Baboon Paper Plate Craft
You ever look at a baboon and think, “Wow… that is a lot of face”? Same. That bright red and blue nose? The wild fur? The permanent side-eye? Baboons were made for crafts. And this baboon paper plate craft is everything you want in a preschool activity: colorful, slightly chaotic, and packed with “look what I made!” pride.
It’s part art, part monkey business, and just the right amount of mess.
Materials Needed for This Paper Plate Baboon Craft
- 1 paper plate
- Grey paint
- Paintbrush
- Red, blue, and black construction paper
- Glue stick
- Scissors
- Googly eyes (because obviously)
- Black marker
- Printable baboon template
Hot tip: If you don’t have the right colors, let the kids pick their own. Rainbow baboon? Why not.
How to Make a Baboon Paper Plate Craft
Ready to get crafting? Find the instructions below!
Baboon Paper Plate Craft
This fun and colorful baboon paper plate craft is perfect for preschoolers learning about zoo animals! Includes a free printable template.
Materials
- Paper plate
- Grey paint
- Construction paper (red, blue, black)
- Glue stick
- Googly eyes
- Black marker
- Baboon template
Tools
- Scissors
- Paintbrush
Instructions
- Gather your supplies.
- Start by painting the back of a paper plate grey. Let it dry completely before moving on to the next step.
- Use the printable baboon template to cut out all your pieces: red nose, blue cheek patches, black eye mask.
- Glue the black mask to the top center of the paper plate. Then glue the red nose in the middle and add the blue cheek patches to each side.
- Stick on two large googly eyes right on top of the black mask shape.
- Use a black marker to draw swirls on the nose and lines on the cheeks. Add a big smile to finish it off!
- Hang your finished baboon up for all to see!
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Keep It Real: Tips for Preschool Crafting
Look, crafting with preschoolers isn’t exactly a Pinterest board. It’s glue on the table, paint in someone’s hair, and at least one piece mysteriously stuck to the dog. If your little one has “scissor confidence” but not exactly the skills to back it up, go ahead and pre-cut the pieces, it’ll save you both some stress.
And yes, things will get messy. That’s kind of the point. Just lean into it with washable everything and maybe a smock that’s already seen better days.
While you're gluing things on (mostly in the right place), sneak in some learning. Talk about the shapes and colors on the baboon’s face -“Ooh, look at that big red oval nose!“- and toss in a quick counting moment: “How many blue cheeks does your baboon have?” If the answer is more than two, congratulations! You’ve made a mythical jungle creature.
While the paint dries and the googly eyes go slightly crooked (in the best way), there’s a whole lot of learning sneaking in under the radar. You’re not just making a goofy little baboon, you’re building skills your preschooler will actually use.
All that snipping and gluing? That’s fine motor practice. Picking red for the nose and blue for the cheeks? Hello, color recognition. Piecing together funny face parts? Boom, shape sorting and spatial awareness.
And following along with each step (even if it’s out of order and upside down) helps little ones build focus and learn how to follow directions. Honestly, it’s learning in its comfiest, goofiest form.
Fun Baboon Facts to Toss Around While Crafting
Wanna make your kids laugh and learn at the same time? Drop these into the convo:
- Baboons have very colorful faces. No, they didn’t get into your makeup bag.
- They live in big groups called troops. Sometimes there are over 200 baboons in one giant, loud monkey party.
- Baboons bark, scream, chatter, and groom each other all day. Sound familiar?
- They eat fruit, seeds, bugs… basically anything they can find. Even old snack puffs from the car floor, probably.
- They love to climb trees but spend most of their time hanging out on the ground like chill, loud little weirdos.
Now ask your kid to do their best baboon roar. You won’t regret it. (Unless it’s before nap time.)
Wanna Keep the Animal Party Going?
You clearly have a little wild one on your hands. If this baboon craft was a hit, you’ve gotta check out the hippo paper plate craft next. It’s big, bold, and every bit as sassy as a baboon.
Or if you’re just getting started, browse all our paper plate crafts here and turn your craft corner into a full-blown zoo.
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