Nutcracker Accordion Craft with Printable Template

This Nutcracker 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 Nutcracker accordion craft uses all of these skills and more in this adorable Christmas craft for kids.

Nutcracker Accordion Character 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.

What you need to make the Nutcracker Accordion Craft

Nutcracker Printable Template (click to download)
Cardstock or Construction Paper Scissors
Glue
Pink Crayon
Black Marker

How to make the nutcracker accordion character craft:

Download and print out the template in the supply list above. 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. This is such a fun step to see how children choose to assemble their nutcracker pieces!

Cut 2 inch wide strips of paper in red and blue. 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!