Is your child obsessed with sharks? These shark week crafts are just the thing to keep them smiling and creating. Whether at home or in the classroom, each activity is simple to set up and big on imagination.
Looking for more ocean-inspired play? Don’t miss our shark activities for kids, which offer even more ways to explore. So grab the scissors and tape—it’s time to explore something hands-on and doable.
Pin
This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate and a participant in other affiliate programs, I earn a commission on qualifying purchases. Read our disclosure policy.
Shark Week Crafts
Make Shark Week extra exciting with these fun and easy shark crafts for kids! Featuring a variety of creative projects like paper sharks, puppets, and more, these crafts are perfect for celebrating all things shark-related.
They’re great for home, school, or summer activities, and help kids learn while having hands-on fun.
Pin
Shark Headband
Kids can create a wearable shark headband using a simple printable template that they can color themselves. Making the headband involves cutting out the shark's big toothy grin and fins from paper, then assembling them into a wraparound hat.Children love that they can immediately put on their creation and pretend to be sharks, diving into imaginative play as soon as the glue dries.
A paper plate transforms into a playful shark that rocks back and forth like swimming in the ocean. Kids attach fins, a tail, and plenty of pointy teeth to bring the shark to life, then balance it on a curved edge so it gently sways as if riding the waves.Little ones adore nudging their shark and watching it wiggle, making this art feel like a fun toy and a piece of art.Related: Shark Torn Paper Craft
In this upcycled project, a recycled toilet paper tube becomes the body of an adorable mini shark. Kids wrap the tube in blue or grey paper and decorate it with paper fins, a tail, googly eyes, and a big set of teeth, turning simple materials into a fearsome sea creature.The finished 3D shark is sturdy enough for pretend play, allowing children to swim their homemade shark around and show it off afterward.
In this easy project, one plain paper plate turns into a fierce shark face with a wide-open mouth. Kids paint or color the plate grey (or any ocean hue) and glue on a dorsal fin with rows of sharp white teeth using a free template.The result is a delightfully ferocious-looking shark that kids proudly display – perfect for Shark Week excitement or an ocean-themed classroom project.
This artsy project lets kids experiment with paint, paper, and newspaper to create a dynamic shark scene. They paint an ocean background in swirls of blue, then add a smiling shark using a template.They enhance it by pasting scrap newspaper for the shark's belly texture and gluing on tissue paper "splashes" that pop off the page. The finished artwork looks like the shark is bursting out of the water with a big toothy grin, and children love the layered 3D effect that makes their picture come alive.Also try: Shark Pattern Worksheets
This creative activity transforms an ordinary foam pool noodle into a fierce little shark. Kids (with some adult help for cutting) shape a section of the foam noodle into a shark's body, then glue on a dorsal fin, googly eyes, and even some cardboard teeth for a big grin.The finished shark is chunky, colorful, and durable enough to play with—a unique homemade toy that brings their love of ocean creatures off the table and into playtime.
This Clark the Shark paper art brings a favorite storybook character to life. Using a free template, kids cut and assemble the friendly shark from the popular children's book, complete with his big smile and cartoon eyes.It's a great extension of reading time – after making their own Clark, kids often revisit the story more enthusiastically, combining literacy and creativity in a fun, creative way.
A recycled toilet paper tube is cut and painted to become a mini shark with an open mouth full of teeth. Kids snip a triangle "bite" out of one end of the tube to form the jaws, using the removed piece as the shark's dorsal fin or tail, then paint the tube shark-grey (inside and out) and glue on googly eyes and paper teeth.When it's all assembled and dry, they'll have a cute little shark figurine that's perfect for pretend play – and they'll be thrilled that they made it themselves from such a simple object.Related: Shark Do a Dot
An empty paper towel roll becomes a 3D hammerhead shark in this clever art. Kids wrap the tube in grey paper and give it the shark's signature broad head by attaching a long rectangular strip at one end, then add googly eyes at each end of the "hammer," along with a tail, side fins, and a big red mouth full of sharp teeth.The finished shark looks like a miniature hammerhead, with a goofy expression, and kids will be proud to play with their creation, making shark time extra fun.
Kids can create a unique hammerhead shark puppet using simple materials and a free template. They cut out the shark's distinctive head – those wide-set eyes make it unmistakably a hammerhead – and attach it to a paper bag or stick with a tail and fins to complete the puppet.Once finished, their shark comes to life for endless pretend play, letting little ones chomp and swim their hammerhead around while learning about this fascinating ocean creature.
