Mini Minds Hub · Free printable
Paper Chain Garland: Free Printable Craft Activity for Reception
- ForReception
- StageEarly Years
- CostFree
- FormatPrintable PDF
Paper Chain Garland is a free printable craft activity for Reception (ages 4 to 5). Children cut paper into strips, choose a colour pattern such as red then green, and link the strips into a chain to hang up. Page 2 gives the grown-up notes, help ideas, a stretch idea and the answers.
It comes from the Mini Minds Hub, the free library of printables from Jaques of London, the British games and toy company that has been making games for families since 1795. You will need paper, scissors or ready cut strips, glue and a pencil. Black and white printing works well.
What is on the sheet
Children follow a short set of steps to make a paper chain. They cut paper into long strips, then pick a colour pattern, such as red then green. The first strip becomes a ring and is stuck closed. Each new strip is threaded through the last ring and stuck, so the chain grows link by link. Children keep following their pattern, then hang the garland up.
- Cut paper into long strips.
- Pick a colour pattern, such as red then green.
- Make the first strip into a ring and stick it.
- Thread the next strip through and stick it.
- Keep going, following your pattern.
- Hang your garland up.
Getting ready to make it
Gather everything first
Lay out paper in two or three colours, scissors, glue sticks and a pencil before you start. Children stay focused when nothing needs fetching halfway through.
Cutting the strips
A grown-up can cut the strips if little hands find it hard. Strips of about the same length make neat, even rings. Children who want to cut can use safety scissors with rounded ends.
Choosing the pattern
Ask your child to say their pattern out loud before they start, such as red, green, red, green. Lay the strips out in order first, then link them one at a time.
Hanging it up
A grown-up should hang the finished garland. Pick a spot away from heaters and anything hot, and fix it where little ones cannot pull it down.
Why make a paper chain?
A paper chain is a simple, traditional decoration. Each strip is made into a ring, and each new ring is threaded through the one before. Children can see exactly how the chain grows, which makes it a good first craft for Reception. It needs only basic materials and the result is something they can be proud of and hang up at home or in class.
Paper chains also give children a natural reason to use patterns. A repeating order of colours is something they can see, say and touch. When a child chooses what comes next, they are predicting, and when they check the chain they are noticing whether the order has stayed the same. Cutting, gluing and threading also give small hands useful practice.
Use safety scissors with rounded ends, and let a grown-up cut the strips if needed. Use glue sticks rather than runny glue. A grown-up should hang the garland and keep it well away from heaters, candles and fires.
Skills and curriculum link
- Cutting with control
- Colour recognition
- Repeating patterns
- Joining and threading
- Following steps in order
This sheet supports the area below. It is matched to the published England framework. Please check it against your own school plan.
| Framework | Subject or area | Strand | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Early Years Foundation Stage | Expressive Arts and Design | Creating with Materials | Reception |
| Early Years Foundation Stage | Mathematics | Numerical Patterns | Reception |
What children will be able to do
- I can cut strips of paper.
- I can link strips to make a chain.
- I can repeat colours in an order.
Ideas for helping your child
- Say the pattern aloudChant the colours together as each ring is added. Hearing the rhythm helps children remember what comes next.
- Let them chooseChildren can pick any colours they like. A pattern of two colours is a good place to begin.
- Check by looking backHold up the chain and run a finger along it. Ask whether the colours follow the same order all the way.
- Praise the effortWobbly cuts and messy glue are part of learning. Talk about what your child chose and how they made it.
Key words
- StripA long, thin piece of paper.
- LinkOne ring in a chain. Each link joins to the next.
- PatternColours or shapes that repeat in the same order.
- ThreadTo pass one strip through the middle of another ring.
- GarlandA long decoration that you hang up.
- NextThe one that comes straight after the one you have now.
How to use it
- Print both pages. Page 1 is for your child. Keep page 2, which has the notes and answers.
- Gather paper, scissors or ready cut strips, glue and a pencil. A grown-up cuts the strips if little hands find it hard.
- Read each step on page 1 together. Let your child pick their colour pattern and talk about their choice.
- Build the chain one link at a time, following the pattern. Check it against the notes and answers on page 2.
- Hang the garland up, with a grown-up doing the hanging. Come back another day to make a new one, because repeating a familiar activity builds confidence.
Help, stretch and game ideas
If it feels too hard
Use ready cut strips and glue sticks so your child can focus on the pattern. Choose just two colours. Lay the strips out in order on the table before linking them, then join them one at a time.
To stretch confident children
Make a pattern of three colours in a row, such as red, green, yellow, then repeat it. Ask your child to predict the colour of a link further along before they add it. Check together.
Make it a game
Count the rings aloud as you add each one. Then hide the next strip and ask your child to guess its colour from the pattern. Reveal it together to see if they were right.
Talk about it
- Which colours did you choose, and why?
- What colour will come next in your chain?
- How did you join the strips together?
- Can you make a different pattern with the same colours?
- What was the trickiest part of making it?
- Where shall we hang your garland?
Take it off the page
Colour sorting
Gather small objects from around the house and sort them into colour groups. Then line them up in a repeating colour order.
Pattern with beads or pasta
Thread large beads or dried pasta onto string in a repeating pattern. A grown-up should supervise small items with young children.
Pattern clapping
Make a pattern with claps and stamps, such as clap, clap, stamp. Take turns to copy each other and add the next sound.
Who it is for
Parents
Sit with your child for the first go and let them lead. Cut the strips yourself if scissors are tricky. Talk about their colour choices while they work, and keep the pace relaxed.
Teachers
Use it as a table activity, an early finisher task or part of a pattern focus. It needs paper, scissors or ready cut strips, and glue. Page 2 gives support and stretch ideas for mixed groups.
Home educators
Pair it with books about colours and patterns, and with everyday talk about what comes next. Print it again for brothers and sisters, and make a longer garland together.
Where this fits in learning
Before this, children practise sorting by colour, snipping with scissors and copying simple patterns with real objects. These early steps build the hand control and the language of pattern that a paper chain needs.
After this, children can make patterns of their own, try longer repeating orders and spot patterns in the world around them. They will also use cutting and joining skills in other art and design projects.
Check it worked
Ask these when the sheet is finished. Listen for the reasoning, not just the answer.
- What colour comes next in your chain?
- How did you join the strips?
- Can you make a different pattern?
Questions parents and teachers ask
- What age is Paper Chain Garland for?
It is written for Reception, ages 4 to 5, in the Early Years Foundation Stage. Grown-ups can help with the cutting and gluing, so it works well as a shared activity at home or in class.
- What do we need to make the garland?
You need paper, scissors or ready cut strips, glue and a pencil. A grown-up can cut the strips for younger children. Glue sticks are easier for little hands than runny glue.
- What if it feels too hard?
Use ready cut strips and glue sticks, and choose just two colours. Lay the strips out in order before linking them. A grown-up can hold the ring steady while the child threads the next strip.
- Can teachers use it in class?
Yes. It works as a table activity, an early finisher task or part of a pattern focus. It needs no preparation beyond printing, gathering paper, glue and scissors, and cutting strips if you prefer.
- Is this a screen free activity?
Yes. It is a printable craft that uses paper, scissors or ready cut strips, glue and a pencil. It suits quiet time, rainy days and school holidays, and gets children talking and making things by hand.
- Can home educators use it?
Yes. Home educators and tutors can use it on its own or as part of a wider art or pattern plan. It is free to print again for brothers, sisters or another go later.
- Do I need to print it in colour?
No. It prints well in black and white on plain A4 paper. The colour comes from the paper strips your child chooses, so any coloured paper you have at home will do.
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Made by Jaques of London, making games for families since 1795. A printable supports classroom learning and does not replace a teacher.