Make these adorable sandpipers with recycled egg cartons.
Sandpipers are shorebirds that live along beaches, estuaries, and mudflats. Did you know that sandpipers use their long beaks to poke into the sand and look for food?
Follow the directions below to make your own sandpipers.
Supplies you will need for one sandpiper:
1 egg carton shell
2 Wiggle eyes
1 Fuzzy white pipe cleaner
3 Regular brown pipe cleaners
2 White or brown feathers
Brown and gray markers
Hole-punch
Scissors
Glue
Directions:
First, cut an eggshell from the egg carton. Then using the hole punch, cut two holes for the legs on each side of the eggshell. Then using the scissors punch a hole in the top of the eggshell for the head.
Next, thread a brown pipe cleaner through one of the leg holes. Twist it into place to keep it secure. Then fold the other end into feet with three claws. Repeat the process for the other leg. The legs should end up being between three and four inches long.
Next, thread a white fuzzy pipe cleaner through the top hole of the eggshell to make the head. Fold over the pipe cleaner to form a loop and make it long enough to form the head and the neck. It should be about three inches tall. Fold the excess part of the pipe cleaner inside the eggshell into a coil to keep it in place.
Next, use the gray and brown markers to draw dots over the top of the eggshell. This will mimic the brown and gray spots on the feathers of a sandpiper.
Next, glue the wiggle eyes onto the head. Then cut a piece of the third brown pipe cleaner to make the beak and glue in place. The beak should be about 1 1/2 inches long.
Finally, glue two small white or brown feathers above the legs.
I hope you enjoy making these fun sandpipers with your kids!
Tools I Use
You can find basic supplies I used in this craft from Amazon.com. Click on an image below. You can also visit my Tools I Use Page to find more resources I use for crafts, writing, and blogging.
Sandpiper and other fun animals are featured in my book, A Fine Day on the Bay. See the book trailer below. You can also find lesson plans, puzzles and crafts here.
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Olly the Oyster
Olly's Treasure
Olly Explores 7 Wonders of the Chesapeake Bay
Mallory the Forgetful Duck
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