Creating A Turtle Craft: Fun Art Project For Kids

There are many ways to make a turtle with your kids, and most of them are easy and inexpensive. You can use common household materials like paper plates, egg cartons, paper cups, cardboard, paint, glue, and construction paper. You can also get creative with recycled items like CDs, plastic bottles, and toilet paper rolls. If you want to make a 3D turtle, you can try origami, using simple folding techniques to create a cute little creature. For a messier option, you can use playdough or even washable finger paints to create colourful and textured turtle shells.

Paper Plate Turtle

Materials:

• Paper plate
• Green construction paper
• Scissors
• Glue
• Paintbrush
• Tissue paper (cut into 1-inch squares)
• Black marker or wiggly eyes

Method:

• Place your paper plate on a sheet of green construction paper. Draw the turtle's head and flippers on the paper around the plate. Cut out each of the pieces using scissors.
• Paint the paper plate green. You can also decorate it with colourful tissue paper squares or get creative with other materials.
• Once the paint is dry, flip the paper plate over and glue the head and flippers to the bottom of the plate.
• Use a black marker to draw eyes on the turtle's head, or you can use googly eyes or wiggly eyes. You can also draw a nose and mouth on the turtle's face.
• Your paper plate turtle is now ready! You can add further details and decorations as desired.

This craft is a fun activity for kids and can be a great way to teach them about turtles and other sea animals. It can also be a fun project for parents and children to work on together, fostering creativity and fine motor skills.

Recycled CD Turtle

This cute craft is a great way to use any old CDs or DVDs you may have lying around. It's simple to make and only requires a few additional materials.

Materials:

• Old CD or DVD
• Crafting materials (e.g. construction paper, felt, scissors, glue, beads or sequins for eyes, etc.)

Instructions:

• Start by gathering your materials. You'll need an old CD or DVD as the base for your turtle.
• Use construction paper, felt, or similar materials to cut out the turtle's head, legs, and tail. You can also get creative with the shell design, using markers, paint, or cut-out shapes.
• Glue the head, legs, and tail to the CD. Be sure to leave some space at the bottom for the turtle's body.
• Add eyes to your turtle. You can use beads or sequins, or simply draw them on with a marker.
• Decorate the shell as you like. You can use paint, markers, or cut-out shapes to create a unique and colourful design.
• Allow the glue and paint to dry completely before handling your recycled CD turtle.

Your new turtle friend is now ready to join you on all your adventures! This craft is a fun and easy way to teach children about recycling and spark their creativity.

Origami Turtle

This traditional origami turtle is a great model for beginners to practice swivel and pleat folds. It's easy to make and only takes around 10-15 minutes. You will need a square piece of origami paper, with the white side up, and a pair of scissors.

Step 1:

• Fold the paper in half and then unfold it.
• Flip the paper over.

Step 2:

• Fold the edges to the center line and then unfold.
• Flip the paper back over.

Step 3:

Fold the paper to the center line, along one layer only. Make sure not to crease the flaps created in the previous step.

Step 4:

Fold the bottom edge up, aligning it with the center line.

Step 5:

• Fold the right flap down, aligning the point with the bottom edge.
• Repeat on the left side.

Step 6:

Fold the top flap in half.

Step 7:

Fold the flap up, aligning the circled points.

Step 8:

Fold and unfold, aligning the side edges with the top edges.

Step 9:

Swivel fold towards the center, using the crease made in Step 8.

Step 10:

Pleat the bottom to create the tail. Flip the model around.

Step 11:

Pleat the tail and narrow the body.

Step 12:

Narrow the arms and legs.

Tips:

• You can pleat the arms and head to shorten them and give more volume to your model.
• To make the back legs, cut the paper along the center line.

Egg Carton Turtle

This egg carton turtle craft is a fun and easy activity for kids. It is a great way to teach children about recycling and nature conservation. You can use this opportunity to talk about protecting beaches and no-drive areas where turtles lay their eggs.

Materials:

• Egg carton
• Green paint (acrylic or tempera)
• Pom poms
• Pipe cleaners
• Googly eyes
• Green craft foam
• Scissors
• Hot glue gun

Instructions:

• Cut the egg carton into individual 'shells'.
• Paint each shell with green paint. You can use multiple shades of green to create a mottled effect. Let the paint dry completely.
• Cut out the underside of the shell - an older child can do this step.
• Assemble the turtle by attaching a pom pom for the head and adding googly eyes.
• Create the legs and tail using pipe cleaners. Fold each leg piece in half, twist it together, and glue it to the inside of the shell.
• Allow the glue to dry completely before playing with the turtle.

Feel free to decorate your turtles as you wish! You can make each one unique and give them their own personalities. This craft is a great way to encourage creativity and learn about sea turtles at the same time.

Clay Turtle

This clay turtle is a fun and easy craft for kids and adults alike. It's a great project for beginners and can be made using simple household items as tools. You can use any type of clay, but air-dry clay is a good option as it's soft and easy to work with.

Materials:

• Clay (any type, but air-dry clay is recommended)
• Bowl of water
• Toothpick or other pointed object (e.g. a razor blade)
• Something with a rounded end, like a paintbrush or pencil
• Something with a curved end (optional)
• A "beauty tool" or similar item with a red tip
• Your imagination!

Step 1: Make the Shell

Take a medium-sized chunk of clay (in the colour of your choice) and roll it into a ball. You can make your turtle any size you like. Roll out a log of the same coloured clay for the trim of the shell. Gently push the ball onto your work surface and shape it until you have a slight hump on the top. Fit the log around the outside of the shell, playing with the thickness until it looks right. Use your curved tool to gently press indentations into the log, giving it a curvy look.

Step 2: Create the Body Shapes

Wash your hands, then make four small balls of clay, about the size of marbles. These will be the fins/flippers. Squeeze each ball into a half-circle shape between your index finger and thumb. Flatten a small corner on each one, which is where you will connect them to the shell. Use your curved tool to make indentations on the flat side of the fins/flippers.

Step 3: Make the Head

Take a chunk of clay a little bigger than the fins and roll it into a ball. Press your fingers at the bottom and gently roll it out into a long neck, keeping the top of the ball for the face. Use a pencil or paintbrush to make two small holes in the sides of the head for the eyes. Use the curved tool to press a smile under the eyes.

Step 4: Make the Eyes and Tail

Roll two small pieces of black clay into balls and press them into the eye holes. Take a small piece of green clay and roll out one side to a point, flattening the other end to attach to the shell. The tail can be short or long, depending on your preference.

Step 5: Connect the Body Parts to the Shell

Make a slight indentation at the front of the shell and use the pencil or paintbrush to roll it out a little to fit the neck of the turtle. Flip the shell over and place the neck inside the indentation, gently pressing down on the flattened part to connect it to the bottom of the shell. Do the same with the flippers and tail. If they don't stick, use your beauty tool to press and smooth the body parts onto the shell.

Step 6: Detail the Shell

Use your razor blade or toothpick to make designs in the shell, such as a diamond shape or squiggles. Be creative and make your turtle unique! If you have any shiny items like oven-safe beads, you can use those to decorate the shell as well.

Step 7: Finishing Touches

Your turtle is now complete! If you used air-dry clay, leave it to dry for a few days. Otherwise, bake it in the oven at around 200-275 degrees Fahrenheit for about an hour. Once cooled, you can add glaze to your turtle or leave it as is.

Frequently asked questions