This Easy Paper Dragon Puppet is a Fun Summer Activity
We sat down and made a new paper dragon puppet from construction paper. One of our favorite paper crafts for kids, this is easy, silly, and makes for hours of fun playtime.
Dragon Puppet
Here at Ruffles and Rain Boots, I love making paper crafts for kids 0r, rather, with the kids. It’s just so much fun to see them work through the steps and see their creation come to life under their little hands.
RELATED READING: PAPER DRAGON PUPPETS
This week, there was a special request from my youngest for a dragon puppet. We’d made paper dragon puppets in the past, but she wanted “something different than before.” We came up with this fun, new design for a dragon puppet that even allowed us to talk a bit about hinges. Let’s get started.
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Tips to Make this Paper Dragon Puppet
- Click here to get the free printable templates. You can make these easy paper dragon puppets in any color, but use the templates to make it easier for all ages.
- Let the kids be in charge. This looks really complex, but it’s not. You’re building a couple of boxes and taping them together. Kids can do that! It builds fine motor and problem-solving skills.
- Firmly fold the paper.
- The tape between the two parts of the dragon’s mouth works as a hinge. Don’t be afraid to make it tight.
How Do I Make this Dragon Puppet?
I’m so glad you asked. Below is our written tutorial. If you’re making a kid’s paper crafts playlist on YouTube, here is our dragon puppet video tutorial.
3D Dragon Puppet for Kids
Per the request of my youngest, we sad down and made a new paper dragon puppet from construction paper. One of our favorite paper crafts for kids, it's easy, silly, and makes for hours of fun playtime.Â
Materials
- Printable Template
- 2 sheets blue (or whatever you want for your primary color) of construction paper
- 1 sheet beige (or whatever you want for your secondary color) of construction paper
- White construction paper
- Black construction paper
- Red construction paper
- Yellow construction paper
- Orange construction paper
Tools
- Scissors
- Tape
- Glue Stick
Instructions
- Cut out the printable template pieces. Cut the following using the template for your guide: 4 small round circles in black construction paper (2 nostrils and 2 pupils of the dragon’s eyes), 2 large round circles in white construction paper (whites of the dragon’s eyes), 1 small flame with orange construction paper, 1 tongue with red construction paper, 1 large flame with yellow construction paper, 2 large teeth with white construction paper, 2 small teeth with white construction paper, 1 of the largest foldable rectangle with blue construction paper (this is the larger rectangle on the printable template page with the circles), 1 of the second largest foldable rectangle with blue construction paper (this is the larger rectangle on the printable template page with the tongue), 1 of the second smallest foldable rectangle with the beige construction paper (this is the smaller rectangle on the printable template page with the circles), 1 of the smallest foldable rectangle with the beige construction paper (this is the smaller rectangle on the printable template page with the tongue), 1 of the hump-bumps shapes with foldable side tabs in the blue construction paper (the snout), 1 of the hump-bumps shapes with the foldable bottom tab in the blue construction paper (the face).
- Fold the blue construction pieces along the dashed fold lines. Fold the beige construction pieces along the dashed fold lines.
- To make the top of the dragon’s face, glue and tape (I recommend both) the folded-up tabs of the larger beige triangle to the interior of the folded down tabs of the blue larger rectangle--forming an open-ended cube.
- Glue and tape the folded in side tabs of the snout piece on the inside sides of one end of the cube you just made.
- Next, glue and tape the folding in bottom tab of the face piece on the inside top of the blue portion of the end of the cube. Set aside the top of the dragon’s face for the time being.
- To make the bottom of the dragon’s face, fold in the corner tabs on both of the blue and beige rectangles, forming 90-degree corners. Glue and tape these corners in place.
- Fit the blue and beige rectangles together, leaving space between to fit a thumb. Glue and tape in place.
- Place top of dragon’s head to the bottom and tape on each side, between the two pieces, creating a hinge with the tape. Be sure to leave the center of the dragon’s mouth un-taped as this is where you’ll fit the tongue inside.
- Glue the nostrils in place in the humps of the snout. Glue the whites of the dragon’s eyes to the face of the dragon. Glue the pupils of the dragon’s eyes to the whites of the dragon’s eyes.
- Slide the tongue into the mouth, tucking the tongue as deep as you’d like the tongue to be.
- Fold up any excess tongue and tape/glue in place on the top of the dragon’s mouth.
- Glue the yellow flame into the back of the dragon’s mouth, on top of the tongue. Glue the orange smaller flame on top of the yellow flame. Glue the larger teeth into the seam of the top of the dragon’s jaw, on either side of the tongue. Glue the smaller teeth on either side of the tongue in the seam of the bottom of the dragon’s jaw.
- Slide hand inside back openings.
Notes
For more fun paper crafts for kids, visit RufflesandRainBoots.com
More Kid’s Paper Crafts You Might Like
- Paper Dragon Puppets – Loving this paper dragon? Well, check out this other awesome one I made that’s even more simple.
- Printable Elephant Paper Puppets – Based on my simpler paper dragon puppet, this paper craft for kids shows you just how to make a basic shape into almost any animal.
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