Animal Crafts and Learning Activities for Kids

Easy, Inexpensive, Animal Crafts and
Learning Activities for Children

Animals of Africa Paper Craft for Kids

Go on an African Animal Safari. Make these folded paper animals and learn more about each animal. Set up an African habit for your animals and take your friends on a safari. You can be the guide and tell them all about each animal. Go to the African Animal Safari Page for patterns and directions.

Armadillo Craft

What you will need:

Tan, brown, or gray fun foam, hot melt glue gun and glue, markers, 20 oz. plastic bottle, and scissors.

What to do:

1. Print out the patterns, shell pattern 100 dpi or 72 dpi , head pattern 100 dpi or 72 dpi , legs and ear pattern 100 dpi or 72 dpi .

2. Cut out all the patterns. Place the shell, head, and ear pattern on fun foam. Trace the patterns onto the fun foam and cut them out. Place the leg pattern on a piece of paper that has been folded in half. Trace the pattern onto the folded piece of paper and cut it out. Unfold the paper and place it on a piece of fun foam. Trace it and cut it out.

3. Glue the leg pattern around a 20 oz. plastic bottle so that the legs are hanging down on one side of the bottle (See the picture.).

4. Cut the four slits on the shell pattern. Make four darts in the shell by placing glue along the under side edge of each slit. Bring the edge of the slit over the meet the dotted lines. Press until the glue sticks. Do each dart one at a time.

5. Glue the shell over the legs so that just the legs show. (See picture.) The front of the shell, the part that has the curve that goes inward, should be glued to the top of the bottle where the head will be attached.

6. Glue the head pattern together to make a cone shape. Cut the slits by the nose. Push the fun foam under the nose in towards the center of the cone and bring the nose down over the fun foam that you pushed in. Glue it down. Glue the head to the top shell by placing some glue on the tab that sticks out from the head. Place the head over the top of the bottle so the tab is under the front of the shell.

7. Place a tiny bit of hot melt glue in the bottom center of each ear. Fold the ears in half and hold the fold down until the glue holds. Glue the ears to the head where marked.

8. Cut a tail from the left over fun foam.

9. Use a marker to draw on the mouth and eyes. To finish draw stripes and circles on the shell and head.

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Bighorn Sheep Crafts for Kids

Standup Bighorn Sheep Craft - Children may need help cutting this pattern out, but they will love coloring it to look like a real bighorn sheep. This pattern is available to members only. (Available to members only.)

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Bird Crafts for Kids - Go to the Bird Craft Page for Bird Crafts.

You will find a bird picture that you can glue real leaves to, a bird feeder craft made from paper plates and a Pringle's Potato chip can, a bird made with craft feathers, a duck made from paper plates, raven crafts made from paper, paper plates, black bird puppets, raven cookies, a pink flamingo made from pipe cleaners and pompoms, hen pictures to color and decorate with feathers, a whooping crane craft, a bird puppet, an owl made from a pinecone, a paper plate quail and puppet and more.

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Cat Crafts for Kids

Go to the Cat and Kitten Crafts Page to find these cat crafts and more.

Camel Crafts for Kids

Camel in the Sand Picture

Make a camel in the sand. Place sand paper underneath the camel picture. Remove the paper from around the crayons. Place a crayon on its side and rub over the picture. A sand texture will appear on the paper. Make sand dunes and other desert features. Experiment with different grits of sand paper. Click on the link to print out a pattern. This pattern is available to members only.

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Easy Camel Sock Puppet - Go to the Puppets Page for directions and patterns to make this craft.

Cow Crafts for Kids

Paper Lunch Bag Cow Puppet

What you will need: White paper lunch bags, white typing paper, tape, glue sticks, and black crayons.

What to do:

1. Before class print out the cow head pattern and the cow leg pattern and make copies.

2. Cut out the patterns.

3. In class show the children how to fold down the corners of the bottom of the bag and tape them down. Glue the cows head onto the bottom of the bag. Color the tongue and glue it under the folded bottom of the bag. Glue the legs to the back of the bag and color spots on the cow.

See the Puppet Page for more animal puppets.

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"The Cow Jumped Over the Moon" Paper Plate Craft

What you will need: Two dinner-sized paper plates, card stock (Heavy Paper), crayons or markers, and glue.

What to do:

1. Draw a cow's head, legs and tail onto card stock or white construction paper. (A pattern for this craft is available to members of Danielle's Place.)
2. Cut out the patterns and color them.
3.Fold a paper plate in half to make the cows body. Glue the legs, head and tail onto the paper plate as shown.
3. Fold the other paper plate in half and cut the halves apart on the folded line. Place the two halves together top to top and glue them together around the rim of the plate. Cut out a face shape and glue the plates together just around the edge of the face.

