I have got a pile of fun winter animal craft ideas for you to use with kids of all ages including a tutorial for felt winter animal puppets. Also, look at my pages Arctic Region and Winter Season Unit Study Free Lapbook & Hands-On Ideas,
When you think about winter animals you probably think of Arctic animals like polar bears, puffins, walrus, and even the adorable narwhal.
Me too, which is why those are the animals I chose for our puppets today.
Crafting these simple puppets together is a great way to teach characteristics of each of these animals.
Ocean Anatomy makes a great resource and contains beautiful illustrations and a bit of info on each of these winter creatures.
Also, look at these books about the Arctic.
BOOKS ABOUT THE ARCTIC REGION AND ANIMALS
11 Books about Life in the Arctic and Animals of the Arctic
Studying about the region of the Arctic is a fascinating topic. Grab some of these books about life in the Arctic and animals of the Arctic.
How do snow crystals form? What shapes can they take? Are no two snow crystals alike? These questions and more are answered inside this exploration of the science of snow, featuring photos of real snow crystals in all their beautiful diversity. Perfect for reading on winter days, this book by a nature photographer and a snow scientist will inspire wonder and curiosity about the marvels of snow. Snowflake-catching instructions are also included for aspiring young snow scientists!
This arctic adaptation of “This is the House that Jack Built” follows polar bears, walruses, seals, narwhals and beluga whales as they chase each other around “the ice that floats in the Arctic waters.” Not only is the rhythmic, cumulative prose good for early readers; it is a pure delight to read aloud. The “For Creative Minds” section helps children learn how these animals live in the cold, icy arctic region.
This Incredible Planet series provides young readers with interesting information about the Earth’s most fascinating creatures.
Beautiful color photography makes each animal come to life. Learn about the Arctic fox’s habitat, diet, breeding, lifespan, behavior, threats, and so much more!
A wonderful winter book for kids from the author and illustrator of the beloved Over and Under series, now in paperback! Part of the acclaimed nature book series that includes Over and Under the Pond, Over and Under the Rainforest, and Up in the Garden and Down in the Dirt, this volume takes readers on a cross country ski trip through the winter woods to discover the secret world of animals living under the snow.
Read and find out about how animals cope with winter in this colorfully illustrated nonfiction picture book.
This is a clear and appealing book for early elementary age kids, both at home and in the classroom. Introduce kids to basic science ideas as part of discussions about the seasons and animals.
Have you ever seen a butterfly in the snow? Probably not. Butterflies can't survive cold weather, so when winter comes, many butterflies fly to warmer places. They migrate. Woodchucks don't like cold weather either, but they don't migrate; they hibernate. Woodchucks sleep in their dens all winter long. How do these and other animals handle the cold and snow of winter?
Read and find out in the proven winner Animals in Winter!
This is a Level 1 Let's-Read-and-Find-Out, which means the book explores introductory concepts perfect for children in the primary grades.
Today’s Arctic communities have all the comforts of modern living. Yet the Inuit survived in this harsh landscape for hundreds of years with nothing but the land and their own ingenuity. Join authors Alootook Ipellie and David MacDonald as they explore the amazing innovations of traditional Inuit and how their ideas continue to echo around the world. Some inventions are still familiar to us: the one-person watercraft known as a kayak still retains its Inuit name. Other innovations have been replaced by modern technology: slitted snow goggles protected Inuit eyes long before sunglasses arrived on the scene. Andother ideas were surprisingly inspired: using human-shaped stone stacks (Inunnguat) to trick and trap caribou. Many more Inuit innovations are explored here, including: • Dog sleds • Shelter • Clothing • Kids’ stuff • Food preservation • Medicine. In all, more than 40 Inuit items and ideas are showcased through dramatic photos and captivating language. From how these objects were made, to their impact on contemporary culture, The Inuit Thought of It is a remarkable catalogue of Inuit invention.
Tiny Animals Figures Party: 18 PCS Package include orca, walrus, white owl, reindeer, husky, 2pcs seal, 2pcs beluga whale, 2pcs arctic wolf, 2pcs arctic fox, 2pcs arctic rabbit, 2pcs polar bear figurines and igloo model.
“A treat for middle-graders of an ecological bent.” — Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books (starred review) At the top of our world is a huge wild place called the Arctic. In the winter, it is a cold and barren land, where few animals can survive. But when spring comes, it attracts animals from every corner of the earth. This lushly illustrated picture book celebrates the resilient wildlife and barren, beautiful landscapes of the Arctic Circle, tracing the awe-inspiring spring migration of millions of creatures to the Arctic and reminding the reader of the hardships and harmony of life in the wild.Back matter includes additional information about the arctic, a glossary, and an index.
When you live in the Arctic in winter, everything is a shade of white. A young girl looks around her home in the Arctic and sees only white, white, white...but one day her grandfather takes her on a journey through the tundra. And at the end of their cold walk across the ice, they find something special that brings color into their world.
