Winter afternoons give you a great excuse to stay inside and make something with your hands. Whether you want a quick weekend project for your kids or a fun DIY idea for yourself, these 29 easy penguin craft ideas you’ll love turn simple household scraps into fun desk companions and keepsakes.
Gather your supplies and check out the list below.
1. Toilet Paper Roll Penguin
Turn an ordinary cardboard tube into a tabletop pal. Paint the tube black, glue a white felt oval onto the front for the belly, and attach small orange paper triangles for the beak and feet. Quick tip: Tie a sliver of plaid ribbon around the top to make a tiny winter scarf.
2. Paper Plate Wobbly Penguin
Cut a standard paper plate in half and let your child coat it with black washable paint. Fold the curved outer edges inward to form wings, then paste an orange paper beak in the center. The curved bottom allows the bird to wobble across the table when you tap it.
3. Handprint Penguin Keepsake
Preserve your child’s handprint with this quick art project. Brush white paint onto their palm and black paint across their four fingers, then press the hand onto blue cardstock. Flip the paper upside down, glue on googly eyes and an orange beak, and you have a finished keepsake.
4. Egg Carton Mini Penguins
Cut individual cups from a cardboard egg carton to build these small figures. Paint each cup black, paint a white patch on the front for the stomach, and glue small felt flippers to the sides. If you enjoy compact projects, check out our collection of mini craft ideas for more bite-sized inspiration.
5. Winter Felt Penguin Ornament
Sew a soft tree ornament using basic craft felt. Cut two teardrop shapes from black felt, stitch the edges together around a handful of cotton stuffing, and glue on small earmuffs made from pipe cleaners. These soft ornaments survive accidental drops onto hardwood floors without breaking.
6. Popsicle Stick Tuxedo Penguin
Line up five wooden craft sticks and secure them with tape across the back. Paint the outer sticks black and the middle sticks white to form the body pattern. Glue on googly eyes and orange foam feet to finish a sturdy bookmark or fridge magnet.
7. Recycled Water Bottle Penguin
Fill an empty, clear plastic bottle with white cotton balls to make the belly. Paint the bottle cap black, then glue two construction paper wings to the sides. This project reuses household plastics and gives young children a simple sensory toy.
8. Snowy Pinecone Penguin
Collect fallen pinecones from your yard or a nearby park. Push white pom-poms into the scales of the pinecone to make a white chest. Glue a painted wooden bead onto the top for the head and attach a small triangular felt beak.
9. Fluffy Cotton Ball Penguin
Cut a penguin outline out of black cardstock and brush glue across the belly area. Have your children press cotton balls onto the glue until they cover the entire stomach. This project strengthens fine motor skills and tactile coordination.
10. Origami Jumping Penguin
Grab a square sheet of two-toned black and white origami paper. Make a series of valley folds to expose the white chest while keeping the wings black. Press down on the folded tail tab and release it quickly to make the paper bird hop across your table.
11. Cupcake Liner Penguin Collage
Flatten a standard black cupcake liner and glue it onto construction paper. Layer a smaller white baking liner in the center for the tummy, then glue on paper scraps for the flippers and webbed feet. You can find more quick projects in our collection of easy crafts for all ages.
12. Painted Rock Penguin Family
Find smooth, oval river stones in your garden or at a craft store. Use acrylic paint pens to draw a black coat, a white stomach, and orange feet. Apply a clear acrylic sealer over the paint so your stone figures can sit outside in your flower beds year-round.
13. Clay Pot Penguin Planter
Paint a miniature terracotta pot black, leaving a white heart shape on the front for the face and chest. Add an orange painted beak just under the rim. Plant a small succulent inside so the spiky green leaves look like messy hair.
14. Upcycled Lightbulb Penguin
Save burned-out incandescent bulbs from the trash bin. Coat the glass with black multi-surface craft paint, paint a white oval across the front, and wrap twine around the metal screw base. Hang the finished ornaments near a window where they can catch the light.
15. No-Sew Sock Penguin
Fill an unmatched black crew sock with uncooked rice. Wrap two rubber bands around the sock to separate the head from the body. Tie a strip of scrap fabric around the neck crease for a scarf, then glue felt eyes to the face. The rice gives the finished penguin enough weight to sit upright on your desk.
16. Shiny CD Penguin Sun-Catcher
Reuse old compact discs to make shiny window hangings. Cut flippers and a head from black craft foam, then glue them around the rim while keeping the reflective side facing front. When sunlight hits the disc, it throws colored light across your room.
