Magazine Paper Chains: A Recycled Christmas Craft for Kids

Cut old magazine pages into 1 inch by 8 inch strips, curl each strip into a loop, and glue or tape the ends together, threading each new loop through the last. A 6-foot garland takes about 30 links and 20 minutes. One average magazine yields 60 to 100 strips, enough for 12 to 20 feet of chain.

• Age: 5 and up to cut and glue solo; 3 and up to thread and press with adult help
• Time: 10 minutes to cut 30 strips; 20 minutes to link a 6-foot garland
• Mess level: very low; glue stick and paper scraps on a tray

What Supplies Do You Need for Magazine Paper Chains?

• Old magazines (catalogs and coupon flyers work too)
• Kid-safe scissors
• Ruler
• Pencil
• Glue stick
• Clear tape
• Paper plate or tray
• Damp cloth or paper towels

How Do Kids Cut the Strips?

Stack 2 or 3 magazine pages together to speed things up. Use the ruler and pencil to mark 1-inch-wide strips along the long edge of the page, then cut the strips 8 inches long. One page gives about 8 strips.

Sort the strips into piles by color as you cut: reds and greens for a classic Christmas chain, bright mixed colors for a party look, or picture-side-out strips for a funky collage chain.

If the strips feel stiff, wrap each strip around a pencil for a second before looping it. This pre-curl makes closing the loop much easier for small hands.

How Do Kids Link the Chain?

1. Take one strip and curl it into a circle, overlapping the ends by about half an inch.
2. Run the glue stick over one end of the overlap, press the ends together, and pinch for a slow count of 30. That is link number one.
3. Thread the next strip through the finished loop before closing it. Glue and pinch the same way.
4. Keep going, threading each new strip through the last finished loop.

Glue stick versus tape: a glue stick holds glossy magazine paper well and stays invisible, but each link needs that 30-second pinch. Tape is instant and great for impatient little kids, but the shiny edges show and tape can peel loose in a humid room. Use the glue stick for the chain and keep the tape handy for quick repairs.

Color pattern ideas: alternate red and green strips, make a gradient from light to dark, link five strips from one magazine section then switch, or let each child pick a repeating pattern of three colors.

How Long a Chain Does One Magazine Make?

Each finished link adds about 2.5 inches of length to the chain. A 6-foot tree garland needs about 30 links, which is 20 minutes of steady gluing. One average magazine gives 60 to 100 strips, so a single magazine makes 12 to 20 feet of chain. That is enough to wrap a 6-foot tree twice or drape across a whole living room wall.

What Goes Wrong with Magazine Paper Chains, and How Do You Fix It?

Links pop open: the glue did not get its 30 seconds, or the overlap was too small. Re-glue with a half-inch overlap and pinch for a full slow count of 60. If a glossy page will not hold glue at all, close that link with clear tape instead.

The chain twists into a spiral: every loop got threaded the same direction. Alternate instead: thread one strip through the front of the last loop, the next through the back. A little twist looks handmade and fine, so only fix it if it bothers you.

Strips tear at the overlap: the strip got pulled tight while the glue was still wet. Support the loop with your other hand while you pinch, and do not hang the chain until the glue has set for 10 minutes.

The pattern looks random and muddy: the strips were never sorted before linking. Dump the strips out, sort them into color piles on the paper plate or tray, then link in your pattern.

A toddler yanks the chain down: it happens. Glued links usually survive a yank better than taped ones. Re-glue any popped links and hang the next chain higher.

How Do You Keep Magazine Paper Chains Safe?

Give kids 5 and up kid-safe scissors; an adult cuts strips for kids under 5. Magazine paper is thin and its cut edges can give a surprising paper cut, so kids hold strips by the middle and keep fingers off the cut edges.

Glue sticks are non-toxic but not food. Little kids need a reminder not to chew the glue stick, and everyone washes hands when the chain is done.

Watch the small stuff around toddlers. Whole paper links are fine, but torn-off links and tape pieces are choking hazards for babies and toddlers, so hang chains out of their reach and pick up scraps right away.

Which Christmas Crafts Go Well with Magazine Paper Chains?

A magazine chain pairs perfectly with a paper chain Christmas countdown garland, one for decoration and one for counting down the days. Kids who love linking often enjoy building popsicle stick Christmas tree ornaments next, and salt dough ornaments hang beautifully from a finished chain.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What age is this craft for?

Kids 5 and up can cut strips and glue links on their own. Kids 3 and 4 can thread pre-cut strips through finished loops and press the glued ends while an adult handles the scissors and the glue stick. Toddlers can sort strips by color into piles, which they love, but the finished chain hangs out of their reach.

How messy is it?

Very low mess. Glue stick is the cleanest adhesive we use, and tape involves no wet glue at all. Paper scraps land on the paper plate or tray, and magazine bits sweep up in seconds. Keep the damp cloth nearby for sticky fingers, and wash hands when you finish.

How long does it take?

Cutting strips takes 10 minutes for 30 strips. Linking runs about 40 seconds per link once kids get the rhythm, so a 30-link garland takes 20 minutes of gluing. Add 10 minutes of drying before hanging. A classroom making a 100-link hallway chain should plan a full hour with strip-cutting helpers.

Is it safe?

Yes. Kid-safe scissors, non-toxic glue sticks, and paper are a gentle combination. The two things to watch are paper cuts from thin magazine edges and small torn pieces around babies and toddlers. Kids hold strips by the middle, adults cut for kids under 5, and finished chains hang out of reach of little ones who still put things in their mouths.

Be safe and have fun!