Dive Deep with Octopus Crafts for kids
by Karen & Grace Morris
It's time to get our swimming gear on and create some octopus crafts for kids. Not sure why you'll need the swimming gear, though…
Click the pictures to go to the individual octopus crafts for kids.
Well, you will need to gather some paper cups, beads, paper, and a few other items to make these super-smart creatures. No, seriously! These guys are really intelligent.
2 Paper Cup Octopus Crafts for Kids
Here are two different ways to use the paper cups to make octopus crafts for kids.
Make a Cute Creature With a Cup and Beads
Here is an octopus craft for kids who want to play a game. You can count how many beads to make each arm.
You will need;
- 3 oz paper cup
- A small piece of tissue paper
- Cotton ball (triple size)
- Tape
- Craft string
- 88 pony beads
- Small pieces of red and black paper
Cut the top off a small cup. Some cups have a line near the bottom that can be used as your cut line. You will want the cup to be about 5/8 inches tall. Glue a cotton ball on the bottom.
Cover the cup with pink tissue paper (or any color you like). The tissue should extend beyond the bottom of the cup about 1 inch.
Pinch the ends of the tissue together and secure with tape.
With a hole punch, make eight holes in the side of the cup.
Count out 88 beads.
Cut a piece of string 12 inches long. Place one bead in the center of the string.
Hold both ends of the string together and thread through the next bead. Continue threading beads onto your doubled string until you have nine beads. (The first bead does not count).
Take another bead. Thread one end through one side of the bead. Then take the other thread and place it through the opposite side of the bead. Tie the ends together.
Now thread the string through one of the holes on the cup. Make a knot to secure.
Continue until you have eight arms.
Hole punch two black eyes out of black paper. Cut a mouth shape out of red paper. Glue to the cup.
Make One with Knotted Arms
Some octopuses love to play! Especially tug of war. Although it would be a lot of arms to go up against!
You will need;
- 3 oz paper cup
- Hole punch
- Yarn
- Streamer
- Glue stick
- Wiggly eyes
Punch eight holes equally spaced near the rim of the cup.
Cut sixteen pieces of yarn 24 inches.
Take a piece of yarn and fold it in half. Thread the looped end through a hole in the cup. Thread the cut ends around the rim of the cup and through the loop.
Do the same with another piece of yarn in the same hole. You should have four strands of yarn in one hole.
Take two pieces of yarn and tie them to the other two pieces so that you make a knot.
Continue to knot the yarn until you reach the end. Pull the ends of the yarn so that the knot end is secure.
Do the same with the other seven holes.
When you have made all the octopus' arms, cut a piece of streamer that will fit around the cup.
With a glue stick, glue the streamer to the cup.
Cut a piece of streamer that will cover the top of the cup. Glue to the top. Trim the excess pieces off.
Add wiggly eyes.
Make One with Pipe Cleaner Arms
Did you know that “octo” means eight in Latin? That's why we call these amazing sea creatures “octopuses” because they have eight arms.
Supplies;
- Large wooden bead
- Four 12 inch pipe cleaners
Fold the pipe cleaners in half.
Push the folded ends in the hole in the bead.
Bend the eight ends out. Make curves in each end so that it looks like the arms of the octopus.
The Paper Party Octopus Craft
Many octopuses can change their colors to camouflage into their surroundings. Kind of like the character Hank in the movie “Finding Dory”.
You will need;
- Construction paper
- Streamers
- Scissors
- Glue stick
- Wiggly eyes
Fold a 9 by 12 inch piece of construction paper in half. Fold in half again the other way.
Draw a line to round the corners. Cut on the line.
Unfold, you should have half of a circle.
Cut 8 pieces of streamer 6 inches long. With scissors round one end.
Space the streamer pieces on the sides and bottom of the straight edge of the construction paper. Use a glue stick to glue the leg pieces down.
Turn over and add wiggly eyes. Cut a mouth from red construction paper. Glue to the front.
These amazing sea creatures can get through tight spaces. Sometimes they escape their aquarium to go to another one to find food. I would keep an eye on your octopus crafts for kids!