A few pieces of construction paper are all it takes to make a wearable shark fin hat that instantly turns your kid into a "shark." Children cut out a large triangular shark fin from grey paper and tape or staple it onto a paper headband sized to their head, creating a simple costume piece.Kids love running around with a dorsal fin on their heads, pretending to stalk the living room as ferocious sharks—it's imaginative play at its best!Also try: Shark Tracing Worksheets
A simple wooden clothespin becomes a tiny chomping shark puppet in this inventive art. Kids paint the clothespin and attach a shark head and tail cut from paper or foam onto the jaws of the pin, aligning teeth so that when the clothespin opens, the shark's mouth opens too.The result is an adorable mini puppet that doubles as a fine-motor activity – children will have a blast pinching the clothespin to make their shark "bite" and snap at pretend prey.
Kids use their hands as the template for this personalized shark art– no paint required, just tracing and cutting. They trace their hand on grey paper to form the shark's body, then add paper fins, a googly eye, and some sharp white teeth along the thumb area (which becomes the shark's mouth).This activity keeps little ones engaged with fine motor practice, and they love seeing how their handprint transforms into a cool shark keepsake they can hang on the fridge.
Don't toss that old newspaper—turn it into a cool shark project instead! Kids cut out a big shark shape (or two) from newspaper print and glue it onto a background paper. Then, they decorate their shark with fun details like a bold dorsal fin, a googly eye, and a mouth full of jagged paper teeth.The newsprint text gives the shark a funky, patterned skin, and families love that this simple project uses recycled materials and is easy for all ages to enjoy together.Related: Shark Activity Pages
This activity lets kids practice beginner "sewing" skills while making a shark out of a paper plate. With some adult help, they punch holes around a shark-shaped paper plate cutout, weave yarn in and out to form the shark's body, and add paper fins and a googly eye once they finish the stitching.Not only do they end up with an adorable shark decoration, but it's also a fantastic way to build hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills—kids feel so proud after stitching their shark together.
Little ones can create a beautiful shark suncatcher that glows in the sunlight using tissue paper and a simple template. They stick bits of colored tissue onto clear contact paper inside a shark-shaped frame (made from black paper or card), effectively creating a "stained glass" effect of a shark swimming in ocean hues.When hung up in a window, sunlight shines through their shark suncatcher and makes it glow in blues and greens, delighting the kids as their artwork comes to life.Also try: Shark Name Craft
Why not create a cool hammerhead shark and simultaneously learn about this unique sea creature? This easy paper project involves cutting out and assembling the hammerhead's distinctive shape — broad head, eyes on each end, and all — using a free template or simple hand-drawn pieces.Kids have fun bringing their hammerhead to life with crayons and glue, and it opens up an excellent opportunity to chat about what makes hammerheads special, blending creativity with a bit of learning.
Here's a perfect ocean-themed project for toddlers and preschoolers: a simple shark collage they can customize. Using a printable shark outline, little ones glue the shark onto a blue paper "ocean" and then get creative – adding green yarn or paper scraps as seaweed, sprinkling sand or crushed cereal for ocean floor texture, and even pressing on a few real seashells.It's an easy, open-ended project that engages their senses (think sticky glue and sandy fingers), resulting in an adorable undersea scene with a shark swimming through their handmade ocean.Related: Shark Suncatcher Craft
This clever paper shark has eyes that move, giving your art many goofy expressions. Kids assemble a shark face from cardstock with a special mechanism (using brads or cut slots) that allows the paper eyes to slide side-to-side and roll up and down.You only need a few basic supplies to make it, despite being so interactive. Once finished, kids will have fun rolling the shark's eyes around and bringing their puppet-like creation to life during playtime.
This activity combines painting and paper assembly to showcase a great white shark in its ocean home. Kids first create a rippled ocean background by painting with a sponge or roller (making cool wave textures), then use a printable template to cut and glue together a great white shark complete with dorsal fin and big, pointed teeth.The mix of art and creativity makes it extra engaging – children love rolling on the "water" and seeing their fierce great white swim on the painted waves of the backdrop they created.Also try: Popsicle Stick Shark Craft
One paper plate becomes a chomping shark puppet in this fun Shark Week project. Kids fold a plate in half to form a hinged mouth and cut the edges into sharp teeth all the way around, then paint the outside ocean-blue and the inside red (for a big, hungry mouth) while leaving the teeth white.With a pair of googly eyes and a foam fin added, the shark is ready to "bite" – the jaws open and close like a puppet, providing lots of giggly playtime as kids make their paper plate shark chomp and munch.