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Dog Crafts for Kids

Free Standup Dog Craft for Kids - The free patterns for these dogs can be found on theABC, I Believe site. They are also available to members of The Resource Room in the Dog Lesson.

For even more dog crafts and activities go to the Dog Craft Page.

Elephant Crafts for Kids

Go to the Elephant Crafts and Activities Page for patterns and ideas.

Frog Crafts for Kids

Go to the Frog Crafts Page. You will find frog beanbags, frog puppets, and frogs on a lily pad crafts.

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Horse Crafts for Kids

Go to the Horse Craft and Activity Page for directions to these crafts.

Kangaroo Crafts for Kids

Go to the Kangaroo Crafts Page for directions and Patterns to these crafts.

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Lion Crafts for Kids

Lion Crafts - You'll find lots of Lion Craft on the Lion's Crafts and Learning Activities Page such as yarn lions, lion's made with noodles, a lion's visor and much more. This pattern is available to members only.

Mice Crafts

Hugging Mice Folding Card Craft

This craft goes with the Bible lesson "Good Friends are Giving".

This pattern is available to members only. Just follow the link above. Print out the pattern onto gray card stock, color the ears and cheeks with a pink colored pencil, and cut out. Fold up the tails, fold down the heads, and fold the bodies so that they are hugging. Write a Valentine's message on the inside. You can write something like, "Mice are nice and so are you."

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Monkey Crafts for Kids

Monkey Door Hanger Craft

What you will need: Heavy card stock, scissors, string, crayons or markers and a hole punch.

What to do:

Print out the pattern onto heavy card stock.

Cut out the door hanger and color it.

Cut a slit just above the monkeys lower hand.

Make different signs from the left over card stock that you cut away from the pattern that the monkey can hold. Punch holes on the top of the card and tie a string to the signs.  Place one of the signs in the Monkey's hand and hang it on your door.

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Moose Crafts for Kids

Moose Puppet- This moose puppet is made with a paper cup and brown lunch bag. Children will have fun acting out the story "If You Give a Moose a Muffin" using this puppet. They can also make up their own story or puppet show using the story as an example. Go to the puppets pagefor directions. You will find other moose crafts and learning activities on the Moose Crafts and Learning Activities Page.

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Panda Bear Craft for Kids

What you will need: Foam marshmallows from Oriental Trading Company (You can buy 48 for $4.95, $3.95 if you buy 3 or more packages.) (Type in 57/2058 in the search box on the left-hand side of the page.), black pompoms, black paint, hot melt glue, and a red and black marker.

What to do:

1. Glue two foam marshmallows together ( flat sides together) for the body. Cut a 3/4" wedge out of one marshmallow as shown in the picture for the head. Glue the head onto the body as shown.

2. Cut one marshmallow in half long ways and then cut both half pieces in half again the same way to make the legs. Cut corners off of the ends of each leg piece and glue them to the the body as shown.

3. Paint the legs, around the eyes, and neck area black. Use a marker to draw in the mouth and tongue. Glue black pompoms on for ears. Paint paws on the ends of the back legs.

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Pig Crafts for Kids

Resting Pig - Go to the Paper Plates Craft and Activity Page for directions to this craft.

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Possum or Opossum Puppet Paper Craft for Kids

Stand him on his feet, hang by his tail, or use him as a puppet.

What you will need: Card stock (Heavy paper), glue or tape, crayons or colored pencils, and scissors.

This possum craft consists of three parts: The head, the body and tail, and the under belly which is open in the back so children can use the craft as a puppet. For complete directions and patterns go to the member's only section.

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Snake Crafts for Kids

Snake Crafts for kids - Go to the Snake Crafts Page for lots of snake craft and activity ideas.

You'll find snakes made from paper, ties, material, pipe cleaners, activity sheets, snake math worksheets, snake pattern worksheets, king snake writing worksheets for the letter K, a snake puzzle and learning activity ideas using snakes.

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SheepCrafts for Kids

Sheep Crafts for Kids - Go to the Sheep Crafts Page for lots of sheep and lamb crafts and activity ideas. You will also find free Bible lessons with Bible verse cards, craft ideas, games, and songs for preschool and elementary children.

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Squirrel Crafts for Kids

Make a squirrel holding a cup of acorns, have a scavenger hunt to look for things squirrels might eat to place in the cup, or review math facts using the acorns from the cup.

Color a picture of a squirrel. Place acorns in the squirrel's hands. This worksheet can be used to review spelling and vocabulary words or math facts.

