Recycled Festive Friends: A Fun and Sustainable Christmas Craft for Primary Classrooms

Teachers are always searching for simple, affordable and engaging Christmas crafts that bring creativity into the classroom — and this recycled festive friends activity is the perfect solution. Using nothing more than toilet roll tubes and a few craft essentials, children can create Santa, the Grinch, snowmen and even reindeer with natural twig antlers.

This craft idea is ideal for EYFS and primary-age pupils as it encourages imaginative play, fine motor development, storytelling and sustainability. It also provides an opportunity to repurpose everyday materials that would otherwise go to waste, making it a brilliant addition to your eco-friendly craft plans.

Whether you're preparing for a winter display, planning festive afternoon activities or looking for a creative, low-cost Christmas project, this step-by-step guide will help you create magical characters that your pupils will be proud of.

Why Toilet Roll Tube Crafts Are Perfect for Primary School Learning

Toilet roll tube crafts continue to be a classroom favourite — and for good reason:

1. They are free, accessible and sustainable

Every household has them, making collection simple and cost-effective.
Using recycled materials also supports environmental awareness and links to sustainability topics within the curriculum.

2. They support EYFS and primary skill development

This craft promotes:

• fine motor skills (cutting, sticking, painting)

• hand–eye coordination

• sensory play

• character creation and storytelling

• following instructions and sequencing

3. They fit perfectly into festive themes

Christmas characters are always a hit with children, and each one can be customised to reflect the class’s creativity.

4. They make excellent display pieces

Whether used for a winter village scene, a festive classroom shelf or a Christmas performance backdrop, these characters add colour and personality.

What You’ll Need for Your Recycled Festive Friends

To get started, gather the following classroom essentials:

• Toilet roll tubes

• Classmates Christmas paint

• Classmates festive pom poms

• Classmates wiggly eyes

• Classmates PVA glue

• Classmates glitter tubs

• Classmates Christmas sequins

These low-cost materials are ideal for group activities, whole-class crafting or small group creative play.

How to Make Your Recycled Festive Friends (Step-by-Step Guide)

Below is a detailed, classroom-friendly guide that works beautifully for whole-class demonstrations, small-group workstations or festive craft afternoons.

Step 1: Collect and Prepare Your Toilet Roll Tubes

Encourage pupils to bring tubes from home in the weeks leading up to Christmas crafting.
This not only provides a sufficient supply but also introduces the concept of recycling and reusing everyday items.

Tip for teachers:
Have a “recycling station” box in your classroom where children can drop tubes throughout the term.

Step 2: Paint Your Festive Characters

Choose colours based on the character your pupils want to create:

• Santa — red and white

• The Grinch — green and red

• Snowman — white

• Reindeer — brown

Encourage pupils to experiment with shading, patterns or textures.
This step supports creative expression and helps children explore how colour connects to character identity.

Allow tubes to dry fully before moving on.

Step 3: Create Hats and Antlers

Santa & Grinch Hats

1. Draw a semicircle on a spare tube or piece of card.

2. Cut it out carefully.

3. Roll into a cone from the curved edge.

4. Glue the seam securely.

These hats add height and character, and pupils love personalising them.

Reindeer Antlers

Ask children to forage small twigs outdoors (linked to outdoor learning and nature exploration).
Attach the twigs to the inside top of the tube using PVA glue.

This step is especially engaging and encourages pupils to connect crafting with the natural world.

Step 4: Add Pom Poms and Festive Textures

Use festive pom poms to bring each character to life:

• White pom poms for Santa’s beard

• A red pom pom for Rudolph’s nose

• Green or red pom poms for The Grinch’s hat trim

This step is perfect for EYFS children as it enhances tactile exploration.

Step 5: Add Faces and Expressions

Using wiggly eyes, coloured paper and felt-tip pens, children can design expressive faces for each character.

Encourage children to think about:

• How does Santa’s face look when he’s laughing?

• What expression might the Grinch have?

• How can we make the snowman look friendly and warm?

This can lead into rich PSHE storytelling — how do expressions help us understand feelings?

Step 6: Add Finishing Touches and Sparkle

This is where the magic truly happens.

Pupils can add:

• glitter edging

• sequin patterns

• tiny scarves

• belts for Santa

• earmuffs for the snowman

• festive buttons

• small paper gifts or Christmas trees

Encourage children to use their imagination.
The more unique the characters, the more impressive your classroom display will be.

Why This Craft Is Perfect for Festive Learning

This activity is ideal because it is:

✔ Low-cost — uses recycled & affordable materials

✔ Classroom-friendly — minimal preparation required

✔ Engaging for all ages — easily adapted for different skill levels

✔ Sustainable — reinforces environmental responsibility

✔ Creative — allows children to personalise each character

Share Your Festive Friends!

We’d love to see your pupils’ creations.
Tag your classroom crafts on Instagram and show off your recycled festive friends.

For more seasonal inspiration, explore our full collection of Christmas crafts for primary schools.