If your kids are crazy about Shark Week, you have to give this simple paper plate shark a try. Sometimes, the easiest ideas are the best: children cut a triangular mouth out of a paper plate (creating a big open jaw), use the removed piece as the shark's tail, paint the plate grey, and glue on a googly eye and some paper teeth.It's quick, easy, and adorable—an ideal art project for home or classroom that will get everyone smiling at the cute results.Related: Shark Tissue Paper Craft
This quick shark activity uses basic shapes cut from paper, making it perfect for younger kids. With a few triangles, ovals, and circles cut from construction paper, children assemble a friendly shark: the body might be an oval, a triangle becomes the tail, and smaller triangles make all those pointy teeth.Not only do they practice shape recognition and scissor skills, but it's also a great chance to slip in some fun shark facts while designing– blending art time with a mini science lesson about these fascinating ocean predators.
Make a hammerhead shark that can hang on the fridge with this fun and functional art. Kids decorate a wooden clothespin to look like a hammerhead shark—painting it grey, gluing on a broad hammer-shaped head (with eyes on each end), plus a tail and fins—and then attach a small magnet on the back.The result is playful and practical: an adorable shark magnet clip that can hold artwork or notes on the fridge, giving your child a proud reminder of their art every time you walk by.Also try: Shark Painting
This shark hat art is so cool – kids get to wear it and turn into a "shark" themselves! Using a printable template (available in color or as a coloring page), children cut out the pieces to make a big shark face complete with dorsal fin and plenty of teeth, then assemble them into a circular hat that sits on their head.It's an exciting dress-up style project for summer parties or Shark Week, and kids love roaring around with a giant shark grin encircling their heads.
This hammerhead shark activity has a fun twist: it uses paper weaving to give the shark a cool texture. Kids start with a shark template and weave strips of colored paper through slits in the shark's body (over-under style) to create a patterned, sturdy shark shape, then add the broad hammerhead face and googly eyes on top.The finished hammerhead looks friendly and impressive, and it's perfect to hang on the wall or bedroom door – a great reminder of how they turned simple paper into something jaw-dropping through a bit of creative weaving.Related: Shark Connect The Dot
For this activity, kids use a handy template to make an enormous great white shark out of paper. They cut out and glue together the shark's body, fins, and iconic triangular teeth, assembling it into a fierce-looking shark picture they can display or use in a school project.This simple, quick art (about 15 minutes from start to finish) is fun and can encourage conversations about these amazing apex predators as the kids create their great white.
Preschoolers will love this shark project that gently rocks back and forth like swimming. Kids make the shark by folding or cutting a paper plate in half, then shaping it just right so it wobbles playfully on its belly with a gentle push.With big fins and a tail glued on (plus a smile full of pretend teeth), this art doubles as a toy – expect lots of giggles as they make their shark teeter and totter like a real one splashing in the waves.Also try: Shark Color By Number
A paper plate and some paint are all you need to make a fearsome but friendly shark or two. In this parent-and-child activity, you cut a triangular mouth out of the plate (creating a big open jaw), use that cut-out triangle as the shark's tail, paint the plate grey, and add paper teeth and a googly eye.Even young kids can tackle it with some help, and they'll end up with an adorable homemade shark that shows off their creativity and hangs proudly for all to see.
Empty egg cartons get a second life as ferociously cute sharks in this eco-friendly art. Kids cut out individual cups from a cardboard egg carton, paint them shark-grey (or any fun color), and then attach paper fins, tails, googly eyes, and paper teeth to each little "mouth" – turning the egg carton sections into mini 3D sharks.This project is a fantastic way to recycle everyday materials into art, and the pint-sized sharks come out so adorable that kids will want to swim them around in play or display them on a shelf.
This clever paper plate activity features a shark that can move through the "water." Kids create an ocean scene on a paper plate (blue water and maybe a sky at the top), then cut a wavy slit across the plate and insert a paper shark on a popsicle stick that slides up and down.The result is a fun interactive scene that even sneaks in a bit of science – children can make their shark "dive" underwater and surface again – and they'll love swishing their shark around and making it chomp as part of imaginative play.
Believe it or not, a plain mailing envelope can transform into a snappy shark in this imaginative project. Kids seal an envelope and decorate it to become a shark's body – cutting or drawing a big mouth at one end (with jagged teeth along the edge of the envelope flap), gluing on a dorsal fin and tail cut from paper, and even adding three red gill slits on each side using yarn or marker.It's a clever way to use everyday materials, and the finished envelope sharks look fin-tastic (you can even slip a little message or treat inside the "shark" as a fun surprise!).
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. Read more.