Octopus Craft

What You Need:

• Scissors
• One 8½“ x 11” craft foam sheet in any color
• ¾ ” wide wired ribbon
• Waterproof markers or crayons
• Glue
• Ruler
• Piece of string or wire

What You Do:

1. Cut a Foamie sheet into a 9” by 5” size.
2. Help your child to divide the 9” side into eight 1” segments with ½” on each end.
3. Measure and draw a line 2½" up from each segment. This is how far you will cut to create the octopus' tentacles.
4. Have your child draw a face in the center of the unlined portion of the Foamie sheet.
5. Cut along each line until you have 8 distinct tentacles.
6. Securely glue a 2½” length of wired ribbon to each tentacle.
7. Invite your child to draw decorations on each tentacle.
8. Show her how to curl up each tentacle by bending the foam.
9. Shape the Foamie sheet into a tube shape, overlapping ½” on each side.
10. Have your child glue the ends of the octopus together securely.
11. Invite your child to hang the octopus on the porch or at a window, so that it is visible to those passing by!
12. Take this opportunity to educate your child about octopus facts.

Did You Know?

The octopus is the smartest of all animals without spines! It has a whole arsenal of defensive maneuvers. To escape from predators, they can hide easily, flee the scene, expel a cloud of ink, or disguise itself with protective color camouflage. If you were an octopus predator, you may be looking right at an octopus and not even know it's there!