You can turn an ordinary candy cane into a reindeer ornament by wrapping pipe cleaner antlers around its hook and gluing on eyes and a nose. It takes just a few minutes per reindeer.
Kids can make a whole batch to hang on the tree or attach to gift packages, and it pairs well with other quick projects on our holidays section. See more ideas on our crafts page.
What you need
- 1 candy cane
- 1 pipe cleaner, in brown or a color to match your candy cane
- 2 small wiggle eyes
- 1 small pompom for the nose
- Craft glue
Steps
- Cut the pipe cleaner in half, then lay the two halves side by side.
- Slide one piece down slightly so that when you hold both pieces at their middle, one end is longer than the other on each side.
- Wrap the pipe cleaners around the curved hook of the candy cane and twist them together at the top to secure them.
- Bend the four loose ends upward into antler shapes.
- Glue the wiggle eyes just below the antlers.
- Glue the pompom onto the tip of the candy cane hook for the nose.
Safety
An adult should cut the pipe cleaner in half, or supervise closely if a child uses scissors. A candy cane can snap into sharp pieces if bent too far, so an adult should check the wrapping step with young children. The wiggle eyes and pompom are small parts, so this craft is not a good choice for children under about 3 who still mouth small objects, and finished candy canes near glue should not be eaten.
Tie a ribbon and a small jingle bell to the finished reindeer, or check our crafts page for the matching jingle bell napkin rings.