Splash into fun with this adorable and easy Hippopotamus Papercraft! With just a few simple supplies and these easy-to-follow instructions, your kids will be creating and playing in no time. Grab your Hippopotamus Papercraft template today!
Hippopotamus Papercraft
It’s always so exciting when my family gets to spend the day at the zoo! We have so much fun watching all of the animals and learning more about them. By the time we get home, my kids are usually ready for a quiet activity, so I like to pull out our art supplies and give them some time to create and unwind. Some of their favorite craft projects have been this Papercraft Octopus and Elephant Papercraft, so I knew this adorable Hippopotamus Papercraft would be an enormous hit!
There are so many fun ways to enjoy your hippopotamus papercraft! Add it to a larger piece of paper and create a background scene, or add a craft popsicle stick to the back and use it as a puppet! The possibilities are endless! Be sure to grab your free template at the bottom of this page, and start creating with your little ones!
Supplies
Printable Template
Not quite ready to join our email list where we share free and paid products and fun ideas? That is ok! Purchase the template below!
How to Make a Hippopotamus Papercraft
- Select 2 or 3 different shades of the same colored paper for the paper hippopotamus craft. We’re using 3 different shades of blue colored paper. Trace the head and body patterns on the medium shade, the arms (upper legs of the craft) and the bottom part of the face patterns on the dark shade, and lastly, the belly pattern on the lighter shade of the selected papers. Trace the toe patterns on white paper and the inner ear patterns on pink paper. Cut them out nicely.
- Stick the inner ear patterns in the middle of the ear parts joined to the head cutout.
- Stick the 2 separate leg cutouts on both sides of the body base cutout. Stick the half-circular cutout on the bottom side of the head cutout. Also, stick the eye cutouts near the top part of the head cutout.
- Stick the head pattern on the top side of the body pattern. Use a sharpie to draw the nose, mouth, and eye outlines
- Stick the toe cutouts along the bottom sides of the leg parts joined to the body base cutout.
- Stick the 2 other toe cutouts on the open ends of the upper leg patterns to complete the craft.
Tips and Tricks
- Use googly eyes or colorful glitter glue to add some exciting details to your hippopotamus!
- Dress your hippopotamus up! Add a bow tie, glasses, or a silly face to make it uniquely yours!
- Turn your hippopotamus papercraft into a puppet by simply adding a craft popsicle stick to the back!
More Hippopotamus Ideas…
Snuggle up for storytime and read That’s Not a Hippopotamus! You’ll giggle together as you help the children in the story find the missing hippopotamus at the zoo. This story is full of fun rhymes and will challenge your kids to practice their observation and deduction skills.
Create more papercraft animals, such as a lion, elephant, or alligator, and go on your very own safari! Or, make-believe that you are the zookeepers and these are your animals. Have fun mimicking their noises, and talking about where they live or what they like to eat. Your kids will love this hands-on opportunity to learn about some cool animals!
Hippopotamus Papercraft
Splash into fun with this adorable and easy Hippopotamus Papercraft! With just a few simple supplies and these easy-to-follow instructions, your kids will be creating and playing in no time. Grab your Hippopotamus Papercraft template today!
Materials
- Colored paper
- Craft glue
- Pencil
- Sharpie
- Scissors
Instructions
- Select 2 or 3 different shades of the same colored paper for the paper hippopotamus craft. We’re using 3 different shades of blue colored paper. Trace the head and body patterns on the medium shade, the arms (upper legs of the craft) and the bottom part of the face patterns on the dark shade, and lastly, the belly pattern on the lighter shade of the selected papers. Trace the toe patterns on white paper and the inner ear patterns on pink paper. Cut them out nicely.
- Stick the inner ear patterns in the middle of the ear parts joined to the head cutout.
- Stick the 2 separate leg cutouts on both sides of the body base cutout. Stick the half-circular cutout on the bottom side of the head cutout. Also, stick the eye cutouts near the top part of the head cutout.
- Stick the head pattern on the top side of the body pattern. Use a sharpie to draw the nose, mouth, and eye outlines
- Stick the toe cutouts along the bottom sides of the leg parts joined to the body base cutout.
- Stick the 2 other toe cutouts on the open ends of the upper leg patterns to complete the craft.
Notes
- Use googly eyes or colorful glitter glue to add some exciting details to your hippopotamus!
- Dress your hippopotamus up! Add a bow tie, glasses, or a silly face to make it uniquely yours!
- Turn your hippopotamus papercraft into a puppet by simply adding a craft popsicle stick to the back!
Love this Hippopotamus Papercraft? Pin it for Later!
How Do I Print A PDF?
You’ll need a program that supports PDFs. Adobe Acrobat is a great option. Open the program, click file, then print. Select your printer and the number of copies you want to print. Be sure you click double-sided if you want it to print on both sides.
Can I Resell These?
You may not resell any printable or template that you find on our website or receive in your email. You may use them for class parties, at church, at home, or in the classroom. You may get these printed at an office supply store or copy center at your own expense.
Michele is a mom of 5 with her degree in marriage and family studies. She believes that one of the best ways you can spend time with your family is doing fun things together.