Penguins of Antarctica craft

Of all the continents around the world, Antarctica is always our favorite! I’m pretty sure this has quite a bit to do with my son’s obsession with penguins. This year, I wanted the different breeds of penguins to really stand out in his mind, and for him to be able highlight the different characteristics of each penguin. The result was this little craft project that we ended up completing one afternoon.

In addition to discussing the different characteristics of each penguin, I also wanted to demonstrate that their heights are all different.  After a little research and carefully adjusting the heights, these penguins are “to scale” with their actual heights – from tallest to shortest (this is ignoring the rockhopper’s hair height). This can lead to a great discussion about height comparisons!  One interesting fact that your child can discover is that the Emperor penguin is exactly twice as tall as the rockhopper!

Craft supplies needed:

• 4 toilet paper tubes
• 1 paper towel tube
• construction paper in black, white, orange, pink, red, and yellow
  • The black construction paper needs to be cut lengthwise to 11cm, 12.5cm, 14cm, 16.5cm, and 22cm.
• goggley eyes
• markers
• scissors
• glue

Emperor penguin:

1. Cut paper towel roll so that it is 22cm tall.
2. Cover with black paper, measuring 22cm.
3. Cut out white rectangle approx 3/4 the height of the penguin.  Round the corners.  Glue on penguin as the belly.
4. Cut out black circle and glue on top of the head.
5. Glue googley eyes.
6. Cut out orange beak.  With a marker, cover a majority of of the top of the beak with black.
7. For the ear patches, cut out 2 circles and color 1/2 of each orange and/or yellow. Glue in place.
8. Cut out 2 raindrops approx 3/4 the height of the penguin.  Crease down the center.  Then glue upside down to create the wings.
9. Cut out black feet. Glue in place.

Gentoo penguin:

1. Cover a toilet paper roll with black paper measuring 16.5cm. (Don’t worry that the black paper is taller than the TP roll.)
2. Cut out white rectangle approx 3/4 the height of the penguin. Round the corners. Glue on penguin as the belly.
3. For the top of the head, cut out a black circle. Onto the circle, glue on a white strip.  Glue to the top of the head.
4. Glue googley eyes.
5. Cut out orange or orange-red beak. With a marker, color in a black line down the center of the beak.
6. Cut out 2 raindrops approx 3/4 the height of the penguin. Crease down the center. Then glue upside down to create the wings.
7. Cut out orange feet. Glue in place.

Adelie penguin:

1. Cover a toilet paper roll with black paper measuring 14cm. (Don’t worry that the black paper is taller than the TP roll.)
2. Cut out white rectangle approx 3/4 the height of the penguin. Round the corners. Glue on penguin as the belly.
3. Cut out black circle and glue on top of the head.
4. Glue googley eyes onto white paper.  Cut out and glue in place.
5. Cut out red beak. With a marker, draw lines that indicate the feathers covering the beak.
6. Cut out 2 raindrops approx 3/4 the height of the penguin. Crease down the center. Then glue upside down to create the wings.
7. Cut out pink feet. Glue in place.
8. (optional) add a large, skinny black triangle to the back of the penguin.

Chinstrap penguin:

1. Cover a toilet paper roll with black paper measuring 12.5cm. (Don’t worry that the black paper is taller than the TP roll.)
2. Cut out white rectangle almost the height of the penguin. Round the corners. Glue on penguin as the belly.
3. For the top of the head, cut out a black circle.
4. Glue googley eyes inside the upper portion of the white belly.
5. Cut out black beak and glue in place.
6. Cut out 2 raindrops approx 3/4 the height of the penguin. Crease down the center. Then glue upside down to create the wings.
7. Cut out pink feet. Glue in place.

Rockhopper penguin:

1. Cover a toilet paper roll with black paper measuring 11cm.
2. Cut out white rectangle approx 3/4 the height of the penguin. Round the corners. Glue on penguin as the belly.
3. For the top of the head, cut “fringe” on the a piece of black and yellow paper.  Fold the yellow paper so it overlaps.  Glue to the inside of the TP roll.  Then glue the black “fringe” in place, wrapping it along the inside of the roll.
4. Glue googley eyes.
5. Cut out orange beak and glue in place.
6. Cut out 2 raindrops approx 3/4 the height of the penguin. Crease down the center. Then glue upside down to create the wings.
7. Cut out pink feet. Glue in place.

We had such a great time with these little guys that Aikman wanted to make more penguins in the days that followed.  A whole army of penguins soon appeared throughout the house.  Here’s one:

I actually think he’s quite comical, as Aikman insisted that he needed a belly button.

Note:  There are 6 species of penguins that live in the Antarctic.  However, only 5 live on the mainland continent of Antarctica.  The remaining species, the Macaroni penguin, lives on the islands just north of the Antarctic peninsula and up through the Sub-Antarctic.

Have you ever used a craft to teach about a subject?  Please share with me in the comments below!

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