Cardboard Native Animals!

Written in collaboration with Babysits, check out some more cardboard animals here!

Did you know that you can make some unique New Zealand animals from cardboard? Reuse some old boxes at your house and give this activity a go!

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Kiwi

Did you know there are five species of New Zealand’s most iconic animal?

Steps:

Cut out the following shapes

Decorate the body of your kiwi, (you can even use a bird feather as a paint brush to create cool patterns!). This link can help you: https://www.doc.govt.nz/nature/native-animals/birds/birds-a-z/kiwi. We chose to make a brown kiwi.

Slide the kiwi body into the “leg” piece so that it can stand!

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New Zealand sea lion | rāpoka | whakahao

Our sea lions are the rarest species of sea lion in the world! You can tell them apart from the more common fur seals |  kekeno  by their larger size and less pointy nose. They also tend to prefer sandy beaches.

Steps:

Cut out the following shapes.

Decorate! (you can use this link to help you: https://www.doc.govt.nz/nature/native-animals/marine-mammals/seals/new-zealand-sea-lion)

Slide the front and rear pair of flippers onto the body!

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Chevron skink

Our chevron skink has the most beautiful pattern on its back!

Steps:

Cut out the curvy body of the lizard and tail as well as these L-shaped legs.

Decorate the back of the lizard with the chevron pattern (this link can help you: https://www.doc.govt.nz/nature/native-animals/reptiles-and-frogs/lizards/skinks/chevron-skink)

Put the legs onto the body!

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New Zealand fantail / pīwakawaka

Looking for a challenge? Why not create your own Fantail! The unique, fan-shaped tail can be a little more difficult to create but it is fascinating!

Steps:

Cut out the body, tail, and legs of the fantail, as well as the decorative tree branch it stands on.

Decorate the fantail and tree branch (this link can help you: https://www.doc.govt.nz/nature/native-animals/birds/birds-a-z/fantail-piwakawaka).

Set the fantail tail on the body and the body on the legs, and slide the legs into the notch cut into the tree branch.