DLTK's Crafts for Kids
Australian Koala Craft

STORY:

My daughter went to the zoo to visit the Koalas with her daycare class the other week.  The koalas are visiting from another zoo, so the kids made a special trip to see them.  When she came home that night she asked Daddy and I if we knew what baby koalas eat.  Being "oh so wise" parents, we decided to amaze her with our vast knowledge of the world and simultaneously answered "Eucalyptus leaves!". 

Tasha smiled her infamous "gotcha" smile and said "Nope, they eat poop." 

Quite convinced that she had somehow horribly misunderstood someone at the zoo, we gave her our "condescending parents" smile and replied that we were quite sure she was mistaken but that we'd ask her daycare instructor the next day to clarify things for us.

Off we went to daycare the next morning, secure in the knowledge that we were going to be proven more intelligent than our 5 year old.  When we arrived, Tasha ran up to her instructor and with a wink and a giggle asked her to tell Mommy and Daddy what baby koalas eat.   Her instructor winked back and promptly told us that koalas eat their parent's poop (ICK!).   She went on to explain that it is by eating this not so appetizing form of baby food that the baby koalas build up a tolerance to the poison in the Eucalyptus leaves.  Makes sense, but ICK!

Looking around we noticed a number of parents standing about with a wide range of disgusted, embarrassed and aghast looks on their faces. I realized that we had been collectively duped, outwitted and outsmarted by a room full of 4 and 5 year olds.   So much for the wisdom of parents. 

This koala is grown up, so does not eat poop.    And in case you didn't catch it the first time, ICK! 

A different looking koala tp roll craft can be found here.  

Materials:

• toilet paper roll

• printer, 

• something to colour with, 

• scissors, 

• glue, and 

• paper

Instructions:  

• Print out the template of choice.  If using the black and white template, try printing it on brown or red construction paper.
   
• Colour (where appropriate) and cut out the template pieces.
   
• Glue the large rectangular piece on first to cover the tube.
   
• Glue on the head, hat, legs and arms.
   
• Glue the Eucalyptus leaf onto one of his hands (or sticking out of his hat).
   

Templates:  

• Close the template window after printing to return to this screen. 
     
• Set page margins to zero if you have trouble fitting the template on one page (FILE, PAGE SETUP or FILE, PRINTER SETUP in most browsers). 

Templates   [color]   or   [B&W]

Printable version of these instructions