Penguins are a hit with kids and adults alike. What is it that makes these black and white birds from icy Antarctica the popular creatures they are? Could it be because they look like a flock walking (or waddling) funny in suits? Perhaps it’s their being social and friendly that’s admirable.
Whatever it is, penguin crafts are just as adorable to kids as the real thing— and as a parent or teacher, it’s an opportunity for you to help them turn this fascination into a learning activity or intentional fine motor practice.
In this article, we’ve gathered for you and your little penguin enthusiast some of the most adorable and useful crafts that will definitely get those little hands busy in winter holidays or all year round.
Great Penguin Crafts for Preschool
If you’re holding on to some paper lunch sacks hoping to get a few more uses out of them, this one can be one of those things! The materials you will need are most likely laying around somewhere in your house, but in case you need a run to the craft store, take this items list with you:
- Paper lunch sack
- 5-inch round doily
- Googly eyes
- Black and orange cardstock
- Newspaper strips or plastic bags for stuffing
- Black paint
- Paintbrush
- Scissors, stapler, glue or glue dots
To make this fancy paper bag penguin your little ones can turn into a puppet fella, you begin by painting the lunch sack black and stuffing it full with crumpled newspapers or plastic bags once dry. From there, glue the other penguin parts in the following order: doily tummy, pair of black cardstock arms, orange beak, googly eyes, and finally, orange cardstock feet.
Over at IiHeartCraftyThings, they have precise instructions and helpful tips to help you put this together easier so be sure to check them out.
Perfect for back-to-school or any-season classroom activity, this amazing craft from RedTedArt is worth the effort! For this useful penguin desk tidy, all you need is the following:
- Tin can (one per penguin)
- Black construction paper
- White, orange, and pink paper scraps
- Pen, scissors, and tape
- Glue stick or tape
Quick and straightforward, you can certainly finish this craft under 10 minutes. Start by measuring and cutting out your black paper enough to cover the can. Create penguin shapes from paper scraps, glue them to the center of your black paper and you’re ready to wrap it around the can!
This cute, round penguin can be used to store pencils, markers, coloring pens, and anything that needs organizing on your kids’ desks.
Unleash the artists in your little ones and surprise them with the possibility of making something awesome using a fork. Quick and inexpensive to make, all you will need for this craft is:
- Fork
- Black, white, and orange cardstock
- White paint
- Scissors
- Marker and/or pencil
- Glue or stapler
This fork-painted penguin is a clever spin on paper penguin crafts that preschoolers equally love and enjoy making. Instead of simply gluing all the paper pieces together, you will have to create the belly with a fork and white paint. Using this technique gives your penguin that feather effect, making it stand out among the crowd.
For a complete step-by-step guide or more craft inspiration, visit GluedToMyCrafts. They have a lot to offer!
Adding to our list of best easy, affordable, preschool-friendly, and useful at home crafts are these penguin windsocks. Thanks to NonToyGifts for coming up with this project that requires only the following materials:
- Paper rolls (one per penguin)
- Black paint
- White and orange construction paper
- White and black crepe streamers
- Yarn
- Googly eyes
In just three simple steps your younger ones can do—paint, cut, and glue—you’ll have your own fun windsocks that are perfect yard decorations in gloomy, windy weather. Start by painting your paper rolls black, then cutting out penguin details, and gluing all the parts together.
Finally, for these adorable paper roll penguins to fully serve their purpose, attach the streamers at the bottom and thread a yarn at the top. Now they’re ready to be hung in the trees and dance with the wind!
Something to warm our chilly Valentine’s Day is this super cute penguin holding a heart craft!
This is easy and quick to put together so you can either do this in big batches and give out as valentines for your students or make it a whole-class activity that kids can bring home to their friends and loved ones. They can use the penguin’s back to write a loving message or just put their feelings into a drawing.
For this, you’ll only need:
- Pink, white, orange, gray, and red construction paper
- Sharpie
- Glue stick or liquid craft glue
- Pencil
- Scissors
- Handy printable template by MeaningfulHomeschooling
These penguin cards will sure to be appreciated and treasured.
