Mom and me crafts make extra special keepsakes. Here's our latest version - a handprint koala craft for Mother's Day! This simple paper craft includes a printable template with faces, leaves, and a cute koala saying for making your own at home or with a class.
The cute hand shaped koalas are sitting in a tree. The saying reads, "You are a KOALITY Mom!" I never get tired of cute puns! There's also, "Happy Mother's Day" that kids can color in.
→See all our Mother's Day Crafts
Koala Craft Supplies
- Koala Template
- Cardstock: brown, blue, and gray
- Markers
- Scissors
- Gluestick/Glue
- Pencil
Prep:
Print the template on cardstock or heavy paper if possible. Color the faces and leaves. Cut all the pieces out that you plan to use.
→Download and print the koala template HERE.
*The PDF template includes 1 page in black in white that kids can color in. There are leaves, Happy Mother's Day saying, You are a KOALITY Mom! saying, and koala heads/faces. There are 5 faces total: 1 adult size and 2 different kid sizes - each with a version with and without eyelashes.
Handprint Koala Instructions
1. First take the brown paper and tear a strip vertically from the edge. This will be the tree. Tear another smaller piece for a branch for the koalas to sit on.
2. Now glue the tree to the side of the paper, matching up the smooth edges. Also glue the branch so it sticks out horizontally about ¼ from the bottom of the page.
3. Next, trace the Mother’s and child’s hand on the gray paper with all the fingers spread out.
4. Cut both hand shapes out.
*Classroom Tip: Have the children trace their mom's had at home and bring it to school to do the project during class time - this way it will be a surprise.
5. The next step is to glue Mom’s hand to the paper so the fingers are on the tree and the pinky side of the hand is resting on the branch with the thumb in the 'up' position. Once finished, the koala will look like it's hugging the tree/holding on.
6. Then glue the child’s hand in the same direction but further away from the tree so the fingers are resting on Mom’s hand.
7. After you have finished gluing the hands in place, match up the koala faces on the template to the size of the child’s hand. There’s one larger face for Mom, and two size options for the child in each of the styles (one with eyelashes and one without plus some hair). The different sizes makes this craft perfect for toddlers as well as elementary ages.
Glue the koala faces on top of the thumbs. You can trim the thumb, so it doesn’t stick out if needed.
8. For the finishing touch on the koala handprint craft, glue on the sentiments and the leaves.
More Mom and Me Craft Ideas:
Related: Daddy and Me Handprint Keepsake with Poem for Father’s Day
While this handprint koala craft makes a cute mom and child craft, siblings could also make this together to give to mom for Mother's Day. It could be with or without mom's handprint. Another idea is to make a folded card with one child's koala handprint on the front with the koala pun and Happy Mother's Day on the inside.
Of course, the saying could be omitted for making anytime of the year as a just for fun craft or while exploring an Australian animals unit.
