Axolotl Craft Puppet (Free Template!) • In the Bag Kids' Crafts

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If you’re a fan of axolotls, you’re going to love this simple paper bag puppet craft. This axolotl craft is fun and easy to make using the free craft template. The best part is that it leads to hours of imaginative play.

Axolotls are beyond adorable. Your animal puppet will love going on adventures. Scroll down to get the free template to make crafting even easier.

And, if you like this axolotl craft, you’re going to love making this firefly puppet, robot puppet and paw patrol puppets.

Nourish Your Relationship with Your Kids as You Craft Together all Year Long…

craft a week collection image of cover on ipad sitting on blue desk

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Cool Facts about Axolotls

Axolotls are a kind of salamander.
Instead of moving to land, like most animals of its kind, it instead keeps its features, like gills and a tail, which make if possible for it to stay living in water.
They can regenerate limbs and organs.
The feathery “branches” that come from its head are its external gills.
In the wild, Axolotls are only found in Mexico.
It does not chew its food but eats by suction.

To learn more interesting facts about one of the most amazing amphibians you will ever meet, check out this article from Fact Animal.

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SUPPLIES FROM THE BAG

Paper lunch bag
Construction paper
Markers
Scissors
Pink tissue paper squares
Glue stick
Axolotl craft template

This axolotl craft starts with a simple paper bag craft, which is just one of the items that we keep in our kids’ craft bag. There are so many things that you can do with them! To craft along with us, you’re going to want to fill your bag using our master list of supplies that we stick to for every single craft project on this site (and in our shop). It makes crafting with your kids so much easier…and way more fun!

Combine Reading with Crafting

The best way to elevate the crafting experience is to add reading a good book. Here are some of our favorite books for kids about axolotls.

Save this axolotl craft for later. Pin it to your favorite Pinterest board…

How to make an Axolotl Paper Craft Puppet

Step 1: Use the Axolot Craft Template

Download and print the axolotl craft template.
Use it to cut out all of the head and “gills” for your axolotl craft.
We used light pink for the head and a darker color pink for the pieces that come out from the head.

AXOLOTL PAPER CRAFT STEP 1 — AXOLOTL CRAFT STEP 1

Step 2: Attach the Head and Body

From the same color paper that you used for the head, also cut a rectangle the size of the front of your paper bag.
Glue the rectangle onto the front of the bag, including under the flap.
Then glue on the head using your glue stick.

AXOLOTL PAPER CRAFT STEP 2 — AXOLOTL CRAFT STEP 2

If you’d like to make your axolotl puppet with a long tail, I’ve updated the free craft template to include a pattern so that your finished puppet will look like this instead…

Step 3: Make the Pink Frill

To each of the 6 cut out “gills”, add some tissue paper squares which cover it and hang over the edge.
Snip around the outside edges of the tissue paper to make them appear feathery.

AXOLOTL CRAFT FOR KIDS STEP 3 — AXOLOTL CRAFT STEP 3

Step 4: Finish the Construction of Your Axolotl Paper Craft

Attach the prepared “gills”, 3 on each side of the head (as pictured).
Optional: Also cut out arms and legs for your axolotl and attach them to the front of your paper bag puppet.

AXOLOTL CRAFT FOR KIDS PAPER BAG PUPPET STEP 4 — AXOLOTL CRAFT STEP 4

Step 5: Draw on the Face

Last, use your markers to draw a face on your axolotl paper craft.
We kept it simple, with blue eyes and a wide smile. You should make yours however you like.

AXOLOTL PAPER CRAFT STEP 5 PAPER BAG PUPPET FOR KIDS — AXOLOTL CRAFT STEP 5

Now that you know how to make an axolotl craft, give him some personality. Maybe he carries a little umbrella…or has a baby…or wears a bow tie. The only limit is your imagination.

Helpful Tip When Making Your Axolotl Craft:

The pink frills can be a little bit challenge to make, especially when crafting with little ones. You can choose to leave the tissue paper out of this craft if you like and just use the cut out construction paper for the gills instead.

What Paper is Best for Making the Axolotl Puppet?

We used a heavy construction paper for our puppet. It’s one of the 27 items from the master list that we always keep in our craft bag. However, if you don’t have pink construction paper, you can also use regular printer paper that you color with crayons, card stock or scrapbooking paper instead.

What adhesive works best for this craft?

We went with one of the items that we already had in our craft bag, glue sticks. I particularly like the Elmer’s brand that is purple and dries clear. It helps kids know exactly where they have or have not put glue already and is just sticky enough.

You can also use a glue runner or double sided tape. I wouldn’t recommend using traditional Elmer’s glue because the paper tends to pucker where the glue has been applied. If all you have on hand is Elmer’s glue, try applying it with a sponge or paint brush in a thin even layer over the entire surface.