In 1893, Fridjtof Nansen set sail in the Fram, a ship specially designed and built to be frozen into the polar ice cap, withstand its crushing pressures, and travel with the sea’s drift closer to the North Pole than anyone had ever gone before. Experts said such a ship couldn't be built and that the voyage was tantamount to suicide. This brilliant first-person account, originally published in 1897, marks the beginning of the modern age of exploration. Nansen vividly describes the dangerous voyage and his 15-month-long dash to the North Pole by sledge. Farthest North is an unforgettable tale and a must-read for any armchair explorer.
Can you imaging living in a place where it's so cold your breath turns instantly into tiny ice crystals that glitter in the sun? Where temperatures can drop fifty degrees below zero and even lower and the sun only comes out for a few hours per day? In This Place Is Cold readers will learn how people and animals survive in Alaska's ferocious cold, and how because of global warming this region is now in trouble. Vicki Cobb and Barbara Lavallee travelled the world together to research this groundbreaking geography series, that is now updated and redesigned to appeal to today's readers.
Next, before you get to crafting here is a short round up of facts on each of our puppet friends.
Share with your child as you create.
FACTS ABOUT ANIMALS IN THE ARCTIC
Polar Bears
- Polar bears are the largest bears in the world.
- They live in the Arctic, where they hunt for seals and other animals.
- Polar bears have thick fur that keeps them warm in the cold weather.
- They are very good swimmers and can hold their breath for up to two minutes.
Puffins
- Puffins are small seabirds that live in the North Atlantic Ocean.
- They have brightly colored beaks and feet.
- Puffins eat fish and other small sea creatures.
- They make their nests in burrows on cliffs and islands.
Walrus
- Walruses are large, marine mammals that live in the Arctic.
- They have long tusks that they use to dig up clams and other food from the ocean floor.
- Walruses are very social animals and live in large groups.
- They are also very vocal and communicate with each other using a variety of sounds.
Narwhal
- Their tusks are used to hunt for food and to defend themselves from predators.
- Narwhals are medium-sized Arctic whales that are known for their long, spiral tusks.
- That tusk is actually a tooth that can grow up to 10 feet long.
- Narwhals live in pods and communicate with each other using a variety of clicks and whistles.
Also, look at more winter animal craft ideas.
5 MORE WINTER ANIMAL CRAFT IDEAS
Grab my Free Arctic Ground Squirrel Lapbook & Unit Study Resources.
If you have a paper plate and white tissue paper on hand you can make this Paper Plate Arctic Fox Craft For Kids.
Crafts can be delicious, just look at these Polar Bear Science Activities Preschool | How To Make A Fun Dessert, tasty polar bear pops.
Using one of my favorite inexpensive craft supplies, you can make a variety of Popsicle Stick Arctic Animal Crafts.
How to Make Wooden Peg Easy Arctic Animal Crafts.
Gather up a couple of pinecones and make this Easy and Fun Pinecone Snowy Owl Winter Craft for Kindergarten or any other age.
Finally, look at how to make your own felt puppets.
MAKE YOUR OWN FELT PUPPETS WINTER ANIMALS
This puppet tutorial is so simple you don’t even need a template.
To create the body, you’ll just need one piece of 9×12 felt for each animal.
You will need:
- White felt-2
- Black felt-2
- Orange felt
- Brown felt
- Cream felt
- Grey felt
- Google eyes
- Black marker/paint pen
- scissors
- Hot glue gun/glue
The first part, creating the body, will be the same for all four animals.
And then I will give you more specific directions for each one.
Start by folding each piece of felt you are going to use in half.
Then cut out a mitt shape, cutting through both pieces at the same time so they match up perfectly.
You will want to use roughly 3/4 of the piece, leaving some scraps for noses, ears, etc. or just have extra felt pieces on hand.
Here is what you will want to cut out for each puppet:
POLAR BEAR PUPPET
NARWHAL PUPPET
WALRUS PUPPET
PUFFIN PUPPET
Once you have all the pieces cut, arrange the features until you’re satisfied with how it looks.
Keep your pieces together in stacks while you work on one at a time.
Assemble each body by running a bead of hot glue close to the edge, just across the top of the felt piece.
Quickly press the matching felt piece on top and allow the glue to harden.
Once the glue has set, fold the top piece back and run a few inches of glue down each side.
Press the top piece back into the glue and let it set.
Continue all the way down until you’ve reached the end.
For the polar bear and narwhal, you will want to place the ears and the horn in between the two layers and glue them as you are putting the body together.
For the horn of the narwhal and the winged eyes of the puffin use a black marker or paint pen to draw on a bit more detail.
Now you can assemble all the features, layering them and attaching them with a bit of hot glue.
If you want your younger child to be part of making the puppets you can use a tacky fabric glue instead.
It will just take longer to dry but will be just as effective at holding it together.
