by A.R. Posley

Created on: October 23, 2009   Last Updated: October 27, 2009

Preschoolers are fascinated with the wonderful world of zoo animals. While parents typically introduce their preschoolers to these animals with trips to the zoo, teachers use other imaginative ways to expose preschoolers to them. One way to stimulate the minds of preschoolers when it comes to learning about zoo animals is through hands-on zoo animal theme crafts that are detailed below.

Paper-Bag Zoo Animal Puppets and Pets

With the use of paper bags, preschoolers can make numerous zoo animals including elephants, pigs, giraffes, and owls.

Materials:

medium paper bags, mini paper bags, newspaper, tempera paint, paint brushes, markers, construction paper, glue, tape, kids' scissors, large pictures of zoo animals

Instructions:

1. Lay out large pictures of zoo animals before the preschoolers' work area.

2. To make zoo animal puppets, give each preschooler one regular-sized paper bag, construction paper, scissors, and glue.

3. Have the preschoolers cut out triangles, ovals, and half circles from the construction paper.

4. Have the preschoolers glue these cutouts to the bottom of the medium paper bag to make the zoo animals' faces. For example, to make an owl, position the paper bag upside down and glue two half circles to the bag to make the eyes, glue one triangle beneath the eyes to make the beak, and glue two triangles behind the head to make the ears.

5. To make zoo animal pets, have the preschoolers stuff one medium paper bag with crumbled newspaper, pull another bag over it, and tape them together.

6. Draw or have the preschoolers draw pig and elephant eyes, ears, noses, tails, and feet on construction paper that the preschoolers will cut out.

7. Have the preschoolers paint the stuffed paper bags the color of the zoo animals, glue the cutouts to the face of the bags, and draw a mouth and eyebrows with the markers.

8. To make the pig's feet, preschoolers may stuff mini paper bags in the same manner and glue four of them to the bottom of the medium paper bags.

Egg-Carton Zoo Animals

Preschoolers have many zoo animal options including turtles, fish, giraffes, and turkeys that are crafted using egg cartons.

Materials:

styrofoam egg cartons, kids' scissors, glue, tempera paint, paint brushes, markers, construction paper, large pictures of zoo animals

Instructions:

1. Lay out large pictures of zoo animals before the preschoolers' work area.

2. Cut out or have the preschoolers cut out the cups of the styrofoam egg cartons to make zoo animal heads, legs,

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