So you’re on the hunt for a fun & easy craft that’s just right for the little ones, and the paper bag cow puppet is a great choice – and not just because it’s cute! Making a paper bag cow puppet is also a wonderful way for parents and children to connect through creative play, fostering meaningful interactions and building lasting memories together.
It’s super simple to do, and a fantastic way to get little hands getting creative. With just a few basic supplies, including a paper lunch bag and a free template, kids can whip up their very own cow puppet in no time – and they can use it for all sorts of fun things – like playing or showing off at school. This craft is perfect for preschoolers and kindergarten children, making it both educational and developmentally appropriate.
- Introduction to Puppet Craft
- What You'll Need
- Getting Ready to Get Creative
- Step-by-Step Guide to Making Your Cow Puppet
- Fun Variations to Try
- Why This Craft is So Good For Kids
- Where to Find Free Templates & More Ideas
- Sharing & Storing Your Puppet
- Wrapping This Up
Introduction to Puppet Craft
Puppet making is a cracking way to get the kids’ creativity flowing and its dead-simple to get going with little ones of all ages. Whether you’re a parent, teacher, or looking after the kids, knocking up some puppets is a top activity that’ll have any group of children grinning from ear to ear. One of the most popular and absolutely adorable picks is the cow paper bag puppet. With just a simple brown lunch bag, a free printable template you can grab online, and some basic craft bits and bobs, kids can dive right into the world of farm animals and create their very own paper bag cow.
The beauty of this cow paper bag puppet is that its perfect for everyone—from little preschoolers just getting the hang of cutting and sticking, right up to older kids who want to add their own creative flair and make it their own. Using a cow paper bag template or any other free template makes it light as a feather to get started, and the kids can personalise their puppet with crayons, a bit of paint, or even some extra decorations to jazz it up. This dead-simple craft is not only a brilliant way to keep the little ones entertained and out of mischief, but it also helps them develop those fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and gives them a proper boost of confidence in their artistic abilities.
Crafting a cow puppet is also a top way to introduce children to farm animals and get them into farm animal crafts. It fits right into classroom lessons, storytime, or just when you’re stuck inside on a drizzly afternoon at home. Plus, once the puppet is all finished and ready to go, it opens up a whole world of imaginative play—kids can use their bag cow to act out stories, play games, or even put on a proper puppet show for mates and family. With so many free printable templates and creative ideas you can find online, its never been easier to grab a brown paper bag and get crafting. So go ahead—print out a template, gather round your supplies, and sit back and watch as your child brings their very own cow puppet to life!
What You’ll Need
Before you get started, gather all the necessary bits & bobs. That way, things move along smoothly, and the kids can dive right in without any hassle.
- A brown paper lunch bag (this one’s gonna be the body of your puppet)
- Some glue (a glue stick or liquid glue should do the trick)
- Crayons, markers or coloured pencils
- A pair of scissors
- A free template for the cow paper bag puppet (you can find loads of these online)—make sure to print the template before starting, as printing it out is an important step before coloring, cutting, and assembling your craft
- Optional: some construction paper or felt for extra decorations
Having all the right materials at the ready makes life a whole lot easier.
Getting Ready to Get Creative
First off, print out the free template on some regular white paper or cardstock if you want your puppet to last longer. Cardstock is thicker and stands up to playtime much better. Next, find a clean workspace where the little ones can color, cut & glue without getting all stressed out. Cover the table with some newspaper or a plastic tablecloth to keep things tidy.
Encourage the kids to pick out their favourite colors for the cow’s spots & ears—let them experiment with different color choices to express themselves and build confidence in their artistic abilities. The more color, the better—using a variety of colors adds fun, imagination, and personalization to their project, helping their creativity shine.
This activity is also a great way to teach children about farm animals and colors while they craft and play. Using cow puppets in sing-alongs can further enhance children’s language skills, making the activity both educational and entertaining.
Step-by-Step Guide to Making Your Cow Puppet
Step 1: Cut Out the Top Bits
Carefully cut out the cow’s head, ears & nose from the printed template. If the little ones are still a bit young for using scissors alone, don’t worry – an adult can lend a hand.
