How to Make Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer With Pipe Cleaners

Nearly every school child can sing the song "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" by heart as Rudolph truly is the most famous of Santa's mythical reindeer, forever immortalized in songs and stories. Robert May, a copywriter for Montgomery Ward, invented Rudolph in 1939, using inspiration from Hans Christian Andersen's story "The Ugly Duckling." You can make your own versions of Rudolph with kids or by yourself to decorate your tree or as gifts, using the simplest materials.

Step 1

Cut your brown pipe cleaners so you have three equal pieces that are about 8 inches in length. Position the pipe cleaners so they make a triangle shape. Twist their ends around each other at each corner of the triangle so they stay in place in the triangle shape.

Step 2

Turn the pipe cleaner triangle so one point of the shape points straight downward. This will be the head of your Rudolph. Glue a bright red cotton ball to this downward point with craft glue. This will be the red nose of Rudolph.

Step 3

Glue a plastic eye to the upper third portion of the right and left pipe cleaners of the triangle. Allow them to dry.

Step 4

Cut red and green pipe cleaners into four pieces which are each 3 inches long. Bend two of the pieces into a V-shape. Wrap a remaining piece of pipe cleaner around the crease in each V, creating a "stem."

Step 5

Wrap the bottom of one stem around the top left corner of the triangle. Wrap the bottom of the other stem around the top right corner of the triangle. You now have two sets of antlers.