This elf accordion craft includes a printable template to make this simple for preschoolers to create. So many fine motor skills used!
Paper crafts are so much fun for preschoolers to make and create. They require fine motor skills, creativity, and imagination. When thinking of activities for 4 year olds, crafting often comes to mind as there are so many pre-writing skills that can be practiced through a fun activity. This elf accordion craft uses all of these skills and more in this adorable Christmas craft for kids.
Elf Accordion Craft
Accordion paper crafts encourage children to fold paper in a way that creates an accordion where the paper can be stretched and bounced. These accordion folds make adorable arms and legs for character paper crafts for preschoolers (and older kids too!).
While I’m a huge proponent of free play and sensory play, I do find value in crafting with kids. Crafting can be a creative outlet for many children, and skills such as writing, gluing, cutting are all encouraged. I do however find it to be hugely important to offer some creative freedom when crafting with kids. Do this by proving a prompt or an example, and then encourage children to use their imagination and make the project their own, creating their own interpretation of the idea.
Download and print out the templates from the supply list above, there are boy and girl templates to choose from. You may print the template onto the suggested colors of paper or use the template as a stencil and trace onto paper. You can even print onto white paper and color the template in!
Cut the template out.
Assemble the craft and secure with glue.
Cut 2 inch wide strips of red and green paper. Create an accordion fold in the paper going back and forth long ways.
Glue the accordion arms and legs onto your assembled character.
Your craft is finished!
These would make amazing bulletin board crafts. Just picture all of the cute characters hanging around together! Have fun with these. Customize them with colors you’d like. The possibilities are limitless!
Leave a Reply