Step 2: Bring the Pieces to Life with Colour
Let the kids loose with the crayons, markers or coloured pencils. They can add all sorts of spots, patterns or even just make the puppet look like a bit of a goofball. The more creative, the better!
Step 3: Get the Ears in Place
Glue the inner ear pieces onto the outer ears, then pop the ears onto the cow’s head. Make sure everything is nice & in line.
Step 4: Add the Nose & Eyes
Glue the nose just below the eyes on the cow’s head – and if you’ve got some googly eyes just hanging around, feel free to add those in for an extra bit of cuteness.
Step 5: Get the Head On The Bag
Turn the brown paper lunch bag over so the flap is on top. Glue the cow’s head onto the flap. When you open & close the flap, the puppet’s mouth should move – just like that.
Step 6: Get the Body In Place
Glue the cow’s body piece onto the main part of the paper bag, just below the flap. Make sure it lines up with the head – you want your cow to look neat & tidy. To create a classic cow pattern, glue black patches onto the main part of the bag.
Step 7: Give the Body a Bit of TLC
Glue on some spots & trim any excess paper that’s hanging loose. Feel free to add any other decorations you like – maybe a bell around the neck or a tail made from yarn or paper. Alternatively, you can use a long, thin strip of black or white paper for the cow’s tail, securing it at the back of the puppet.
Fun Variations to Try
- Why not use some different colours for the cow’s spots? Maybe go for purple or pink for a funky cow!
- Add a bit of texture by gluing on some felt or foam pieces for the ears or spots.
- Create a whole farm animal puppet show by making chickens, pigs & horses from paper bags. You can use different puppet templates to make a variety of cows, chickens, and other farm animals.
- There are many printables available online for making different farm animal puppets, which makes it easy to expand your collection.
- Turn the puppet into a story character & put on a show! The kids can make up all sorts of voices & stories for their cow.
- Paper bag cow puppet kits can also serve as party favors by being filled with treats or toys.
Why This Craft is So Good For Kids
This paper bag cow puppet is more than just a fun craft – it’s actually really good for the kids, too. They get to practice their hand-eye coordination with the cutting & gluing, and the colouring helps develop their fine motor skills. Plus, puppets are a great way to encourage imaginative play & storytelling – all of which are just brilliant for building up language skills & confidence. Additionally, puppets can help ease anxiety for children before visits to a doctor or dentist by role-playing scenarios.
This easy craft fits right into classroom lessons about farm animals or can be a quiet activity on a rainy day at home. It’s a simple way to spend some quality time with the kids & share a laugh or two.
Where to Find Free Templates & More Ideas
You can find loads of free printable templates for paper bag puppets online. You can download a cow template and other puppet templates by following the provided link on many craft sites. Some sites may require you to sign up before you can download the templates. Just type in “paper bag cow puppet free template” & you’ll find loads of options. Some sites also have templates for other animals, so you can build up a whole puppet farm.
Loads of blogs & craft sites will also give you step-by-step directions & photos to help guide you. Some even have videos you can watch to see the craft in action.
Sharing & Storing Your Puppet
Once the puppet is done, it’s ready for playtime! The kids can use it for games, storytelling or just as a cute decoration. When it’s not in use, store it flat or in a box to keep it safe. If you want to go all out and capture the cuteness of your child’s handiwork, grab your phone & snap a pic of their masterpiece, then post your creation with friends or on social media—just remember, these are for personal use only. It’s a great way to celebrate the fact that all that hard work & creativity paid off.
Wrapping This Up
This paper bag cow puppet business is a seriously fun craft that’s bound to bring a whole lot of joy. Not only is it ridiculously easy to knock out, it uses stuff you probably already have lying around, and it lets kids really get their creative juices flowing. Whether you’re a parent, a teacher or just someone who takes care of little rascals, this one’s a no-brainer for keeping them entertained and learning at the same time.
Give it a shot and watch as your kiddo’s face lights up when they bring their cow puppet to life – it’s a small project but trust us, the smiles you get out of it will be HUGE
