Get out the pipe cleaners and the googly eyes, because kids will have a blast making these adorable pipe cleaner animals! This craft is perfect for a rainy day. Encourage kids to make a whole zoo!
I’d recommend this project for kids ages 8 and up, especially tweens (ages 10-12). Younger kids will enjoy making these with help, but tweens will really be the right age to make these animals on their own and then figure out their own designs!
In this post, we’ve got 9 pipe cleaner animals to make: a pig, a fish, a crab, a mouse, a dinosaur, a dog, a sting ray, a turtle, and a duck. I have instructions for the pig, turtle, and mouse, but for the others, you’ll need to use the photos for inspiration. It’s very hard to make instructions for pipe cleaner animals because there aren’t really “steps…” You just bend the pipe cleaners until they look like what you want! Ha!
Also, we have pipe cleaner frogs and pipe cleaner monkeys in separate posts, so be sure to check those out.
Supplies Needed:
- Pipe cleaners
- Googly eyes
- Small black beads
- Hot glue
- Large pom pom ball – for the pig
TURTLE
This little turtle is so cute, and a good project to start with.
Coil a brown pipe cleaner into a circle. Bend the pipe cleaners so that the center of the circle is raised. Tuck in the end. Make the head, legs, and tail with segments of green pipe cleaners.
Glue the eyes to the head, and then glue the head to the underside of the shell.
Then glue on the legs and tail.
Make a second brown coiled circle to be the bottom of the shell. Glue this to the turtle’s belly. Your turtle is complete!
FISH
This fish was made by my 13 year old. It has a flat body, and the fins are attached by running the pink pipe cleaners through the body before folding them into the fin shape.
PIG
This little piggy might be my favorite of all the animals! For this one, you’ll need a large Pom Pom ball in addition to pink pipe cleaners and googly eyes.
Make the body by wrapping pink pipe cleaners around a large Pom Pom ball. I used 3 pipe cleaners for the body. Then coil pipe cleaners to make the head and snout. I used a separate pieces for the ears. I also made a small round coil to cover the front of the body.
Glue the circle to the front of the body. Glue the ears to the top of the head. Use just a little bit of hot glue so that the glue doesn’t show!
Then make four legs out of segments of pipe cleaners. Make a curly tail and insert it into the body.
Put a small bit of a glue on each leg and on the tail before sticking them into the body. Glue on the eyes.
Then you piggy is done!
DOG
I modeled this dog to look like our new puppy that we got for Christmas! I also found some inspiration on Pinterest. Here’s a link to a site that has more detailed instructions for a similar pipe cleaner dog.
The body is a just a similar coil, made from 3 pipe cleaners. The legs are a separate piece – one piece for the back legs and one piece for the front legs.
MOUSE
This simple little mouse is easy to make.
The body and tail are a simple coil made out of 2 pipe cleaners. The head was made separately and glued on.
DUCK
Here’s another one designed by my 13 year old. He used mallard duck colors, but it would also be fun to make a yellow and orange rubber duck version.
CRAB
Start making the crab by creating a round and flat body. The legs are just straight pipe cleaner segments.
Fold segments of pipe cleaner to make the claws.
STING RAY
Give the sting ray a flat body, and glue on black beads for eyes.
DINOSAUR
Once you make one dinosaur, you’ll want to make all kinds! This long neck dinosaur is easy to make, and so cute.
Looking for more kids’ craft ideas? We’ve got tons of fun ideas!
Make some Pipe Cleaner Superheroes! A favorite project.
Silly Monsters Craft – Make hilarious monsters out of cardboard tubes, egg cartons, and other supplies from your craft stash!
11 Comments
Debbie A Schultheis Mar 3, 2020
Very cute
Deanna Mar 7, 2020
THESE ARE ADORABLE! I will definitely be making these with my kids, thank you!!!!
Farzana Apr 8, 2020
So cute
Chiara Vannucci May 29, 2020
That's exactly what I was looking for!! So pretty, thank you!!
beth Jan 12, 2021
i love them
Karolyn Feb 3, 2021
I'm having a zoom meeting call with my 5-year old granddaughter tonight. This is how we'll spend our time! I love love love the turtle.
Menagerie will be our theme for the next 'many' Wednesdays!
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!!!
Cari Feb 8, 2021
My 7 yr old girl and I thought these were so cute! We made bunnies from instructions that came with our craft stuff kit. Then we got curious about other animals we could make. Which led us here. I made the turtle and my daughter thought it was so cute. She was a little disappointed that the head couldnt go in and out like a real turtle but she quickly recovered and asked me to make Baby Shark. Then she wanted the WHOLE famiily. She played with these creations all evening! thank you for the designs and the inspiration.
Fatima Shafqat Jun 6, 2022
i was soo worried that what was i going to tell my students what to make until i found this. it is soo easy and fun to make it and every student enjoyed making it. thank you for this idea. i love it. you are so creative.
Juliet Oct 20, 2022
So cute i made the turtle and im in love they are so eazy to make
Susan Sep 13, 2023
Love these ideas I am using them for our before and after school programs. The kids love to make them
Rosie Nov 14, 2023
Great Activity for all kinds of Seasons!
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