25 Safari Animal Crafts for Kids Who Love Wild Creatures

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If your kids can’t get enough of lions, elephants, and giraffes, this list of safari animal crafts for kids is a great place to start. These hands-on projects turn everyday supplies like paper plates, cardboard tubes, and bubble wrap into wild animal creations they’ll be proud to show off.

They’re a great fit for preschool and early elementary ages and work well for art time, classroom themes, homeschool units, or a weekend activity at home. Whether you’re planning a safari theme or just need something that keeps kids busy for 20–30 minutes, you’ll find plenty of options here.

Looking for even more ideas? Browse our full collection of animal crafts for kids to keep the creativity going.

Collage of safari animal crafts for kids, including paper zebras, giraffes, lions, elephants, and leopards. Large text reads “25 Awesome Safari Animal Crafts for Kids to Make at Home.”

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Animal Crafts Using Everyday Supplies

These wild animal projects come together with basics like paper plates, construction paper, glue, markers, and paint. Kids get to cut, paste, and build lions, zebras, elephants, and more using materials already in your craft bin. It’s an easy way to bring a zoo or jungle theme to life without tracking down anything special.

Giraffe Handprint

Turning a simple hand tracing into a giraffe is entertaining for young animal lovers. With just some colored paper, basic art supplies, and a handy template, children create a long-necked, spotty friend to display proudly.

They'll love how their hand shape becomes part of the giraffe's body, making the art feel personal and fun.

buggyandbuddy.com

Elephant Crumpled Newspaper

Crumpling up newspaper to mimic an elephant's wrinkled skin turns recycling into art. Kids have a blast scrunching and gluing bits of newspaper into the shape of a big elephant, creating a cool, bumpy texture for its “skin.”

The process is super hands-on and fun, teaching children a creative way to reuse materials.

Related: Elephant Worksheets

artsymomma.com

Easy K Cup Elephant

An empty K-Cup coffee pod becomes an adorable miniature elephant in this fun recycled art project. Kids paint the tiny cup gray and add cute paper ears, a trunk, and googly eyes, transforming it into a playful little elephant figurine.

Not only do they get a charming toy elephant for pretend play, but they also learn how to reuse an everyday item creatively.

Also try: Elephant Popsicle Stick Craft

Two completed handprint lion crafts are displayed on a white surface, each featuring an orange hand-shaped body, a round red mane with cut slits, a smiling face, and a curved tail with a red tip.

Lion Handprint

Kids can transform a simple hand tracing into a roaring lion with this cute handprint art. They'll cut out their handprint and add a friendly lion face, creating their own “king of the jungle.”

It's an easy project (with a free template to help), and little ones will love roaring along with the lion they made with their hand.

www.artycraftykids.com

Curly Paper Plate Lion

A simple paper plate becomes the face of a lion with a fabulously curly paper mane. Kids will enjoy cutting paper into strips and curling them around a pencil to form the lion's bouncy, 3D mane.

The result is a friendly lion with a springy mane that stands out, and kids will be proud of the cool texture they created themselves.

Related: Lion Paper Cup Craft

nontoygifts.com

Torn Paper Giraffe

Ripping up paper to make art is half the fun in this giraffe project. Kids tear colored paper into pieces and glue them onto a giraffe shape, forming a bright mosaic of spots and patches.

Little hands get to build fine motor skills by tearing paper, resulting in a textured giraffe artwork that's uniquely their own.

Also try: Giraffe Headband Craft

Zebra Paper Bag Puppet

A plain paper bag turns into a striped zebra puppet ready for safari adventures. Kids practice their cutting and gluing skills by adding the zebra's black stripes, pointy ears, and snout, using a handy template to guide them.

When it's all put together, they can trot around with their new zebra friend, putting on puppet shows and sparking imaginative play.

www.easypeasyandfun.com

Zebra Toilet Paper Roll

In this activity, an empty toilet paper tube easily transforms into a cute little zebra. Kids paint or wrap the tube in white, add black stripes, and attach paper ears and a yarn tail to bring their zebra to life.

This project is an artsy way to recycle a cardboard roll, and the finished zebra is sturdy enough for pretend play or display.

Related: Zebra Handprint Craft

www.notimeforflashcards.com

Scissor Skills Lion

Cutting practice becomes fun with this clever lion art. Kids make little snips around a paper circle to form the lion's shaggy mane, building fine motor skills.

After giving their lion a “haircut,” they glue on a friendly face (googly eyes and all) and end up with an adorable lion to show off – plus a boost in scissor confidence.

Also try: Lion Toilet Paper Roll Craft

Cheetah Paper Bag Puppet

Kids can make a spotted cheetah puppet from a simple paper bag, perfect for zoo-themed playtime. They glue on the cheetah's black spots, round ears, and a tail (using a handy template) to create a friendly big cat puppet.

Children will love playing with their new spotted friend, prowling around, and putting on pretend safari shows after crafting.

kidsactivitiesblog.com

Paper Giraffe

Kids create a long-necked giraffe that can stand up, thanks to a pair of clothespin legs. They use dot markers or paint to add the giraffe's brown spots and attach clothespins for the neck and legs, so their giraffe stands tall on its own.

This project comes together quickly with just paper, paint, and clothespins, and children will adore the fact that their giraffe can stand up and join in their playtime adventures.

Related: Paper Plate Giraffe Craft

www.preschoolplayandlearn.com

Printable Giraffe Paper

A free printable giraffe template makes this project super simple for preschoolers to create. They'll color and cut out the giraffe's head and long neck, then fold the neck accordion-style to give their giraffe a fun, wobbly long neck.

