Scout Elves and Elf Pets are part of the same magical world, and while kids count down the days until their Scout Elf returns each Christmas, many grow a different kind of attachment to their Elf Pets all year long. Elf Pets help Santa in their own special ways during the season, but they’re also there for everyday moments, ready for cuddles, comfort and quiet companionship.
If your kids already love their Elf Pets, there’s a good chance they’ll love making this craft version of them too. Kids naturally enjoy creating things connected to the characters they already care about. It gives them a new way to play, imagine and interact with something familiar. Instead of just holding their Elf Pet, they get to make something inspired by it, choose expressions and tell stories that make it feel personal.
With just a few paper cups and craft supplies, kids can create their own reindeer, arctic fox or Saint Bernard with faces that change from happy to sleepy to silly with a simple twist of the cup.
Why Kids Love Making Crafts of Characters They Already Love
There’s something different about crafts tied to familiar characters.
When kids recognize what they’re making, they’re more invested right away. They already know what their Elf Pet looks like. They already have a sense of how it “feels” to them. That makes it easier to start and more fun to keep going.
It also gives them a little more ownership.
They’re not just coloring or gluing. They’re deciding how their version looks. What expressions it has. How it changes. It turns into something that feels like theirs, even though it’s inspired by something they already love.
And because Elf Pets are already part of their play, this craft doesn’t feel separate. It just becomes one more way they interact with those characters.
What Makes This Paper Cup Craft So Fun
The whole idea is simple. You build your Elf Pet on the outside of a cup, then tuck a second cup inside with different faces drawn around it. When kids twist the inner cup, a new face appears in the window.
That one little detail turns a simple craft into something interactive.
Kids don’t just make it and move on. They turn it, change the face and react to what they see.
Supplies You’ll Need
- 2 paper cups per Elf Pet (one outer cup, one inner rotating cup)
- Colored paper or cardstock (for antlers, collars, Elf Pets charms)
- Markers, crayons, paint or paint pens
- Paintbrushes
- Child-safe scissors
- Craft knife (for adult use only)
- Glue stick, craft glue or hot glue gun
- Pencil
How to Make a DIY Elf Pets Rotating Cup Craft
Before You Start
Step 1: Cut the Face Window
You’ll need to cut a window into the outer cup so the face shows through. For safety, an adult should handle this step using a craft knife. Everything else is kid-friendly.
Draw a simple oval on one cup and cut it out. This is where the face will show through.
That’s your outer cup.
Step 2: Turn the Cups Into Elf Pets
Reindeer
Arctic Fox
Saint Bernard
Decorate the outside cup.
- Reindeer: Paint outer cup brown, glue paper antlers and ears, white collar with red ribbon and a golden heart charm.
- Arctic Fox: Glue white paper ears, white collar with red ribbon and her snow globe charm.
- Saint Bernard: Paint brown and white patches, glue floppy ears and a white collar with red ribbon and the barrel charm.
Kids can add little paws, a tail or any extra details. Just keep the window clear.
Step 3: Draw the Faces
Take your second cup and place it inside the outer cup just far enough for it to fit inside but still spin easily.
Using the face window as a guide, lightly trace 3 to 4 circles on the inner cup, spacing them out evenly.
Draw faces with different expressions in each circle.
You can suggest a few ideas to get them started:
- Happy
- Sleepy
- Excited
- Silly
- Calm
Most kids will take it from there. They already know what these feelings look like, so they just start drawing.
Step 4: Put It Together
Slide the inner cup into the outer cup. Line up one face in the window.
Then give it a twist.
It’s that easy. Kids will enjoy watching the Elf Pets expression change and may want to make multiple inner cups to switch out for a variety of faces.
Step 5: Let’s Tell Stories Together
Instead of just switching faces, try sitting with your child and saying, “Let’s tell a story about how your Elf Pet is feeling.”
Twist the cup and see what shows up.
Maybe the face looks sleepy. Maybe it looks excited. Maybe it’s a little silly. From there, let the story build.
You might hear:
- “Now it’s sleepy.”
- “Now it’s excited.”
- “This one is silly.”
You can join in too:
- “What happened to make them feel that way?”
- “What do you think happens next?”
It doesn’t have to be a big moment. Just a few minutes of playing and talking together goes a long way.
Why This Craft is so Much Fun
This isn’t just about making something. It’s about making something that connects to how kids love to play.
Because it:
- Builds on characters they already love
- Lets them create something personal
- Gives them a way to change and interact with it
An Easy Craft for Kids That Feels Personal
If you’re looking for easy crafts for kids that are simple, creative and connected to something they already love, this is a great one to try.
It doesn’t take long to make. It uses basic supplies. And it gives kids a new way to interact with their Elf Pets through play, storytelling and creativity.
Set everything out, make a little space at the table and see what they come up with.
Read more about the comfort and connection Elf Pets provide children year round and find out how to include Elf Pets in your Scout Elf’s adventures each holiday season.