DLTK's Crafts for Kids
Paper Bag Otter Craft

Contributed by Leanne Guenther

This is an easy cut and paste paper craft that uses a paper bag as a base to make a otter puppet.

There are thirteen different kinds of otters, but generally speaking they can be split into sea otters (marine mammals that spend most of their time in the oceans) and river otters (who spend time inland near and within rivers).

Sea otters often float on their backs, carrying a rock on their tummy which they use to crack open seashells to eat. All otters are carnivores (they eat meat).

Sea otters were nearly wiped out by hunting. Their fur is the thickest of any animal on earth which made it attractive during the fur trade.

Materials:

a paper lunch bag
a printer,
some crayons,
scissors,
glue,
paper for the printer

Optional:

big wiggly eyes

Print the Template:

Print out the template you prefer to use (either color or black and white).
Color (as required) and cut out the template pieces. You can look at photos of otters to decide how you want to color yours! They have lots of thick brown or grey fur and a black nose and eyes.

Get Familiar with Your Paper Bag:

I'm going to walk through this slowly. Look at your paper bag.
It should be closed and flat like a piece of paper. Just like when they are brand new.
On one side, it's all smooth. This will be the BACK of your puppet.
- It's important that all the kids get the back and front straight at the beginning!
On the other side there's a flippy tab (which is typically the bottom of the bag when you're carrying your lunch around...)
- This flippy tab will be the HEAD.
Lift the flippy tab up a bit. Underneath of the tab will be the mouth,
- When the child puts her hand in the bag, she'll be able to make the puppet talk.
Look at the rest of the front of the bag. (The 3/4 or so of the bag below the part with the flippy tab) This will be the BODY.
OK, now that we're comfy with our bags, let's craft!

Template #1

Glue the eyes onto the HEAD. If you like, you can use wiggly eyes instead of the paper template pieces.
Glue the eyebrows above the eyes.
Glue the muzzle onto the HEAD. It should overlap the body a bit.
Glue the nose onto the HEAD. It should overlap the muzzle.
Glue the teeth underneath the flippy tab so you can see part of the teeth sticking out from under the muzzle.
Glue the rock onto the tummy.
Normally, I glue the arms into the FLAP but with the otter, I like to glue them resting on the body as that's how otter's normally lay in the water.
Glue the seashell into one of the hands.
Glue the flipper feet onto the bottom of the BODY.
Glue the tail onto the BACK of your otter puppet.

Templates: