Koala Fun Facts for Kids and Koala Art Activity

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If you’re studying koalas, this koala craft is an engaging way to add art to your lesson. As you are child is putting together their koala craft, share some of the facts below. We have also included some recommended books on koalas.

This koala craft is also a fun Valentine’s Day craft. So, if you’re doing an animal study, Australia unit, or looking for a Valentine’s activity, give this easy, affordable project a try!

12 Fun Facts About Koalas

Here are 12 fun facts about koalas:

  • They are only found in Australia (unless they are in a zoo). Within Australia they live in the eucalyptus forests of eastern and southeastern Australia.
  • Their diet consists mostly of eucalyptus leaves, which are not easily digestible by koalas.
  • Even though they have the word bear in their name, koalas are not bears. They are marsupials. Marsupials are pouched mammals.
  • The female’s pouch is called a marsupium. The baby marsupials crawl into the pouch and full develop in the warmth and safety of the pouch.
  • Baby koalas are called joeys. They do not open their eyes until they are about 22 weeks old.
  • Until they are able to eat leaves and shoots, the joey’s will eat their mother’s droppings.
  • Koalas are not very social animals and do not live in groups.
  • Koalas spend most of their lives in trees
  • The word koala means “no drink” in the aborinigal language. They do not drink much water because their bodies use the water that is in the eucalyptus leaves.
  • The average lifespan of a koala is 13 to 18 years.
  • Koalas have fingerprints and, like humans, no two fingerprints are the same.
  • They have 5 digits on their front and back paws. In the picture you can see how three of their five digits are together, and then two act like opposable thumbs. You may want to explain to your children that four of our five digits (or fingers) are together and then we have one opposable thumb. Ask them how the two opposable thumbs would help a koala.

Koala Craft for Kids

List of Supplies:

  1. Colored craft papers
  2. Pencil
  3. Pen
  4. Scissors
  5. Craft glue

Instructions:

Step 1:

Print and cut out the template patterns. Select craft papers for the koala paper craft. Trace the body, head, and outer ear patterns on gray colored craft paper. Trace the inner ear pattern on pink colored craft paper and the nose on black paper.

Step 2:

Glue the eyes and the nose patterns on the head pattern of the paper koala.

Step 3:

Glue the pink inner ear patterns in the middle of the gray outer ear patterns.

Step 4:

Attach the ear patterns with the head on both sides of the top end of the head.

Step 5:

Attach the head onto the top side of the body pattern by overlapping about 1/4 to 1/2 inch. Use a pink highlighter pen to add 2 blush shades on both cheeks, and use a black pen or marker to trace a smile.

Step 6:

Trace and cut out a strip from brown colored craft paper and leaf shapes from green colored craft papers.

Step 7:

Glue the paper leaf cutouts on the brown colored strip. Glue the koala with the brown strip, which is a bamboo.

Additional Activities:

Build a mini unit study around this cute koala craft. Below we have listed book resources. Here are some other ideas to use this koala craft as a springboard for even more learning!

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