The mia

Savannah animals string puppets

DIY for kids
80 mn--29 Steps

Ever wondered what to do with your leftover toilet paper rolls?

Your little ones will love creating their own show with the savanna animals string puppets!

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DIY Animal string puppets
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DIY Animal string puppets

For this DIY, you will need:

  • our free template that you can download below
  • colour paper sheets
  • poster paint
  • 4 caps (like the ones on juice cartons, milk cartons…)
  • 2 toilet paper rolls
  • 4 skewers
  • matches
  • a candle or a lighter
  • a paint brush
  • a black marker
  • a black pen
  • a needle
  • pliers
  • gray, brown and white thread
  • and… scissors
Download the template
DIY Animal string puppets

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DIY Animal string puppets
Step 1: trace all of the elements of the elephant, using a pencil and some tracing paper.
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DIY Animal string puppets
Step 2: transfer each part on the corresponding colour papers.
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DIY Animal string puppets
Step 3: cut out each part.
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DIY Animal string puppets
Step 4: roll up a little piece of paper and glue it at the back of the elephant's head.
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DIY Animal string puppets
Step 5: add the trunk.
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DIY Animal string puppets
Step 6: glue the ears at the back of the head.
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DIY Animal string puppets
Step 7: and the tusks.
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DIY Animal string puppets
Step 8: using a white and black paint markers, draw the eyes and the marks on the trunk.
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DIY Animal string puppets
Step 9: roll a little piece of paper and glue it at the back of the head.
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DIY Animal string puppets
Step 10: cut out a paper sheet the size of the toilet paper roll. Wrap it around the toilet paper roll and fasten it, using some glue.
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DIY Animal string puppets
Step 11: cut out the lion's template.
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DIY Animal string puppets
Step 12: paint the ears.
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DIY Animal string puppets
Step 13: then, paint the face.
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DIY Animal string puppets
Step 14: and finish by painting the mane...
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DIY Animal string puppets
Step 15: using two different colours.
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DIY Animal string puppets
Step 16: using a black pen, draw the eyes, snout and mouth of the lion.
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DIY Animal string puppets
Step 17: cut six strands of brown thread (or paint white ones in brown, if you don't have any) of 2cm each.
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DIY Animal string puppets
Step 18: glue them to create the whiskers.
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DIY Animal string puppets
Step 19: heat up the needle using a lighter (be careful) and pierce the each cap in the middle. Then, paint two of them in white (elephant) and two in black (lion).
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DIY Animal string puppets
Step 21: attach one of the threads to a small piece of a match, and insert the thread in the hole. Repeat this step for each cap.
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DIY Animal string puppets
Step 20: cut out 4 brown threads (lion) and 4 (white threads) of about 6cm each.
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DIY Animal string puppets
Step 22: punch holes for the arms and the legs of both puppets.
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DIY Animal string puppets
Step 23: glue each thread inside the toilet paper rolls and fasten them using a piece of tape.
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DIY Animal string puppets
Step 24: fasten all four threads (see picture above). Then, glue the little hands on te threads.
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DIY Animal string puppets
Step 25: glue the lion's and elephant's heads on the toilet paper rolls.
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DIY Animal string puppets
Step 26: insert long white threads through the caps' holes and fasten them.
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DIY Animal string puppets
Step 27: glue a long white thread at the back of each animals' head and fasten with tape.
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DIY Animal string puppets
Étape 28 : puis, fixez les 2 fils bras à une baguette et les 2 fils pieds à une autre en croisant les baguettes. Step 28: then, fasten the two white threads of the arms to one skewer and the two white threads of the feet to another by crossing the skewers.
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DIY Animal string puppets
Step 29: and your pretty little puppets are ready for a great show!

It was our Wednesday DIY!

For more fun DIY ideas, check out our Shadow Theater, Pirate Coconut Shy and Cardboard City.