Oh, we certainly adore Chinese New Year – although, as we know, it isn’t JUST Chinese New Year, so Lunar New Year is probably the more suitable name! Lunar New Year 2026 takes place on Thursday 29th January 2026 and yes.. it is the Year of the Horse! To celebrate, we have several fabulous Horse Crafts for you to enjoy! This movable horse paper doll is such a delightful activity!
Year of the Horse Paper Finger Puppet
Find the Complete Zodiac Animal Puppet Collection here:
You can choose only the Year of the Horse puppet.. or why not pick up the complete collection of 12 Zodiac Puppets?
Supplies needed for your paper horse puppet:
This horse puppet project is wonderful because it needs very little preparation time!
- The paper farm animal horse printable – available here grab it for $1.10 on TPT)
- A pair of scissors
- A glue stick
- Coloring markers, pencils, crayons – anything you prefer!
Pick it up for $1.10 here! Or purchase the complete Zodiac Puppet collection all at once!
Step-by-step instructions for making your own 3d horse hand puppet for Chinese New Year!
The video tutorial for the Snake Puppet can be watched here.. it is created using the same method! Alternatively, follow the step-by-step directions below!
Add color to your horse coloring page
Decorate the horse printable using any colors you prefer. You might choose brown and black for a simpler appearance, or perhaps pink and blue for a wonderfully wild, magical design! Remember, this is YOUR horse, so you decide exactly what it looks like; the choice is entirely yours!
Trim around the horse shape
After you are pleased with your design and coloring, carefully cut around the horse outline with a pair of scissors as neatly as you can. The edges do not need to be perfectly smooth, so don’t worry if there are a few bumps along the way. This is also an excellent chance for younger children to develop their cutting abilities, as the curved lines demand extra concentration and control.
Fold the horse mouth sections
When the horse printable has been completely cut out, crease the head along the lines beside the mouth. When folded properly, it should form an ‘M’ shape.
Smooth out the creases once everything looks right!
Trim out the finger tabs
Cut out the two paper strips included with the coloring template. Each strip has markings at both ends showing where they should be glued. Glue one marked section of a strip onto the back of the horse’s mouth, then attach the other end of that same strip. This will form a loop. Do the same with the second strip, attaching it to the opposite side of the mouth at the back. These loops become the finger openings for your paper horse puppet.
Press the tabs flat slightly:
Your adorable horse puppet is now complete:
Aren’t these delightful??
I hope you have fun creating your own Horse Finger Puppets!
Remember that they are included in a large collection of 12 Zodiac Finger Puppets.. and you can also explore these Chinese New Year Crafts here too! More Year of the Horse crafts will be arriving soon as well!
