Easy Fun Moving Squirrel Paper Plate Craft for Kids
A squirrel-themed paper plate craft is a delightful and educational activity that allows kids to engage with nature through creativity. Using basic supplies like paper plates, construction paper, glue, and markers, children can craft their own squirrel character. T perfect for fall craft projects. This hands-on interactive craft helps enhance fine motor skills, as kids cut, color, and assemble their adorable, cute squirrel craft, all while learning about the animal’s characteristics and habitat. The simplicity of the materials makes it an easy and accessible lovely autumn craft for home or school this fall season.
Easy Fun Moving Squirrel Paper Plate Craft for Kids
One of the unique elements of this craft is the addition of movement. By attaching the squirrel to a string threaded through the paper plate, young children can make their squirrel move. This interactive feature on these paper squirrels not only adds fun but also introduces a playful way to explore how squirrels move in nature. It sparks imagination as children create stories about their squirrel’s adventures, encouraging language development and creative thinking while playing with their creation.
Beyond the craft itself, this cute little squirrel activity serves as a great opportunity to introduce kids to the role squirrels play in the ecosystem, such as gathering and storing food. Parents and teachers can use seasonal crafts as a conversation starter about wildlife and the changing seasons, especially autumn when squirrels are most active. Whether as a rainy-day project or a complement to a lesson on animals, this squirrel-themed paper plate craft is sure to be a hit with little hands.
Paper plate crafts are typically best suited for children aged 3 to 8 years old. For toddlers and preschoolers (ages 3-5), these crafts are perfect for developing basic motor skills like cutting, gluing, and coloring. They also help young kids practice hand-eye coordination and creativity while keeping things simple and fun with easy-to-handle materials.
For older kids (ages 6-8), paper plate crafts can become more complex, allowing them to add more detail and use advanced techniques, such as threading, folding, or designing 3D elements. This age group also enjoys the imaginative aspect of turning a simple paper plate into animals, masks, or interactive crafts.
While younger children may need help with certain steps, paper plate crafts can be enjoyed by a wide range of age groups, with different levels of difficulty adjusted based on a child's development and skills.
We all know that squirrels love acorns, so these additional squirrel activities are a hit for fall animal crafts too. Make learning fun! Making acorn themed crafts is so much more than a fun school fall Thanksgiving craft, we like to make these easy crafts and then use them for place cards for Thanksgiving dinner. It is such a great way to get the kids involved in fall crafts and a great option for Thanksgiving decorating that has so much sentimental value. This Thanksgiving table acorn fall craft / decorations idea is an easy way to keep kids busy while you are prepping for Thanksgiving meals as well. This could be done ahead of time or kids could gather and complete these Thanksgiving pine cones kids crafts on Thanksgiving to keep the kids busy and having fun while waiting for the meal!
This Thanksgiving table acorn fall crafts / decorations idea is an easy way to keep kids busy while you are prepping for Thanksgiving meals as well. This could be done ahead of time or kids could gather and complete these Thanksgiving pine cones kids crafts on Thanksgiving to keep the kids busy and having fun while waiting for the meal!
Easy Fun Moving Squirrel Paper Plate Craft Supplies:
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● Paper plate
● Paint
● Paint brush
● Glue
● Construction papers
● Scissor
● Popsicle stick
● Marker
● Googly eyes
● Glue stick
● Crepe papers
Moving Squirrel Paper Plate Craft Step-by-Step Instructions:
1. Paint the paper plate orange and let it dry.
2. Once the paper plate is dry, draw a tree trunk using the marker.
3. Take another paper plate and cut the inner part.
4. Cut strips of autumn colors of tissue papers.
5. Crumble the tissue paper.
6. Attach the crumpled tissue paper to the paper plate.
7. Attach the two paper plates together but make sure to leave a space at the bottom for the popsicle stick.
8. Draw this squirrel template pieces on a white piece of paper.
9. Use template pieces and cut out on the yellow and brown papers.
10. Assemble and glue the squirrel body.
11. Assemble and glue squirrel tail.
12. Glue the squirrels body on top of the tail as pictured below.
13. Add yellow face pieces to squirrel as well as googly eyes.
14. Glue the popsicle stick to the back of the squirrel.
15. Lastly, insert the popsicle stick with the squirrel and make it move.
Tips for Parents and Teachers:
Learning Through Play: As your child plays with their squirrel, talk to them about how real squirrels live in trees, gather acorns, and prepare for the winter. You could even combine this craft with a fun nature walk to spot real squirrels in the wild!
Storytelling Time: After completing the craft, encourage your child to create a story about their squirrel. This will foster their imagination and communication skills and they will have so much fun.
Here are 10 fun squirrel facts that kids will love:
Squirrels are great jumpers – They can leap up to 10 times their body length in one jump! This helps them move quickly from tree to tree.
They "plant" trees – When squirrels bury nuts and forget where they put them, the nuts grow into new trees. So, squirrels actually help forests grow!
Squirrels have super senses – They have excellent eyesight and a great sense of smell, which helps them find food, even under snow.
There are flying squirrels – Some types of squirrels, like the flying squirrel, don’t actually fly but glide through the air using a special skin flap called a patagium.
Their front teeth never stop growing – Just like beavers, squirrels’ front teeth grow continuously. They have to keep gnawing on things to wear them down.
Squirrels use their tails for balance – Their fluffy tails help them balance while climbing and jumping and also act like a parachute if they fall.
Squirrels can swim – While not all squirrels like water, some can swim by paddling with their legs and using their tails as a rudder.
Squirrels "talk" to each other – They communicate using chirping sounds, tail movements, and body language. These signals can warn other squirrels of danger.
Squirrels hide food for the winter – They bury nuts and seeds during the fall so they have plenty to eat in the winter. This behavior is called caching.
They have double-jointed ankles – Squirrels can rotate their ankles 180 degrees, allowing them to climb headfirst down trees! This helps them escape from predators quickly.
These fun facts make squirrels even more fascinating and a great topic for kids to explore!
The Moving Squirrel Paper Plate Craft is a simple yet imaginative activity perfect for kids of all ages. It allows them to explore nature and animal life while practicing fine motor skills through cutting, coloring, and crafting. Whether you’re a parent looking for a fun afternoon activity or a teacher introducing a fall-themed lesson, this squirrel craft will bring joy and creativity to your child’s day. Get ready to see squirrels "climbing" all over your home!
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