Flapping Angel

Make a sweet little paper angel for your Christmas tree!

This printable Christmas craft lets kids color, cut, and assemble their own angel with wings that actually flap when they pull the string. It’s a simple little project that makes a cute Christmas decoration and a fun toy at the same time..

Get the template here

Every Christmas when I visit my friends’ homes, one thing I always seem to see is little angels hanging on their Christmas trees.

My friends really put a lot of effort into decorating for the holidays. Some of these handmade paper angels must have taken hours to make, and honestly, the result is worth it. They look so pretty hanging among the fresh green branches of the Christmas tree.

But as beautiful as they are, I always thought it was a little too bad that these cute little angels just stayed there, hanging in one place for the whole holiday season.

That got me thinking: “What if we could make these angels a little more fun?”

Instead of wings that are just there to look pretty, what if they could actually flap? Like a real little angel flying around!

And that’s how this craft came to life.

A Fun Little Activity for the Holiday Season

It could be a nice choice for a family craft afternoon, a holiday get-together, or a simple activity to do while waiting for Christmas to arrive. Kids can also make several angels and give them to friends or family members as little handmade gifts.

But it can be more than just a craft to keep everyone busy for an afternoon. Making these little angels together gives family members a chance to sit down, spend some time together, and enjoy a simple activity during the holiday season.

And when the angels are ready, they can become part of your holiday decorations too. Instead of buying every decoration, you can add a few handmade pieces around the house and have something that reminds you of the time you spent making them together.

Learning Through Crafting This Flapping Angel

Making this little angel involves a mix of creative choices and hands-on work.

Kids can experiment with different color combinations and decide how they want their angel to look. Cutting, folding, and gluing also give them practice with fine motor skills and careful hand control.

Because there are several steps to follow, the activity also encourages kids to pay attention to the instructions and work through the project from beginning to end.

For classroom or homeschool activities, it could be paired with a Christmas-themed art project or a simple writing activity. Kids could write a short holiday message to go with their angel, describe their design, or make a small collection of handmade holiday crafts to share with their classmates or family.

Flapping Angel Step By Step Guide

Supplies Needed

• Cardstock
• Markers, pencils or similar for colouring
• Scissors
• Glue stick
• String or yarn
• Drinking straw
• The Flapping Angel Template

Flapping Angel Instructions

Step 1: Print out the Flapping Angel Template on cardstock.

Step 2: Color the angel with whatever you already have at home. Colored pencils, crayons, or markers will all work just fine, so there’s no need to get anything special for this craft.

Angels are often pictured in white, gold, or blue, but you don’t have to stick to those traditional colors. Feel free to mix and match as many colors as you like. In my opinion, the more colors you put together, the more fun and eye-catching your angel will look.

Step 3: Carefully cut out all the pieces along the outlines.

Prepare one piece of string about 50 cm long and a small piece of a drinking straw about 2 cm long.

Step 4: Glue the wings onto the back of the angel as shown. Make sure the edges of the wings don’t overlap with the hair, otherwise the wings may get stuck and won’t be able to move properly when you pull the string.

Use clear tape to attach the two ends of the string to the two wings. Then, use the same tape to attach the small tube to the angel’s clasped hands.

Have fun creating your own gorgeous angel!

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