hands. Not only do kids get to practice important skills, but they also end up with an adorable Santa decoration to show off! It’s the perfect way to keep little ones entertained while spreading some holiday cheer.

Need some more preschool activities or paper plate Christmas crafts this holiday season? Stick around Crafty Kids Play for more great craft ideas for kids of all ages. There’s plenty of holiday magic and creative fun waiting for you!