17. Polymer Clay Penguin Charms
Roll black, white, and orange polymer clay into small spheres to build miniature penguin charms. Push a metal eye pin through the top of the head before you bake the clay according to the package instructions. Attach the hardened figures to keychains, charm bracelets, or zipper pulls.
18. Sponge-Painted Penguin Silhouette
Cut a penguin outline from scrap cardboard and place it in the center of a white sheet of paper. Dip a damp kitchen sponge into blue and purple paint, then dab color all around the cardboard edges. Lift the template away to reveal a clean white silhouette against a colorful background.
19. Cork-Stamped Penguin Tribe
Dip the flat end of a wine cork into black paint and press it onto paper to make neat circles. Dip a cotton swab or toothpick into white paint to add a small belly inside each black spot, then dot on tiny orange beaks. Children can stamp dozens of little birds across a single page in minutes.
20. Paper Bag Penguin Puppet
Lay a paper lunch bag flat and glue a black paper rectangle over the body section. Glue a folded paper beak directly under the bottom flap so the mouth opens when you move your hand inside. Kids can use these puppets to put on short shows and tell winter stories.
21. Styrofoam Ball Earmuff Penguin
Slice a small section off the bottom of a styrofoam ball so it sits flat on a table. Paint the back and sides black, attach felt wings, and wrap a pipe cleaner across the top with two small pom-poms to make earmuffs. The resulting figure makes a sturdy holiday display piece.
22. Cardboard Tube Pop-Up Penguin
Fold a thin strip of paper into an accordion spring and glue one end inside a cut cardboard tube. Attach a paper penguin cut-out to the top end of the spring. When someone opens the top of the tube, the paper bird pops outward.
23. Wooden Spoon Penguin Puppet
Paint the back of a wooden kitchen spoon with a black hood pattern and a white face. Wrap a thin strip of felt around the neck area for a scarf, then draw eyes and a beak with permanent markers. The wooden handle makes it easy for small hands to hold and control during puppet games.
24. Balloon-Print Penguin Card
Inflate a small water balloon halfway and dip the rounded bottom into black paint. Press the balloon onto the front of a folded card to stamp an oval body shape. Once the paint dries, draw the eyes, feet, and beak with markers to finish a handmade greeting card.
25. Quilled Paper Winter Penguin
Roll narrow paper strips around a quilling slotted tool to form tight spirals. Pinch the black paper spirals into teardrop curves for the wings and roll a loose white coil for the belly. Glue the shapes onto cardstock and place the finished piece inside a shadow box frame.
26. Mason Jar Penguin Luminary
Coat the outside of a glass mason jar with white tissue paper and decoupage glue. Paint black edges around the jar, leaving the front center uncovered so light can pass through the belly. Place a battery-operated LED tea light inside to light up your nightstand.
27. Origami Corner Penguin Bookmark
Fold a square piece of black craft paper into a corner pocket that slides over book pages. Glue a white paper insert inside the pocket opening and stick small orange feet along the lower edge. The bookmark stays securely in place without damaging your pages.
28. Salt Dough Footprint Penguin
Mix two cups of flour, one cup of salt, and one cup of water to create a firm dough. Roll the dough flat, press your child’s foot into the surface, and cut out the oval outline. Bake the dough at 250 degrees Fahrenheit until dry, then paint the heel as the penguin head and the ball of the foot as the belly.
29. Bubble Wrap Printed Penguin Scene
Brush white acrylic paint over a sheet of bubble wrap, then stamp it onto dark blue cardstock to create a textured ice sheet. Cut out simple paper penguins and paste them directly over the stamped background. If you want more hands-on art ideas, explore our list of creative craft ideas to spark joy.
Supplies to Keep on Hand
- Paper: Keep packs of black, white, and orange cardstock or construction paper ready.
- Glues: Use simple glue sticks for paper, and keep craft tacky glue ready for wood or plastic items.
- Recycled goods: Save cardboard tubes, clean egg cartons, and jar lids from your recycling bin.
- Decorative extras: Stock up on googly eyes, felt scraps, twine, and assorted pom-poms.
If your children want to learn how these birds survive in freezing weather, check out the National Geographic Kids Emperor Penguin Guide. For more ways to reuse household items, visit Real Simple.
Start Crafting Your Colony Today!
You do not need expensive kits or complicated tools to build these projects. Simple household items, a little paint, and some scrap paper give you everything you need to spend an afternoon making winter art with your family.