Looking for some fun animal-themed activities for your little ones? Stock up on toilet rolls, popsicle sticks and pipe cleaners, and get busy with these 10 simple animal crafts your kids will love to make. Most of these are perfect for younger kids too, and many use materials you probably already have at home.
Here’s what’s coming up:
- Fork Print Panda Bear
- Pine Cone Robin
- Egg Carton Spiders
- Popsicle Stick Foxes
- Spoon Ants
- Wool Octopus
- Magical Spowls (Half Spoon, Half Owl)
- Foam Cup Snowy Owl
- Toilet Tube Animals
- Crafty Snake
#1. Fork Print Panda Bear
This super easy panda craft cleverly uses a fork to create the fuzzy fur effect. It’s a great project for younger kids, and for easy clean-up, stick to plastic forks.
Instructions & Image via Crafty Morning
Recommended Reading: 14 Perfect Panda Crafts for Kids to Make
#2. Pine Cone Robin
This little robin craft is ideal for toddlers and younger kids, as it just involves sticking a few simple craft materials onto a single pine cone. Add a loop of ribbon or thread and it doubles up as a Christmas hanging decoration.
Instructions & Image via Kids Craft Room
Recommended Reading: 15 Wonderful Winter Crafts for Kids
#3. Egg Carton Spiders
Kids of all ages will love making these egg carton spiders, and they’re just as much fun to play with afterwards. Keep your old egg cartons to hand for this one, whether it’s for Halloween or any time of year.
Image and Instructions via mamas like me
Recommended Reading: Simple But Not Scary Halloween Crafts for Toddlers
#4. Popsicle Stick Foxes
These cute foxes are easy to make using craft paper and popsicle sticks, making them a lovely quick craft for an afternoon at home.
Image & Instructions via Glued to My Craftsblog
Recommended Reading: 10 Cute Popsicle Crafts for Kids
#5. Spoon Ants
These simple ants are made from plastic spoons, making them an easy craft for toddlers and preschoolers to help with.
Image & Instructions via Learn Play Imagine
Recommended Reading: 15 Easy Pipe Cleaner Crafts that Kids will Love
#6. Wool Octopus
There’s no glue involved in this fun wool octopus. With a few simple ingredients and a little help from parents, young kids will have hours of fun playing with their new toy once it’s made.
Image & Instructions via Craftbits
Recommended Reading: Mess-Free Fun and No-Glue Crafts for Preschoolers
#7. Magical Spowls – Half Spoon, Half Owl
These cute “spowls” are perfect for little ones, as they only involve painting a wooden spoon. Kids don’t have to stop at just one either — they could make a whole owl family, then use their creations for puppet play afterwards.
Image & Instructions via Spoonful
Recommended Reading: 10 Owl Crafts That Are a Hoot to Make
#8. Foam Cup Snowy Owl
Some clever upcycling here, turning a foam or paper cup into a gorgeous snowy owl. A lovely way to use up cups you might otherwise throw away.
Image & Instructions via iheartcraftythings.com
Recommended Reading: 50 Brilliant Ideas for Arts & Crafts Worth The Mess
#9. Toilet Tube Animals
These toilet tube animals are too cute for words. Just stock up on toilet rolls in advance and your kids can create a whole farm of characters.
Image & Instructions via Creative Me Inspired You
You might also like this cute Farm Craft for Kids, which you can make using downloadable templates.
Recommended Reading: Creative Paper Toilet Roll Crafts for Kids
#10. Crafty Snake
If you’re looking for a craft that will keep the kids busy for a while, this sneaky snake fits the bill nicely. It started life as a Chinese New Year craft, but it works just as well any time of year.
Image & Instructions via Craftiments
Recommended Reading: 12 Funky Crafts For Kids Aged 8 – 12 years
Over to you! Have you tried any of these, or have your own favourite animal crafts to share? Let us know in the comments below.
Frequently Asked Questions
What age are these animal crafts suitable for?
Most of these crafts are designed with younger children in mind, particularly the Fork Print Panda Bear, Pine Cone Robin and Spoon Ants. A few, like the Wool Octopus, work best with a bit of parent help for younger kids, but all ten can be adapted for older children too by giving them more of the fiddly steps to do themselves.
Do I need any special craft supplies?
No — that’s the beauty of this list. Everything uses things you likely already have at home or can pick up cheaply, such as toilet rolls, popsicle sticks, plastic spoons and forks, pipe cleaners, wool and pine cones.
Can these crafts be linked to a theme, like Halloween or Christmas?
Yes. A few of these have a natural seasonal fit — the Pine Cone Robin works well as a Christmas decoration, and the Egg Carton Spiders are a fun Halloween activity — but every craft on this list works just as well as an everyday rainy-day activity.
How messy are these crafts?
They’re all fairly low-mess. Most involve gluing or sticking rather than painting, though the Foam Cup Snowy Owl and Fork Print Panda do involve a little paint, so you may want to cover the table first.
You Might Also Like
- 14 Perfect Panda Crafts for Kids to Make
- 15 Wonderful Winter Crafts for Kids
- 10 Owl Crafts That Are a Hoot to Make
- Mess-Free Fun and No-Glue Crafts for Preschoolers
- 50 Brilliant Ideas for Arts & Crafts Worth The Mess
Looking for even more ways to fill a rainy afternoon? Browse our full collection of craft and activity ideas for even more inspiration, and save this one for the next wet weekend.
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