Go to the Squirrel Crafts and Activity Page for patterns and directions. This pattern is available to members only.

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Turtle Crafts for Kids

 Papier Maché Turtle Craft

What you will need: Newspaper Sticky white  craft glue, (Elmer's Glue works well), Large round balloon for the turtle's shell, Petroleum jelly, Paint, Clear gloss varnish to waterproof it.

What to do:

To prepare: Rip up newspapers to about 1"  by 3" strips. (It is important to rip the newspapers and  not cut them. If you cut them the layers of newspapers will be to obvious.)

1. Blow up the balloon to the size you want the turtles shell  to be. Smear petroleum jelly all over the balloon and place it in a bowl that has also been smeared with petroleum jelly. The  bowl should be big enough to fit only about 1/4 of the balloon  in. The bowl will hold the balloon in place and keep it from rolling around while you work. (If you don't have a big balloon  you can use a bowl. Just turn it upside down and lay your strips  on it.)

2. Cover your work area with old newspapers or a plastic drop  cloth.

3. Prepare the glue mixture in a medium size bowl. To start mix 1/4 cup glue with 1/2 cup water.

4. Soak some of your newspaper strips in the glue mixture for a minute or two. Remove one strip at a time pulling the strips between your fingers to get rid of any excess glue and place them on the balloon to form the turtle shell. Don't worry too  much about the edge of the shell you will be able to cut it even  when it is dry. (It is important not to use too much glue or  it will take too long to dry). Cover the top half of the balloon  with one layer of newspapers overlapping them slightly so that  there are no holes. When you have finished the first layer place  the balloon with the bowl in a warm place to dry overnight. Repeat  this process 2 or 3 times. When all the layers have dried thoroughly  remove the balloon from the bowl and punch a hole in it so that  the air is released. Remove the balloon carefully. Cut the shell  around the edges to make it even.

5. Cut a whole page of newspaper into quarters, crinkle them up and dip them in the glue solution. Then press them into the bottom of the shell. Fill the shell about 1/4 of the way. Let the newspaper dry.

6. Now it is time to form the legs tail and head. Wrinkle up  a piece of newspaper to make each legs, tail, and head. Then use more newspaper strips that have been soaked in the glue  mixture  to roll around the wrinkled up newspaper. Don't worry to much  about how it looks because you will be adding paper pulp later  (which is like soft modeling clay) to finish the  details.

7. Glue the legs head and tail in place. Crinkle up more newspaper  and continue filling up the shell to about half way. Fill in  around the legs head and tail. Let dry.

8. Add a layer of newspaper over the underside of the shell. Let dry.

9. Now it is time to make pulp, which is used like modeling clay, to form the nose mouth eyes toes etc. You may even want to add  some texture to the shell. To make the pulp: Take 8 large sheets of newspaper and tear them into tiny squares. Cover them with hot water and let them soak for at least 24 hours. Then  boil the paper in the water for about 20 minutes. Let cool. Beat the cooled mixture with an electric mixer or a food processor.  Pour the mixture into a strainer and press out most of the water.  Add glue until the mixture feels like soft modeling clay. When you are finished applying the pulp let the turtle dry thoroughly.

10. Now you are ready to paint. You may want to use a fine sandpaper  to get rid of any unwanted bumps. You can use any type of paint  you have but it is probably a good idea to put a coat of white  paint over the entire turtle before you add colors. When you  are done painting the turtle and it is thoroughly dry apply a  coat of clear varnish. This will protect your  paint job and you  can even put the turtle outside in your garden.

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Yak Crafts and Activities for Kids- The following activities are available to members only.

1. Yak Coloring Sheet - This coloring sheet says, "Don't Yack Too Much!"

2. Yak with Mouth that Opens and Closes - This yak opens and closes his mouth. When it's mouth is open it says, "Be slow to speak." At the top of the page it says, "Be swift to hear."

3. Yak Word Review Game - Children read a word and try to feed it to the Yak. If they say the word correctly the yak eats it. If they pronounce it wrong the yak spits it out and they have to try again. This craft is found on the Reading, Spelling, and Vocabulary Crafts and Activities.

4. Yak work sheet - ABC Bible Verse pages, printing and writing the letter Y. Children learn Bible stories and concepts using animal themes. ABC and Bible verse worksheets with pictures and Bible references. Children learn to recognize God in every aspect of their lives through these lessons.

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ABC, I Believe Lessons

Twenty-six Bible Lessons
for home school, each
based on a different animal.

Free Sample
Lessons
from
The Resource Room

Free Sample Lessons from
The Resource Room

Free
Scaredy Cat
Daniel in the Lion's Den