My kids love turtles, and after seeing a few this spring on local hikes, we came up with a turtle-inspired craft. This is a great way to get kids using their creativity, and learning about turtles!

Supplies you will need:

~ small paper or plastic plates (or you can use paper)

~ construction paper

~ tissue paper in various colors

~ glue, and a brush to spread the glue

~ scissors

~ anything you might want to decorate with: sequins, beads, markers, etc.

Start by cutting up the tissue paper into approximately 1″ square pieces.  I do this part for my kids, but if they have the dexterity and patience, they can do this step on their own.

Decorate your plate (or large circle of paper).  I was planning on turning the plates upside down before decorating, but the kids insisted on leaving them right side up, so you can choose whatever you think works best.  If you use paper, it can get a little soggy, so you want to make sure it is thick enough.

My 3 year old stuck tissue paper on randomly, and my 6 year old came up with a design, so use your imagination!

Add on legs and a head (and a tail if you want as well).  These can really be whatever colors you like.  We cut the legs and head out of construction paper and made them long enough so they could be glued onto the plate.

Decorate a face on your turtle.  You can use markers to draw, or just about anything you might have on hand.  For example, eyes can be buttons, beads, sequins, or even Cheerios! If you want to make your turtle extra unique, you can get custom stickers online, by using this sticker maker.

We had fun with our projects, and you can always use crafts like this as an educational tool.  Topics for this craft might include:

~ differences between land and sea turtles

~ colors of real turtles

~ patterns and colors