Penguin Ornament Craft: A Frosty and Fun Winter Activity for Kids

Few animals capture the magic of winter quite like penguins. They’re cute, wobbly, and full of personality — the perfect inspiration for a craft project that’s both simple and adorable. This Penguin Ornament Craft turns ordinary popsicle sticks into cheerful little penguins dressed for winter with hats, scarves, and bright orange feet. It’s easy to make, full of opportunities for creativity, and just right for classroom art centers, winter parties, or cozy craft days at home.

a penguin made out of popsicle sticks and construction paper

What makes this project so delightful is its balance of simplicity and charm. The materials are basic — popsicle sticks, paint, paper, and glue — but when kids put everything together, the finished ornaments look absolutely adorable. Each penguin has its own expression and personality, which makes them fun to display on the Christmas tree, a classroom bulletin board, or even as a gift tag for holiday presents.

To make your Penguin Ornament, you’ll need:

construction paper glue scissors googly eyes and popsicle sticks painted black

Popsicle sticks
Black paint
A paintbrush
Scissors
Glue
Googly eyes
Construction paper
The included template for the hat, scarf, feet, and other pieces

Steps To Make The Penguin Ornament

Start by painting your popsicle sticks black. You’ll need three per penguin. Paint both sides and let them dry completely. Once dry, line the sticks up side-by-side and glue them together to form the base of your penguin’s body. This creates the perfect canvas for the rest of your pieces.

penguin pieces cut out of construction paper

Next, use the template to cut out the different parts of your penguin. Trace each piece onto construction paper in the appropriate colors — white for the belly, orange for the beak and feet, and bright colors like red, green, or blue for the hat and scarf. Once everything is traced, carefully cut out each piece. If you’re working with younger children, you can pre-cut the shapes to make things easier, but letting older kids handle this step gives them a great chance to practice scissor skills and fine motor coordination.

Now comes the fun part — assembling your penguin! Start by gluing the white paper body onto the center of your black popsicle stick base. This will give your penguin its signature belly. Next, add the flippers (or “arms”) to each side. The hat goes at the top, slightly tilted if you want your penguin to look playful. The beak and feet are glued on last, giving your penguin its complete look from head to toe.

Once all the paper pieces are in place, glue on two googly eyes just above the beak. These bring your penguin to life instantly — every time you add the eyes, it’s like the penguin suddenly has its own little personality. For the final touch, attach the paper scarf around its neck. You can glue it flat or fold it to look like it’s blowing in the winter wind.

When everything is dry, your penguin is ready to hang! You can tape or glue a loop of yarn or ribbon to the back to turn it into an ornament. If you’re using these in the classroom, they also make adorable desk decorations or winter bulletin board pieces. A whole group of penguins lined up together looks like a snowy Antarctic parade.

Why you should make this penguin ornament craft

One of the best parts of this craft is how flexible it is. Children can choose their own scarf and hat colors or decorate them with patterns. Some might want to add pom poms to the hat, glitter on the scarf, or even little paper earmuffs. Every penguin ends up looking a little different — some tall, some chubby, some with wide grins — and that’s part of the charm. It’s also a great way for kids to express individuality while working within a simple framework.

The Penguin Ornament Craft is also a great fit for classroom use. It’s low-prep, low-mess, and works well as a one-day project or part of a larger winter unit. Teachers can tie it into lessons about animals that live in cold climates or use it as part of a literacy activity. For example, after making their penguins, students can name them and write a short story about their adventures in the snow. For younger students, it can be a labeling activity (“beak,” “feet,” “flippers”), while older ones can write creative stories or descriptive paragraphs.

At home, this project makes a perfect weekend or snow-day activity. You can set up a crafting station with all the pieces ready to go, then let kids paint and assemble their penguins while sipping hot cocoa or watching a winter movie. These also make thoughtful, homemade gifts. Kids can write their name and the year on the back, turning each penguin into a keepsake ornament that will bring back memories for years to come.

From an educational perspective, this craft checks all the right boxes. Painting, tracing, and cutting help build fine motor skills, while following directions in sequence strengthens listening and problem-solving. Choosing colors and decorating allows for creativity and confidence-building. Plus, it encourages patience — kids get to see their hard work transform step by step into something wonderful.

pair it with a read aloud

To make the activity even more meaningful, pair it with a winter or penguin-themed read-aloud. Tacky the Penguin by Helen Lester is always a favorite, with its funny, lovable main character who’s a little different from the rest of the flock. Penguin and Pinecone by Salina Yoon is a sweet story about friendship that fits perfectly with this craft. A Penguin Story by Antoinette Portis is another great option for younger students, with simple text and beautiful illustrations. Reading before crafting helps set the scene and sparks kids’ imaginations.

connect it to learning

If you’re looking to extend the project beyond art and reading, there are plenty of ways to connect it to science or math. In science, you can talk about where penguins live, what they eat, and how they stay warm. In math, children could count how many shapes they used to build their penguin or measure how tall their finished ornament is. For writing, they could make a class book featuring each child’s penguin and a short sentence about it.

From a practical standpoint, this craft is as teacher- and parent-friendly as it gets. It requires only a few inexpensive supplies, the steps are easy to follow, and cleanup is minimal. If you’re working with a group, you can prepare the templates ahead of time, which makes assembly smooth and organized. The finished ornaments dry quickly and are sturdy enough to last for years.

a cute holiday craft that kids love

a penguin ornament craft made out of popsicle sticks and construction paper

The Penguin Ornament Craft is more than just a cute holiday project — it’s an opportunity for creativity, storytelling, and joy. Watching kids bring their penguins to life, with bright scarves and googly eyes that seem to sparkle, is the kind of holiday magic that never gets old. These ornaments capture the simple pleasures of the season — imagination, laughter, and the joy of making something by hand.

Whether you’re crafting at home with family or in a classroom full of excited students, these penguins are sure to steal the show. They’re cheerful, easy to make, and full of personality — the perfect little reminder of winter fun and Christmas cheer.

Get your free penguin template below:

free penguin template

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