All it takes is some coloring, cutting, and gluing; the result is a tall giraffe with a bouncy head that will delight little ones.

Also try: Paper Bag Giraffe Puppet Craft

Elephant Toilet Paper Roll

A recycled toilet paper roll becomes a mini elephant with big floppy ears and a long trunk. Kids cut out and color the ears, trunk, and even little legs (using a free template or construction paper) and attach them to the tube to form the elephant.

Best of all, kids get to practice cutting while learning about recycling, and they end up with a cute elephant friend for their pretend zoo.

creativefamilyfun.net

Cardboard Tube Cheetah

A simple cardboard tube and some paint are all you need to create a speedy cheetah. Kids paint the tube a cheetah-like yellow-orange, add black spots, and glue on paper ears and a tail to create their little cheetah figurine.

It's easy, recycled art that makes a sturdy toy, so kids can race their cheetah around on imaginative safaris long after the crafting is done.

happytoddlerplaytime.com

Bubble Wrap Crocodile

Bubble wrap becomes the scaly skin of a crocodile in this clever art project. Kids paint a sheet of bubble wrap green and press it onto paper to make the croc's bumpy texture, then add big paper teeth and eyes to complete their reptile.

It's a wonderfully tactile art — children can squish paint on bubble wrap (and maybe pop a bubble or two) as they create — and the result is an adorable yet toothy crocodile that's equal parts cute and fierce.

Snake Headband

Slithering around like a snake becomes extra fun when kids make their snake headband. They decorate a paper band with a friendly snake face and a long forked tongue (using a handy template), then fit it around their head like a costume.

Once the headband is complete, little ones love creeping and hissing through the house, pretending to be slithery snakes.

kidsactivitiesblog.com

Letter Z is for Zebra

Learning the alphabet meets art with this creative “Z is for Zebra” project. Kids use a large letter Z (hand-drawn or from a template) and decorate it with black stripes, pointy ears, a tail, and a friendly zebra face, transforming the letter into an adorable zebra.

It's a great hands-on way for preschoolers to connect the letter Z with an animal, and they'll be proud to display their zebra-shaped letter art afterward.

Related: Zebra Worksheets

creativefamilyfun.net

Cardboard Tube Elephant

In this fun art, empty cardboard tubes get a second life as cute elephants. Kids paint a tube gray, then add big paper ears, a long curled trunk, and googly eyes to give their elephant lots of personality.

You can even make a parade of elephants, each becoming a lovable little toy for storytime or pretend play.

Also try: Elephant Name Craft

Paper Lion

Making a paper lion has never been easier — this project is simple enough for preschoolers to do with minimal help. Kids cut out the lion's face and fluffy mane with the free printable template and glue them together using a few basic supplies.

The result is an adorable little “king of the jungle” that kids will be proud of, and it requires very little prep or mess to create.

www.craftsonsea.co.uk

Paper Plate Zebra

A paper plate makes the perfect base for a zebra art, giving kids a big canvas to paint with bold black stripes. After decorating the plate, children glue on the zebra's features like pointy ears, a fluffy mane, and a cute snout, turning a plain plate into a friendly zebra face.

This project is simple but engaging — little ones practice painting and gluing, and end up with an adorable zebra they can display or use for pretend play.

artsycraftsymom.com

Paper Leopard

A free template helps kids easily cut and assemble this cute paper leopard with all its spots. They glue the leopard's head, body, and tail together, then decorate it with plenty of paper spots to give it that classic leopard pattern.

The finished leopard is so adorable that you can hang it on the wall or even turn it into a special card for someone, making this project a keepsake and a fun activity.

Lion Paper Bag Puppet

In this art, the King of the jungle comes to life as a playful paper bag puppet. Kids glue on the lion's mane, face, and even little paws to a paper lunch bag (using a handy template), creating a friendly lion puppet.

Once kids finish, get ready for lots of roars and giggles — they'll be eager to put on wild puppet shows with the lion they made.

www.easypeasyandfun.com

Hippo Paper Plate

Kids can transform a plain paper plate into a happy hippo with some paint and creativity. They paint the plate gray (just like a hippo's hide) and add fun details like a prominent snout, round ears, and maybe even some teeth, bringing this lovable hippopotamus to life.

This activity is simple enough for little ones, resulting in a super-cute hippo face that will make everyone smile.

www.artycraftykids.com

Paper Plate Crocodile

One paper plate is all it takes to make a crocodile with a big, toothy 3D grin. Kids cut and paint the plate to form the croc's open jaws, then add lots of pointy white teeth and googly eyes to make it look like the crocodile is ready to chomp.

Even though it seems impressively lifelike, this project is easy to do, and children will love how the crocodile's mouth appears to come alive as they make it.

www.thecrafttrain.com

Recycled Tub Tortoise

In this upcycled art, an empty plastic tub (like a yogurt or fruit cup) becomes the shell of a cute tortoise. Kids paint the tub to resemble a tortoise shell and attach printable paper parts for the head, legs, and tail, instantly creating an adorable little tortoise.

It's a fantastic way to upcycle a household container, and the finished tortoise is so charming it might just become your child's new favorite pretend pet.

Related: Turtle Handprint Craft

More Fun Kid’s Ideas

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41 Adorable Winter Animal Crafts For Kids
43 Adorable + Easy Zoo Animal Crafts

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photograph of found of Simple Everyday Mom, Sam

Meet Sam

Sam is the crafter and founder of Simple Everyday Mom. She has been featured in Oprah Mag, Good Housekeeping, The Spruce Crafts, Country Living, The Bump, and more.

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