If you have a classroom of preschoolers or just a few at home, you’re going to love this list of over 35 elf crafts for preschoolers to make. Each will remind them of their favorite elf friends and encourage the holiday season with joy in making Santa’s little helpers!
My girls favorite time of the year is definitely Christmas. They love all things Santa, reindeer, nutcrackers, and, of course, elves! Their love of elves definitely came from their own Elf, Criddle. Although she doesn’t get into too much mischief, she has definitely spread holiday cheer for the 10 years we’ve had her!
Even though my girls aren’t preschoolers anymore, they love to make Christmas crafts and they’ve made a few of these elf crafts themselves over the years. So, to share the elf love, I’m sharing with you and your little ones so you can get into the holiday spirit too!
Throughout the list of these elf crafts for preschoolers to make, you’ll find lots of different craft variations. Some are paper elf crafts while others use craft supplies pipe cleaners and pom poms. There are even Elf coloring pages to print, which might come in handy to have in a preschool classroom for an impromptu crafting session!
There’s just something about the holiday season that makes crafting even more fun. So, be sure to check out the list below for the best elf crafts to make with preschoolers this Christmas!
And if you are a teacher and you’re looking for even more elf fun, be sure to check out my 50 Easy Elf Ideas for a Preschool Classroom!
35 Elf Crafts for Preschoolers to Make
These adorable elf puppets is inspired by the Elf on the Shelf and is relatively easy to make with little amount of supplies needed.
I am dying at how CUTE these adorable fingerprint elves are! So easy for kids to make and they'll have fun making each Christmas elf look unique!
Kids of all ages will loves this fun idea - turning themselves into Buddy the Elf! This craft features the elf from everyone's favorite movie and comes with a free printable template to cut out and piece together. Put a picture for the face and kids become an elf themselves!
These easy elf crafts are made from popsicle sticks and pom poms and are perfect for little hands to make for the Christmas season.
One of the best ideas to get kids involved in Christmas crafts is to have plenty of options and printing these adorable elf coloring pages is a great way for kids of all ages, even older kids, to get into the holiday spirit with little craft supplies needed.
Speaking of older kids, they'll love making these Elf Bookmarks! They're made to fit onto the corner of books and are made from construction paper.
Another fun craft idea for little ones - these handprint elves are simple to make but so adorable! Just a little craft paint, googly eyes, and a pom pom for a hat!
This Christmas Elf craft is made with popsicle sticks and even comes with a little elf template to get you started.
Here's another Christmas craft that is print and go. First, print the jigsaw puzzle. Then, color the elf scene and cut out the pieces to put it together again!
These Christmas elves are eager to hold your spot in your favorite Christmas book. They are easy to make with the free template and are sure to bring smiles when they are finished!
This is SUCH a fun idea for kids of all ages - this 11 page holiday activity unit will help students work on storytelling, vocabulary, and even includes fun elf crafts too!
Made with a few different types of pasta, how much cuter can an elf get? This Christmas elf craft might prove just a little difficult to put together for young children, unless you use a hot glue gun, but it could inspire other elf crafts too!
These festive elves are made from toilet paper rolls and look like they are reading to go Christmas caroling to me!
Need super simple elf crafts to make? These adorable wooden Christmas Elves photo frames are a great option for little ones to color and take home.
These easy finger puppets feature all kinds of Christmas creatures including elves, snowmen, reindeer and more! They are made with pipe cleaners which is a totally unique way to make them and be sure they fit on anyone's finger.
These cute little Christmas crafts are made with construction paper, glue stick, and craft sticks. You can make them elves, reindeer, or even Santa with a fun cotton ball beard! Add a small ribbon to each and turn them into Christmas tree ornaments for kids to take home.
Since candy canes are one of the elves major food groups it only makes sense that you could make elves out of candy canes! With a little construction paper and candy cane legs, kids can make their own elf to enjoy!
We all know elves are Santa's little helpers, but the kiddos can be someone's little helper too! These are adorable and made with acrylic paint and fingerprints!
This popsicle stick elf is made with just one craft stick and a cotton ball for a beard! It can be put together with glue and makes children use fine motor skills when assembling.
I have a ton of awesome elf crafts in this list, but if you need something quick with all of the supplies already, you might want to look into these adorable elf craft kits on Amazon.
Another adorable toilet paper roll elf to make - this one is great because even young kids can put it together.
How festive do these little elves look sitting on a shelf? Made with a little more craft supplies than you'll usually find in a preschool classroom, they are an intricate elf craft to make, but will definitely spread Christmas cheer!
This Popsicle Stick elf is one of those easy Christmas crafts that is lots of fun for kids to put together. They can make it their own by changing up the face, hat, and even elf ears!
I mean - these Jumping Elf Puppets are so much fun! They actually jump if you pull the string!
Paper plate elves are too adorable with their little round faces and this one looks just like the Elf on the Shelf!
Here's another take on little elves made from cardboard tubes. They are easy to make, but they're also a great way to teach kids about reusing items to help the environment!
This Christmas craft is for kids to make their own elf hats! You'll find a free printable template to guide this craft along.
Who doesn't want their own elf that will dance?! These cute elves have legs that dangle and will sway to look like they are dancing!
If you have a class elf or if your kids have elves at home, these adorable doors are SO cute to get. They come in a pack of 25 and could be painted or colored with markers.
This paper elf craft is made of construction paper that bends and a child's photo to make themselves an elf!
I cannot get over how FUN this little ornament is - your kids could put the items inside the snow globe and then have fun moving it all around to find all the items again! This makes such a special Christmas keepsake for kids.
I'm all about reusing items and this elf craft is made with egg cartons!
Here's another take on a paper plate elf, but this time we're adding a stick to make it into elf puppets! You could even add jingle bells to the elf hat to give it even more of the magic of Christmas!
Have you ever made pinecone elves? Another example of using resources that you don't have to buy. These cute little elves will so much fun to display.
What kid doesn't love slime? This Christmas slime is cleverly titled Elf Snot with a free printable and recipe to make your own slime. It's a little gross, but you know kids will love it!