Paper Deer Puppet
Presenting a creative craft designed to captivate the imagination of children and foster their artistic abilities. With this hands-on paper deer puppet craft, children will embark on an enchanting journey of crafting their very own deer puppets using simple materials and step-by-step instructions.
By engaging in this project, children will not only cultivate their fine motor skills but also explore the world of storytelling and imaginative play. This post outlines the materials required and provides detailed instructions for the paper deer puppet.
10 Fun Facts About Deer
Do you ever see deer where you live? We see them where we live in the southern United States, but mostly at dusk or at night. We have learned that they love to eat persimmons off of the trees in our backyard! It’s so fun to see the mama deer with her young who still have their spots. We also see them bedding down in our woods.
Here are some fun facts about deer. How many did you already know?
- Deer are herbivores, which means they eat plants. They feed on grass, leaves, twigs, and even bark from trees.
- They are mammals and belong to the family Cervidae, which includes about 90 different species of deer.
- Deer are found in many parts of the world, including North America, Europe, Asia, and South America. They can adapt to various habitats such as forests, grasslands, and mountains.
- Male deer are called bucks or stags, while females are referred to as does or hinds. Baby deer are called fawns.
- Deer have antlers, which are bony structures that grow on the heads of males. Antlers are shed and regrown every year. They are used for various purposes, such as attracting mates and establishing dominance.
- White-tailed deer are the most common type of deer in North America. They are named for the white undersides of their tails, which they raise as a warning signal when alarmed.
- Deer are excellent jumpers and swimmers. They can jump over fallen logs or fences and can swim across rivers and lakes to escape from predators or find food.
- Deer have a keen sense of hearing and smell, which helps them detect potential dangers. They can rotate their ears to listen for sounds from different directions.
- Some deer species, like the mule deer, have large ears that help them hear predators approaching from a distance.
- During certain times of the year, deer go through a process called “rut,” which is their mating season. Male deer compete with each other for mates by engaging in impressive displays of strength, such as locking antlers and pushing each other.
Now, let’s get creative and crafty with our paper deer puppet activity!
List of Supplies for Your Paper Deer Puppet:
- Colored craft papers
- Sharpie
- Popsicle stick
- Craft glue
- Pencil
- Scissors
- Paper Deer Puppet Template (opens in new tab)
Instructions for Paper Deer Puppet:
Step 1:
Select craft paper in these colors for the paper deer puppet: dark brown, light brown, cream, gray, and pink. Trace the body, head, and tail patterns on the light brown paper, the horns on dark brown paper, the spots and tail tip on cream paper, the lens shaped patterns on pink paper, and the small rectangle shapes on gray paper. Cut out the traced patterns nicely.
Step 2:
Glue the lens shaped patterns in the middle of the ear parts attached to the head. Glue the 3 or 4 cream dot cutouts on the forehead and some on the backside of the body pattern. Then attach the tail tip on the tail base pattern and the rectangle cutouts on the bottom open end of the legs.
Step 3:
Stick the tail on the backside of the body pattern and stick the eyes on the head. Trim the sides of the gray pieces attached to the legs on the bottom side.
Step 4:
Use a black sharpie to draw the mouth and nose of the paper deer puppet.
Step 5:
Stick the horns on the top side of the head and then stick the head on the top-front side of the body pattern.
Step 6:
Attach the papercraft deer on a popsicle stick to complete your paper deer puppet.
Additional Activities:
Here are a few more crafts that involve the use of Popsicle sticks, in case you have more leftover after making the papercraft deer puppet above:
- This firecracker papercraft wand would be great for a variety of celebrations, including New Year’s, Independence Day, or even a birthday party! It’s fun and easy to make and children are sure to love the finished product!
- This next craft is a win for any kids out there who love the Disney cartoon, Frozen: a Frozen inspired bookmark.
- If you’re looking for a fun and easy craft project that’s out of this world, why not try making planet bookmarks with your child?
- And photos always make a wonderful, personalized gift for any special event. This Valentine’s Day frame craft made with Popsicle sticks can be tweaked to fit pretty much any occasion.
Or, if you’re looking for crafts that fit the theme of forests and cute four-legged animals, here are a few more ideas:
- Projects like this cute papercraft antelope bookmark are the perfect craft for home-schooling kids and avid readers.
- Teaching your child about the different food chains that exist in nature and forests, such as the boreal forest food chain, will help them learn about different animals, habitats, and ecosystems.
- Alpacas are fun creatures that make a cute craft. They are generally considered very pleasant, quiet, and relatively clean farm animals.
- This llama craft is another related craft that also includes some fun facts about llamas.
A Few Recommended Books:
If you have a child or student who is interested in learning more about deer or wants to read a fun storybook or two about these fascinating creatures, here are a few recommended books. The links in this post are affiliate links, and we appreciate your support, which helps keep this website operating:
