Tin Can Santa Claus
By: Amanda Formaro
Difficulty: Easy
Age: 6 and up
Average User Rating:
Christmas is coming! What a fun table decoration that the kids can make with few supplies. Easy to put together and a great classroom project!
What you'll need:
- 1 empty, clean metal can
- white, peach and pink acrylic paint
- medium pink pom pom
- 2 small wiggle eyes
- Cotton balls
- 6-8 medium white or silver sparkle pom poms
- 1 sheet red glitter felt
- 2” wide x 8” long strip of white glitter felt
- White craft glue
- Hot glue gun
How to make it:
- Paint entire aluminum can with white paint.
- Paint a section in the front of the can peach (or whatever skin tone color you like) for the face.
- Take one cotton ball and stretch it out so that fits all the way around the rim of the can. Glue in place about ½” below the rim. This is Santa’s hair.
- Lay strip of white glitter felt on the table. With hot glue gun, fold over edges and tack in place on both sides. This will create a thick and smooth brim for Santa’s hat that will not show any uneven cutting lines. Set aside.
- Position the red glitter felt around the top of the can, above the hair (stretched cotton ball). Glue in place and let dry. You will finish Santa’s red hat in a later step.
- Meanwhile, glue the white felt in place over the top of the red felt and the cotton to form the brim of Santa’s hat.
- Using white craft glue, add Santa’s beard by gluing cotton balls all around the can, leaving enough room open for his face.
- To complete Santa’s red hat, tuck the red felt into a cone shape, using hot glue to tack in place if you like. Fold felt over the side of the can and hot glue to the side.
- Hot glue the silver or white glitter pom poms to the end of the red felt.
- Use an extra cotton ball to dab on the cheeks, using a small amount of pink paint.
- Glue the pink pom pom on for the nose.
- Glue wiggle eyes in place.
Tips:
- Cotton balls are inexpensive, usually around $1.00 per bag. Have several on hand for fun craft projects as they are very easy to work with.
- Save empty tin cans and jars. Be sure to use a piece of sand paper to smooth out any sharp edges where the can was opened.
- For added stability, add a large rock or a baggie of sand to the can before gluing on the hat. This will make the decoration heavy and there is less chance of him toppling over on the dinner table.
