Easy Viking Sword Craft for Kids: Make a Cardboard Viking Sword
Make a Cardboard Viking Sword for Pretend Play
Create your own Viking sword using cardboard and a few simple craft supplies. This easy Viking sword craft is perfect for Viking-themed play, history projects, Viking Day activities and imaginative adventures at home.
Safety note: This craft is designed for pretend play using cardboard. Always supervise children during crafting and play, and never use the finished sword to hit people, animals or objects.
Did Vikings Really Use Swords?
Viking warriors used several different types of weapons, including spears, axes and swords.
Viking swords were generally made from iron and were valuable weapons that could take a great deal of skill and time to create. Not every Viking owned a sword, and some swords were passed down through families.
Many Viking swords had:
- A long, straight blade
- A pointed tip
- A handle called a grip
- A protective guard between the blade and handle
- A pommel at the end of the handle (a knob or weight at the end of the sword’s handle)
Some Viking swords were decorated with beautiful patterns, and particularly famous swords were sometimes given names.
Did you know?
A sword was often a valuable possession, so it was important to look after it carefully. A Viking warrior might have carried a sword in a scabbard to protect the blade and make it safer to carry.
What You’ll Need to make the Viking Sword Craft
- A large piece of sturdy cardboard
- Pencil
- Ruler
- Scissors or a craft knife (adult use only)
- Paint, crayons or felt-tip pens
- Coloured paper or card
- Glue
- Sticky tape
- Optional: metallic paper or aluminium foil for decoration
You can use cardboard from a delivery box or an empty cereal box. Thicker cardboard will make a sturdier sword, while cereal-box card is easier for younger children to cut with help.
Step 1: Draw Your Viking Sword
Draw the sword shape onto your cardboard.
You can create:
- A long, straight blade
- A pointed or rounded tip
- A crossguard
- A handle
- A pommel
For younger children, an adult can draw the outline first.
We drew the sword, handle and pommel in one piece and added a separate piece for the cross guard.
Step 2: Cut Out the Sword
Carefully cut around the outline.
Important: An adult should use a craft knife or strong pair of scissors, and younger children should have help with scissors when cutting thicker cardboard.
For extra strength, you can:
- Cut out two identical sword shapes.
- Glue them together.
- Leave them under a heavy book while they dry.
This gives you a sturdier cardboard sword for pretend play.
Step 3: Decorate the Blade
Now it’s time to give your sword its Viking look!
You could:
- Paint the blade grey or silver.
- Add simple geometric patterns.
- Use metallic card or foil.
- Create a family symbol.
- Decorate the blade with Viking-inspired knotwork.
For a more historically inspired look, keep the decoration relatively simple. Viking swords were not all covered in elaborate designs, but some did feature decorative details and inscriptions.
Step 4: Decorate the Handle
The handle is the part of the sword that you hold.
Cover the handle with:
- Brown paper
- Coloured card
- Washi tape
- Fabric strips
- Yarn
You could create a simple wrapped effect by winding yarn around the handle. Then finish the handle by decorating the pommel at the bottom.
Add a crossguard between the blade and handle using a strip of cardboard.
Step 5: Completing your Viking Sword Craft
Now your sword needs a name!
Give your sword a legendary Viking name such as:
- Stormbreaker
- Dragon’s Tooth
- Wolf’s Fang
- Thunderstrike
- Frostblade
- Raven’s Wing
Or invent your own!
Children could also design a symbol for their sword and explain what it represents.
Viking Sword Activities
Once your cardboard sword is complete, try one of these safe Viking-themed activities.
⚔️ The Viking Training Course
Create an obstacle course around the garden or living room.
Children could:
- Walk around cones while carrying their sword.
- Crawl under a table.
- Step over cushions.
- Carry their shield and sword together.
- Complete a final Viking challenge.
For an extra challenge, complete the course while balancing a soft toy or beanbag on the shield.
🐉 Defeat the Dragon
Create a dragon using:
- A cardboard box
- A paper bag
- A drawing
- A soft toy
The aim isn’t to hit the dragon with the sword!
Instead, children can complete challenges to “defeat” it:
- Answer a Viking question.
- Decode a rune.
- Throw a beanbag at a target.
- Complete an obstacle course.
- Find a hidden treasure inside the dragon’s lair.
This keeps the game active while making sure the cardboard sword remains a prop for imaginative play.
🛡️ The Viking Equipment Challenge
Can you complete a Viking course while carrying both your shield and sword?
Try:
- Pick up your shield.
- Carry your sword.
- Walk around the Viking village.
- Cross the longship bridge.
- Defend the treasure.
- Return safely to the village.
This would be a perfect activity to include as part of the Viking Trials. (Coming soon)
Become a Viking Warrior or Explorer
Vikings weren’t all warriors. Many were farmers, traders, craftspeople and explorers too.
Once your sword is finished, encourage children to imagine who they are.
Are they:
🛡️ A village protector?
🚢 An explorer sailing to new lands?
🪙 A trader travelling between settlements?
🧭 A Viking leader?
🧵 A skilled craftsperson?
Create a name, a family symbol and a story for your character.
Keep Your Viking Adventure Going
Once you’ve made your sword, why not continue your Viking adventure?
🛡️ Make a Cardboard Viking Shield — Create the perfect companion to your sword.
🪨 Make Viking Rune Stones — Learn about runes and play fun decoding games.
🚢 Build a Viking Longboat — Create your own ship and set off on an adventure. (coming soon)
🏆 Complete the Viking Trials — Test your wisdom, courage, skill and exploration abilities. (coming soon)
🃏 Play Legends of the 9 Realms — Battle with gods, giants, monsters and tricksters from Norse mythology.
For more history themed days…
If you enjoy exploring ancient history through play and crafts, you may also enjoy these:
- Become an Olympian and explore Ancient Greece
- Learn how to make Egyptian inspired Jewellery
- Become a Pharaoh for the day, build pyramids and explore life along the river nile with this Ancient Egypt Day
