Paper Bag Bear Puppet

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Bears can be the cutest things! From stuffed animal teddy bears to everyone’s favorite bear (Winnie the Pooh, of course), it’s obvious that kids love bears. This easy paper bag bear puppet craft is a fun way for your kids to create a bear of their very own.

And if your kids are anything like mine, they’ll probably give the paper bag bear puppet a name. Then it will join the 20 or so other bear crafts and cuddle toys—all with names, of course—in their very own Bearlandia, complete with a history, battling factions, and Trio block airships. Because, why not?

Isn’t a child’s imagination a wonderful thing?

Before we jump into the craft, here are some facts about bears (not the cuddly or puppet variety):

12 Fun Facts About Bears

1. Bears are large mammals that can be found in various parts of the world, including North America, Europe, Asia, and even parts of South America.
2. There are different species of bears, such as the polar bear, grizzly bear, black bear, panda bear, and brown bear.
3. Bears are excellent swimmers and climbers. They are known for their ability to climb trees, swim long distances, and even dive underwater.
4. Bears have a great sense of smell, which helps them find food, mates, and navigate their surroundings. They have one of the best senses of smell among all mammals.
5. Bears are omnivores, meaning they eat both plants and animals. Their diet can include fruits, nuts, grasses, fish, insects, and even small mammals.
6. Bears have sharp claws that help them catch food and climb trees. They also have strong jaws and teeth, which allow them to chew through tough materials like bones.
7. Bears go through a period of hibernation during the winter months. They find a safe den, usually in a cave or a hollow tree, and sleep for several months without eating or drinking.
8. Cubs are baby bears. They are born blind and hairless, and they depend on their mother for food and protection. Cubs stay with their mothers for a few years until they are ready to live on their own.
9. Bears are known for their distinct shuffling walk, which involves both feet on one side moving forward together. This walk is called “pacing.”
10. The largest bear is the polar bear (Ursus maritimus). Adult male polar bears can reach impressive sizes, with an average weight ranging from 900 to 1,600 pounds (410 to 725 kilograms) and measuring about 8 to 10 feet (2.4 to 3 meters) in length.
11. The smallest bear is the sun bear (Helarctos malayanus). Adult sun bears typically weigh between 60 to 140 pounds and measure about 4 to 5 feet in length. Even though sun bears are small, they are excellent climbers and have strong jaws and claws.
12. Polar bears have a layer of blubber and a thick coat of fur to protect them from the freezing Arctic temperatures.

List of Supplies for paper bag bear puppet:

1. Colored craft paper
2. Paper bag
3. Sharpie
4. Craft glue
5. Pencil
6. Scissors
7. Paper Bag Bear Puppet Template

Instructions for paper bag bear puppet:

Step 1:

Select black, pink, and two different shades of brown craft paper for the bear paper bag puppet craft. Trace the inner ear and blush cutouts on pink paper, trace the nose on black, trace the belly and front part of the face on a lighter shade of brown paper and trace the rest of the patterns (head, body, legs and tail) on the darker shade of brown paper.

Step 2:

Use glue to attach inner ear cutouts on the ear parts of the head pattern. Cut out a piece of paper from the darker shade of brown craft paper to cover either side of the paper bag. Attach the belly cutouts in the middle of the body cutout.

Step 3:

Use glue to attach the leg cutouts on the bottom side of the body pattern and attach the tail cutout on either side of the body pattern.

Step 4:

Attach the front part of the face cutout a little below the center of the face pattern, with glue. Then, attach the nose cutout near the top side of the front-face part.

Step 5:

Attach the eye cutouts and the blush cutouts on the head pattern of the bear papercraft pattern.

Step 6:

Use a pen or sharpie to draw a friendly smile on the papercraft bear. Select a paper bag for the bear paper bag puppet craft.

Step 7:

Attach the body pattern on either side of the paper bag. Make sure to keep the legs facing the open end of the bag; this will be the bottom side of the paper bag bear puppet.

Step 8:

Attach the head pattern on the bottom side of the paper bag and then flatten the head with the body pattern to complete the craft.

Additional Activities:

These endangered animals bookmarks are a fun project to help children learn more about panda bears, red pandas, and koala bears.

And here is another creative craft project involving koala bears.

A few more unique paper bag crafts include …

• An easy decorative pumpkin paper bag craft
• A whimsical autumn tree paper bag craft
• And this fun apple tree paper bag craft

Children’s Books about Bears:

Whether your child wants to learn more about bears or wants to use their paper bag bear puppet to act out a fun bear story, here are some children’s educational books and story books about bears to choose from:

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