Newspaper is one of those things you can conveniently use to teach kids about recycling. So don’t throw away those old newspapers just yet and check out this sustainable penguin craft your cutting loving preschooler will enjoy.
This mixed media penguin project will give your little ones’ an opportunity to strengthen their small hand muscles using these supplies:
- Penguin Newspaper Craft pattern by IHeartCraftyThings
- Newspaper
- Blue, white, and orange cardstock
- Black paint
- Sponge dabber painting brush
- Paper plate
- Googly eyes
- Snowflake stickers (optional)
- Scissors and glue
Having the cutout pattern on hand surely helps make this penguin craft more fun and easier for kids to do. In addition, the use of newspapers is a great way for them to learn early on how to repurpose materials.For detailed instructions about this activity, check out IHeartCraftyThings, who certainly are living up to their name by giving us another craft inspiration.
Did you know that you can’t keep a penguin as a pet? That’s illegal! But not if it’s a penguin painted rock like the one the creative minds at LivingLifeAndLearning have thought of.
You can make a penguin rock fella as adorable as the real ones using these materials you can easily find inside the gates of your house:
- Smooth rocks of varying sizes
- Black, white, and orange tempera paint
- Paintbrushes
- Black and white glitter (optional)
- Newspaper
Since this is pretty easy to prep, there’s a tendency for your little ones to get excited and rush into it. Make sure to remind them to paint on a spread newspaper to avoid making a lot of mess, and patiently wait for the paint to dry, or else their craft will be ruined—unless they’re aiming for an abstract penguin rock art.
Handprint crafts not only spark kids’ creativity, but they also make a beautiful keepsake for parents and grandparents. Turn those little handprints into penguins using only these common supplies you probably already have at hand:
- Blak, white, and yellow felt
- Cotton balls
- Googly eyes
- Paper
- Pen or pencil, scissors, and glue
It’s quite simple and can be done under 10 minutes. Begin by tracing your hand on paper, keeping pink and thumb out as these will be the penguin’s pair of arms later. Lay it on the black felt, cut it out, and then glue the smaller penguin details onto the felt. Keep in mind, though, that adults may have to help with cutting felt as it’s a tough material.
For detailed instructions and helpful tips on putting this together delightful craft, click over to ThatKidsCraftSite.
Perhaps your little ones’ obsession with these adorable birds has reached the point that you’re stocking up on penguin books as well. If that’s the case, then this stick penguin bookmark is great for you to have some fun crafting time together!
This penguin craft is so easy to make that you need only these materials:
- Large popsicle sticks
- Black and white paint
- Black marker
- Blue and yellow felt
- Scissors and glue
Get those little hands to work by drawing the penguin outline on the popsicle stick. Next, kids can practice hand-eye coordination by carefully painting the stick black, leaving the face, chest, and feet portions. Tidy up the penguin outline using again the marker and then add the smaller details: draw a pair of eyes and glue a triangle for a beak, and feet out of yellow felt.
Lastly, to make your penguin bookmark fancier and winter-y, add two strips of blue felt onto the neck for the scarf. Over at TheBestIdeasForKids, you can follow detailed steps and tips to help you with this craft so be sure to check them out.
Did you think we’d forget to include a kids’ penguin craft perfect for Christmas? Nuh-uh! In a day full of silver, red, and green decors, these cute, black and white pom pom penguins will definitely steal the spotlight!
For this, you will need only the following supplies:
- Yarn (chunky one is highly recommended)
- Felt
- 6mm black beads or googly eyes
- Scissors and glue gun
Despite looking like two balls simply glued together, these fluffy ornaments are actually a bit tricky and require a good sense of following directions. But for sure, they’re fun to do and a great opportunity for quality family time.
Click over to OneLittleProject for a complete guide on how to properly keep these fluffies together without falling apart. They also offer a free printable template to use as a pattern if you’re not quite confident making the smaller penguin parts.
Conclusion
Kids being enthusiastic about penguin crafts, or penguins in general, is one of the great ways to keep their small muscle group developing and hand-eye coordination improving. Moreover, crafting does not only benefit their fine motor skills– it also encourages social interaction, self-expression, and more!
Whatever crafts listed above piqued your interest or sparked your creativity are sure to be worth the time and effort.
Happy crafting!
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