How to make a kinetic Christmas card

Pull the secret tab at the bottom of the tree trunk to open the leaves and let a cheeky Christmas sloth slide down into view!

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Holly Spanner

Published: November 19, 2021 at 6:55 am

Flex your papercraft skills and impress friends and family with this fun kinetic Christmas card! Pull the secret tab and a cheeky sloth slides down the tree trunk as the leaves part. This is a kinetic Christmas card is made using advanced card-making techniques, but we've provided a free template to make it easier, and take you through each of the steps below - so you can concentrate on the fun stuff like decorating your tree. Download your Christmas sloth printables for more card inspiration and to get started!

How to make a pop-up sloth card

If you’re in a crafty mood, why not check out the best glue gun and best die-cutting machine. Thinking about buying a craft printer? Check out our review of the best printer for card making.

We love seeing what you make, so don’t forget to share your craft projects with us on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter, too!

You will need

Your exclusive Christmas sloth printables
Your exclusive pop-up Christmas sloth templates
Screw hole punch from Hunkydory
Patterned paper
Coloured card
Circle dies
Baker's twine
Mini brads
Wooden buttons
Adhesive pearls
Double-sided tape
Sticky foam pads

How to make a pop-up sloth card

Step 1

Using the free pop-up Christmas sloth templates, cut your pull tab mechanism and backing panel from some sturdy card. Cut a central slot and punch two holes in the backing panel as indicated on the template.

How to make a pop-up sloth card – step 1

Step 2

Fold your pull tab as shown, so that the two innermost folds are valley folds, and the two outermost folds are mountain folds. Burnish the fold with a bone folder to get a crisp crease.

How to make a pop-up sloth card – step 2

Step 3

Thread the pull tab through the central slot and open out the folds. Using the template, cut two wings and attach one to either side of the pull tab using a small brad.

How to make a pop-up sloth card – step 3

Step 4

Slide another small brad through the other hole in the wings, and through the hole in your backing panel. Repeat on both sides. Keep the brads fairly loose to allow smooth movement.

How to make a pop-up sloth card – step 4

Step 5

Stick a line of foam tape centrally along the backing panel, making sure there is enough room for the pull tab to slide down. Stick a thin line of foam tape along the right of the pull tab.

How to make a pop-up sloth card – step 5

Step 6

Using the template, cut a trunk from some dark brown card and attach it to the central line of foam tape. Stick the baby sloth onto the thin line of foam tape and attach two leaves onto the wings. Download the free Christmas sloth printables if you haven’t done so already.

How to make a pop-up sloth card – step 6

Step 7

Make sure the two moving leaves reveal the sloth when the tab is pulled and hide him when pushed in. Build up your tree with leaves and baubles. Mount onto a 17.5 x 12.5cm card blank.

How to make a pop-up sloth card – step 7
Pop-up Christmas sloth card

We hope you enjoyed this tutorial for a pop-up sloth card. If you are looking for more festive animal inspiration, take a look at these chocolate coin cards (there’s a polar bear card!), or why not top-up your craft stash with these gorgeous free northern lights printables.

Staff Writer, BBC Science Focus

Holly is the Staff Writer for BBC Science Focus and looks after the popular Q&A section. She holds an MSc (distinction) in Geoscience (Space and Climate Physics) from UCL, and specialises in astronomy and earth sciences. Before joining Our Media, she worked as a geoenvironmental consultant and engineer, informing on ground risk and remediation in the north of England, while hunting for exoplanets in her spare time. Alongside this, she was regional editor of a popular theatre website for nine years, and has a solid background in curating and developing content for the digital space. Holly is also an artist and illustrator, and regular contributor to the craft website, Gathered. She has previously worked with the RSPB, English Heritage, Disney, Pilot and Brother, as well as on BBC Good Food magazine, Home Style magazine, and Papercraft inspirations magazine. She enjoys photography and has a sustained interest in antiques.