Paper Plate Koala Craft (with FREE Template)
This paper plate koala craft is extra special because it comes with the bonus little joey to place on the mama koala’s back. It’s super cute, and you can give it your own unique flair. We decided to add a moon and stars just for some added color and design. Keep it fun.
If you enjoy this koala bear craft, you’re also going to love making this newspaper koala, the paper plate kangaroo and this paper armadillo craft.
You’re Going to Want to Make EVERY SINGLE Paper Plate Animal Craft in this Collection with Your Kids…
Save this Australian Animal Craft for later. Pin it to your favorite Pinterest board…
Fun Facts About Koalas
- Koalas aren’t bears at all. They’re actually marsupials.
- They eat from eucalyptus trees and are very picky about what kind.
- Their babies are called joeys and spend time in the mama’s pouch. They’re very attached to their mamas and stay with them for about 1 to 3 years, until another joey is born.
- Just like people, koalas have unique fingerprints.
You can learn more about koalas from this article by Brisbane Kids.
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SUPPLIES FROM THE BAG
- 2 Paper plates (9-inch coated)
- Newspaper
- Pompom
- Clothespin
- Gray paint
- Scissors
- Glue stick
- Googly eyes (or printable paper eyes)
- Construction paper
- Markers
- Koala craft template
We love our paper plate crafts around here. They’re one of the items on our master list of basic craft supplies that we use for every single creative project on this site and in our shop. This unique approach makes crafting with your kids actually do-able, even when life is hectic (and when isn’t it?). So…fill your bag and craft along!!!
How to Make a Paper Plate Koala Craft
Step 1: Color the Plates
- Lay out some newspaper on your crafting surface.
- Pinch a pompom with a clothespin to form a “paint brush”.
- Place 2 paper plates, bottom up, on the newspaper.
- Then paint the bottoms of each plate gray (or whatever color you would like for your koala.)
*If you really don’t want to get the paints out, just color the plates with crayons instead. This give the craft a different look but is no less fun. You child will be proud of what they’ve created.
Step 2: Use the Koala Craft Template
- While the paint on the plates is drying, download and print out the koala craft template.
- Use it to cut out all of the parts for your koala craft.
- We made the ears and paws a matching dark gray and the nose black.
- For the little joey we used a lighter shade of gray. Again, choose whatever colors you would like. Pay attention to where the fold should be when cutting out the joey.
Step 3: Build the Body
- Cut a flap that is about 2 inches wide and an inch deep on one of the plates.
- Bend it up.
- Overlap the 2 plates about an inch or so to form the body and head of your koala craft.
- Generously apply your glue stick to the flap that you cut and attach it to the other plate as pictured. Press and hold for a minute to give the glue time to take hold.
Step 4: Put Your Koala Bear Craft Together
- Now add the parts of your koala that have been cut out.
- Use your glue stick to attach the ears and paws to the paper plates as pictured.
Step 5: Finish with Some Details
- Turn the koala craft over and glue the nose in place.
- Put the googly eyes in place also (or use these printable paper eyes instead)
- Use your markers an scraps of construction paper to add any other details that you would like.
Step 6: Make Baby Joey
- Finally, let’s get little joey ready to ride on his mama’s back.
- Add a nose with a scrap of construction paper.
- Then take your markers and give the little one a personality however you’d like.
- Place him on the mama koala’s back.
Now that you know how to make this paper plate koala craft, it’s time to put your own spin on it. We used traditional colors, but you can choose anything that you want. Maybe your koala craft will be pink with yellow ears or rainbow colored. This is your craft, and it can be any way that you want it. The only limit is your imagination.
Save this Koala Bear Craft for later. Pin it to your favorite Pinterest board…
