Wooden Santa Decoration for Kids

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I recently wrote a blog post all about Santa and what to do when the kids stop believing in Father Christmas. No matter what age we or the kids are Santa will always be around at Christmas either visiting the kids or as part of our clothing or decorations.

Today we have a fun and simple Santa wooden slice tutorial and I'm sure it will go down a treat. It's so fun to make and will look brilliant as a Wooden Santa decoration. Enjoy.

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💖 Why You'll Love This Craft
🎨 Supplies Needed
🖌️ How To Make A Wooden Santa Craft
🧑‍🎨 Expert Tips
💭 FAQs
Wooden Santa Decoration For Kids
🖌️ Related Crafts

💖 Why You'll Love This Craft

Textured Painting Fun: Painting on wood gives kids a new sensory experience compared to paper or foam—perfect for working on brush control and layering.
Adds Rustic Holiday Charm: This craft brings a cozy, handmade vibe to holiday decor—like something straight from a snowy log cabin.
Sturdy for Little Hands: Unlike flimsier paper crafts, the wooden base makes this project durable enough for toddlers and preschoolers to handle proudly.

🎨 Supplies Needed

Light brown Wood Slices
Gold Glitter Craft Foam
Scissors
4'oz Elmers Glue
Red, White and Flesh Tone Paint
Paint Brush
Mini Santa Hats
Red, Pink and White Paint Markers
Cord or Twine

🖌️ How To Make A Wooden Santa Craft

Step 1: Paint an equal number of wood slices red and flesh toned. Allow them to dry completely. Paint a black belt across the red painted wood slices.

Step 2: Paint a beard and hair onto the flesh toned paint slices.

Step 3: Allow to dry completely. Use a black paint marker to draw on eyes.

Step 4: Use a white paint marker to draw on a mustache and eyebrows. Use a red or dark pink paint pen to draw on a mouth. Use a light pink paint pen to draw on rosy cheeks.

Step 5: Use a white paint pen to add detail to the eyes.

Step 6: Glue mini Santa hats onto the top of the head.

Step 7: Cut a small square from gold glitter craft foam. Cut the center out. Glue square onto Santa’s black belt.

Step 8: Glue head to the body. Glue a piece of cord or twine to the back of the ornament for hanging on a Christmas tree.

Enjoy.

Check out our other Wooden slice ornaments. We have quite a few ideas here on The Inspiration Edit.

💡 Pro Tip: Use mini googly eyes and a red pom-pom for the nose to give your Santa extra personality—these fun add-ons instantly bring the decoration to life!

🧑‍🎨 Expert Tips

Rough Sand First: Lightly sand the wooden surface before any crafting begins to remove splinters and help paints or pens glide smoothly without bleeding.
Sketch Basic Shapes: Lightly draw Santa's face, hat, and beard outlines with a pencil before painting to guide placement and reduce small mistakes.
Use Foam Brushes: Choose foam-tipped brushes for painting larger areas like Santa’s hat and beard to create a smooth, streak-free finish quickly.
Choose Quick-Dry Paints: Pick acrylic paints labeled fast-drying to allow quicker layering and faster crafting, especially when working with multiple kids.
Add Natural Elements: Glue tiny pine sprigs or mini wooden buttons onto the edge of the Santa for a rustic holiday look that feels handmade and charming.
Create an Easel Stand: Attach a simple folded cardboard piece behind the Santa slice if you prefer displaying it upright instead of hanging it.

💭 FAQs

How can crafting Santa ornaments teach color psychology?

Selecting colors like red, white, and black lets children explore how colors symbolize emotions, traditions, and seasonal moods in art projects.

How does working on uneven surfaces build adaptability?

Painting textured wood slices forces kids to adjust techniques, teaching adaptability when conditions are imperfect or materials behave differently.

How can this project build early resource management skills?

Planning how much paint, glitter, or space to use trains children to think ahead and manage limited resources smartly during creative work.

What role does contrast play in decorating wooden ornaments?

Balancing bold colors like Santa’s red suit against a natural wood background teaches children how contrast makes designs stand out visually.

Wooden Santa Decoration For Kids

This is a tutorial on how to make a wooden Santa decoration.

Prep Time5

Active Time15

Total Time20

Course: Christmas Crafts

Keyword: Christmas craft and wooden Santa decoration

Calories:

Author: Angela Milnes

Equipment

Scissors

Materials

Light brown Wood Slices
Gold Glitter Craft Foam
4 ’oz Elmers Glue
Red White and Flesh Tone Paint
Paint Brush
Mini Santa Hats
Red Pink and White Paint Markers
Cord or Twine

Instructions

Paint an equal number of wood slices red and flesh toned. Allow them to dry completely.
Paint a black belt across the red painted wood slices.
Paint a beard and hair onto the flesh toned paint slices.
Allow drying completely. Use a black paint marker to draw on eyes.
Use a white paint marker to draw on a mustache and eyebrows.
Use red or dark pink paint pen to draw on a mouth. Use a light pink paint pen to draw on rosy cheeks.
Use a white paint pen to add detail to the eyes.
Glue mini Santa hats onto the top of the head.
Cut a small square from gold glitter craft foam.
Cut the center out. Glue square onto Santa’s black belt.
Glue head to the body.
Glue a piece of cord or twine to the back of the ornament for hanging on a Christmas tree.
Enjoy.