My daughter and I had so much fun making these adorable reindeer painted rocks! They were super easy to make and I love how kids can add their own unique touch by adding a colorful bow to their reindeer.
If you are looking for more Christmas projects for kids to make take a look at our collection of creative Christmas arts and crafts for more fun ideas!
We love rock painting and using paint pens to draw in the eyes and nose made this a super simple craft that kids as young as preschool would be able to do without much assistance. If you are looking for more rock painting ideas check out my collection of creative rock painting for kids!
These reindeer rocks would also make a great Christmas ornament, just glue on some string to the back of your rock and you have a lovely reindeer ornament for your tree.
For another fun reindeer project take a look at this super easy recycled reindeer ornament craft that kids will love!
Create Your Own Reindeer Painted Rocks
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Supplies
- River rocks
- Brown acrylic paint
- White, black & red paint pens
- Black sharpie (optional)
- Paintbrushes
- Ribbon (optional)
- Black pipe cleaners
- Hot glue gun
Instructions to make your reindeer craft
1. Make sure your rocks are clean and dry. We washed our rocks with some soap and water and let them dry on a towel.
2. Paint your rock with brown acrylic paint. We only needed to do 1 coat, depending on your paint you may need 2 coats. Let the paint dry completely before moving on.
Kids will also love: Make Magical Christmas Lanterns with Kids
3. Using a white paint pen, draw eyes on your reindeer. You might need to do 2 coats of the white, make sure the first coat is dry before doing your second coat.
The placement of the eyes is one of the things that gives each reindeer their own personality so let kids have fun and choose where to place them.
4. Next, draw on small black circles on the white to finish the eyes on your reindeer. Remind kids that this needs to be a very small circle. If the black circle gets too big, you can always try making the white part bigger to even things out.
Using paint pens makes drawing on the eyes, nose, and mouth much easier for kids (and grown-ups!) than using a paintbrush and paint.
Related: Easy Kid Made Wreath Ornaments with Paper Straws
5. Draw on a nose with a red paint pen. You might need two coats for the nose as well, make sure that the first coat is dry before applying the second.
6. Finally, add the mouth. This can be done with a black paint pen or a black sharpie. Our back paint pen seemed to be running out, so we used a black sharpie and it worked just fine.
Another fun rock painting idea: Easy Leaf Printing on Rocks Autumn Craft
7. Now it’s time to add on the antlers. Fold a black pipe cleaner in half and bend each side back and forth into antler shapes. Glue the antlers onto the back of your rock with a hot glue gun. This step is to be done by an adult only.
8. This final step is optional. Kids can choose to add in a bow to the antlers or as a bow-tie to their reindeer. Use a hot glue gun to attach the bow. Again, this needs to be done by an adult.
My daughter wanted a cute hair bow on her reindeer. I added a bowtie onto another one and left one with no bow. They all look adorable!
These reindeer painted rocks were so fun to make. I think we will end up making ours into ornaments for our Christmas tree so we can enjoy them year after year.
Kids will also love this egg carton snowman craft that is super easy for kids to make or take a look at this 3D printable Christmas tree paper craft that is perfect for pretend play!
More Christmas crafts kids will love
How to Make Adorable Clay Pot Christmas Tree Ornaments
Easy Kid Made Wreath Ornaments with Paper Straws
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