Calling all ocean adventurers! Set sail for a world of crafting fun with these 25 octopus projects designed especially for preschoolers.
From quick and easy crafts to those that encourage exploration and learning, this list has something for every little crafter.
Simple & Speedy Octopus Crafts (30 Minutes or Less)
Paper Plate Pals:
Transform a paper plate into a friendly octopus! Paint the plate blue or green, add wiggly eyes, and cut out eight colorful paper strips for the tentacles. Glue them around the edge of the plate for a delightful sea creature.
Fingerprint Frenzy:
This craft is perfect for capturing those adorable little fingerprints. Paint the child’s palm and fingers different colors, then press them onto a piece of paper to create the octopus’s body and head. Add wiggly eyes and draw on some tentacles for a vibrant and personalized masterpiece.
Cupcake Liner Cuteness:
Upcycle leftover cupcake liners into adorable octopuses! Cut out a circle for the head from construction paper and glue it to the bottom of the cupcake liner. Add wiggly eyes, draw a smiling mouth, and attach eight pipe cleaners for the tentacles.
Egg Carton Extravaganza:
Egg cartons offer endless crafting possibilities! Cut out sections to create individual octopus bodies. Paint them in bright colors and let them dry. Decorate with googly eyes, pipe cleaner tentacles, and bits of yarn for a fun and textured effect.
Sock Puppet Shenanigans:
Give old socks a new lease on life with these silly octopus sock puppets! Cut off the toe of the sock and glue on wiggly eyes and a felt mouth. Decorate the sock body with fabric scraps or buttons. Add felt or yarn tentacles for an interactive puppet show.
Let’s Get Crafty (30-60 Minutes)
Paper Bag Puppets:
Brown paper lunch bags become playful octopus puppets in this craft. Decorate the bag with construction paper or paint to create the octopus’s head and eyes. Use yarn or felt to add a playful smile. Punch holes on the sides of the bag and thread in pipe cleaners for easy-to-control tentacles.
Pom-Pom Pals:
These fluffy friends are a joy to make! Create a pom-pom for the octopus’s body using yarn. Cut out construction paper circles for the eyes and glue them on. Attach wiggly eyes and pipe cleaners for the tentacles for a cuddly and colorful octopus.
Paper Plate Play:
Craft a charming octopus scene using paper plates. Paint a large paper plate blue for the ocean background. Decorate a smaller plate to be the octopus’s body and glue it onto the larger plate. Cut out seaweed, fish, and bubbles from construction paper and add them to the scene for a complete underwater adventure.
Washi Tape Wonders:
Washi tape comes in an array of colors and patterns, making it perfect for octopus crafting! Use it to create stripes, spots, or even a whole mosaic pattern on a piece of construction paper for the octopus’s body. Add googly eyes and draw on a smile. Attach pipe cleaners or yarn for the tentacles.
Button Bonanza:
Raid your button jar for a unique octopus craft! Glue a large button onto a piece of cardboard or construction paper for the body. Use smaller buttons for the eyes and glue them on. Decorate with additional buttons and other embellishments for a one-of-a-kind octopus creation.
Learning Through Crafting (60 Minutes or More)
Counting Craft:
Make learning numbers fun with this counting octopus! Cut out a large octopus shape from construction paper. Decorate it with paint or markers. Use small circles of colored paper to represent bubbles rising from the ocean floor. Write numbers on each bubble and have your child count them as they attach them to the octopus’s tentacles.
Texture Time:
Explore different textures with this tactile octopus craft. Cut out an octopus shape from felt or fleece. Glue on various fabric scraps, buttons, and other textured materials for the body. Add googly eyes and yarn tentacles to complete this sensory-rich craft.
Recycled Materials Rescue:
Turn ordinary recyclables into extraordinary octopuses! Use a plastic bottle cap for the body, paint it, and glue on googly eyes. Cut out construction paper for the tentacles and attach them to the bottle cap. Repurpose other recyclables like yogurt containers or cardboard tubes for a creative and eco-friendly craft.
Life Cycle Learning:
This project allows your child to explore the fascinating life cycle of an octopus. Draw or print pictures of the different stages of an octopus’s life (egg, larva, adult) on separate pieces of paper Then, have your child color and decorate them. Glue them together in the correct order to create a visual representation of the octopus’s life cycle.
Playful Playdough:
Preschoolers love playdough! Use it to create a 3D octopus model. Roll out playdough in various colors to create the body, eyes, and individual tentacles. Get creative by adding details like a smiling mouth or swirling the tentacles for a playful effect.
Artful Adventures (60 Minutes or More)
Splatter Art Spectacular:
Embrace the mess with a splatter art octopus! Fold a piece of construction paper in half and place a cut-out octopus shape inside. Squeeze paint onto one side of the folded paper and then open it up to reveal a symmetrical splatter-painted octopus design. Add details like eyes and a mouth for a unique masterpiece.
Shaving Cream Surprise:
This craft combines science and art! Cover a tray with shaving cream and squirt drops of food coloring onto the surface. Use a comb or skewer to swirl the colors and create a marbled effect. Carefully press a piece of construction paper onto the shaving cream to capture the colorful design. Cut out an octopus shape and add eyes and a mouth for a marbled masterpiece.
Nature’s Octopus:
Take a trip to the park and collect natural materials like leaves, twigs, and pebbles. Use these elements to create a collage octopus on a piece of construction paper. Glue leaves for the body, twigs for the tentacles, and pebbles for the eyes for a nature-inspired artwork.
Salt Dough Delight:
Make your own sculpting material with this easy salt dough recipe. Mix flour, salt, and water to create a doughy consistency. Shape the dough into an octopus body and eight long tentacles. Add details like eyes and a mouth before baking it in the oven for a hardened and paintable octopus figurine.
Bubble Wrap Printing:
Bubble wrap adds a fun texture to any art project! Dip a piece of bubble wrap in paint and then gently press it onto a piece of construction paper. Cut out an octopus shape and add details like eyes and a mouth for a unique textured artwork.
Party Time! (30 Minutes or Less)
Octopus Headbands:
Transform your little ones into adorable octopuses with these easy headbands! Cut out large octopus shapes from construction paper and decorate them with markers, glitter, or stickers. Attach them to a pipe cleaner headband for a fun and festive party accessory.
Photo Booth Props:
Create a vibrant underwater photo booth with these octopus-themed props! Cut out large octopus shapes from cardboard and decorate them with colorful paints and paper. Attach them to sticks or dowels for easy holding and capture silly underwater photo memories.
Cupcake Surprise:
Turn ordinary cupcakes into delightful octopuses! Frost cupcakes in blue or green icing. Cut out small circles from white fondant or marshmallows for the eyes and pipe cleaner tentacles for a sweet and playful treat.
Octopus Bowling:
Get active with a game of octopus bowling! Decorate empty plastic bottles as octopuses with paint and markers. Use a small ball and have the kids take turns bowling over the octopus pins for active party fun.
Octopus Relay Race:
Divide the partygoers into teams and have them race while holding a beanbag between their knees. This silly “waddling octopus” race is sure to get everyone giggling.
With these 25 creative octopus crafts, you have a treasure trove of ideas to keep your preschoolers entertained and learning for hours on end. So, set sail on a crafting adventure and dive into the wonderful world of octopuses!
