Are you looking for fun and engaging winter crafts for kids? This simple polar bear craft turns an ordinary paper bag into an adorable polar bear puppet. Perfect for a chilly afternoon at home or a classroom activity at school, this project encourages creativity and pretend play among children.

The beauty of this craft is its simplicity – all you need is a paper bag, our printable template, some glue, and a dash of imagination! You can even use a cutting machine for a more precise look. Get ready to create some frosty fun with this delightful polar bear paper bag puppet!

Completed polar bear craft made with a white paper bag and cardstock.

Winter is an excellent time for planning Arctic animal crafts and activities. During this season, children can relate to the cold temperatures of the Arctic, fostering a deeper understanding of the harsh environment these animals live in.

Crafting activities featuring animals like polar bears, seals, or walruses also raise their curiosity about these creatures’ unique adaptations for survival.

Additionally, they offer a fitting celebration for events such as International Polar Bear Day, which is observed on February 27th every year. This day is dedicated to raising awareness about the conservation needs of this magnificent, yet vulnerable, Arctic species.

Crafting a polar bear puppet or similar craft activities can make this occasion more meaningful and engaging for children.

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Benefits of Making This Polar Bear Craft

This polar bear puppet craft presents an array of benefits. Among them, it provides an excellent way to hone fine motor skills.

The intricate cutting and gluing involved in creating this puppet are not just fun but also help to develop precision and coordination in children.

As a part of a polar bear unit study or themed art center, this craft serves as a fun and engaging learning tool. It brings lessons to life and adds an interactive element to educational sessions.

Also, the puppet acts as a catalyst for pretend play, a critical element in childhood development, fostering creativity and imagination.

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Learning Resources Sort & Seek Polar Animals Wild Republic Mom & Baby Polar Bear Plush Glimin 125 Pcs Polar Animal Toy Set Game Zone Polar Bear Plunge Interactive Tabletop Multiplayer Game

Is Pretend Play Important for Preschoolers?

Pretend play is incredibly important for preschoolers. It plays a vital role in their cognitive, social, and emotional development.

When children play with puppets, they enter a world of imagination where they can explore different social and emotional roles.

Paper Bag Polar Bear standing up on the open bottom

This enhances their creativity, and problem-solving skills, and fosters language development as they use dialogues and vocabulary in unique ways.

Additionally, playing with puppets helps children understand and manage their emotions better.

Encouraging children to participate in imaginative play can have a significant impact on their overall growth and development.

More Puppet Crafts for Kids

If you loved creating this polar bear puppet, you’re in for a treat! Just like our polar bear craft, these other projects are perfect for enhancing fine motor skills and promoting pretend play.

Here are a variety of other puppet crafts that will keep your children engaged while boosting their creativity and imagination.

Supplies needed for making a paper bag polar bear craft. Cut out facial features from paper and a white paper bag.

Polar Bear Paper Bag Craft Supplies

Creating this Polar Bear Paper Bag Puppet couldn’t be easier, and the best part is, that it doesn’t require many supplies or much time. This isn’t one of those messy projects either!

Polar Bear Craft Template
White Cardstock Paper
White Paper Bag
Glue Stick or Liquid School Glue
Scissors or a Cutting Machine

You can easily access the template by filling out the form at the bottom of this post. Upon completion, you will receive a couple of file formats that you can print normally or use with a cutting machine (such as a Cricut).

If white paper bags aren’t readily available, don’t worry! You can simply use white paper, cutting out pieces to cover the head and body of the bag before adding the ears and facial features.

Shop some of my favorite craft supplies on Amazon!

How to Make a Paper Bag Polar Bear Craft

If you’re cutting the pieces yourself, begin by printing out the PDF template for the polar bear craft. I recommend using cardstock paper for better durability.

Carefully cut out each piece. Take a white paper bag and place it with the opening as the “bottom” of the polar bear and the flat bottom as the head.

Attach the ears to the back of the bag, ensuring they stick out above the head.

Round paper ears glued to the top back of the polar bear's head.

Lift up the bottom part and glue the lower mouth piece underneath.

Glue the polar bear's mouth under the bottom part of the bag.

Next, affix the nose and upper mouth piece to the flat bottom, aligning the bottom of the muzzle along the edge. Let a portion of the mouth hang over the lower mouth piece.

Close view of the polar bear paper bag puppet face.

Lastly, glue the eyes in place.

If you’re using a cutting machine like a Cricut, start by uploading the PNG, SVG, or EPS file.

Adjust the image size to fit 6 ½ inches wide and 11 inches long. Then, select print and cut. Note that the SVG and EPS files are black and white. If you prefer to print in color, you’ll need to manually set those colors in your software.

Once all the pieces are cut, glue them onto the white paper bag to create your very own polar bear puppet.

Finished polar bear craft laying on winter themed cardstock paper.

More Winter Activities for Kids

After crafting your adorable polar bear puppet, don’t stop there! Winter offers a wealth of inspiration for fun and educational activities for kids.

Let’s dive into more exciting winter crafts and activities that are guaranteed to keep your little ones entertained and engaged during the chilly season.

Books About Arctic Animals

Delving into books about polar bears and other Arctic animals is a splendid way to complement your craft activities. Books, both fiction and non-fiction, offer a gateway to these icy, distant habitats and their unique inhabitants.

While their hands are busy creating, their minds can be filled with fascinating facts and mesmerizing stories about polar bears and their Arctic neighbors. Pair your puppet crafting with a read-aloud session or independent reading to make the experience more enriching.

Whether it’s a fact-packed non-fiction book or a charming Arctic adventure story, reading takes the learning experience to an entirely new level.

National Geographic Readers: Penguins!National Geographic Readers: Polar Bears Winter Survival: Animal Hibernation, Migration, and Adaptation Who Lives Here? Polar Animals Are You a Polar Bear?Animals in Winter (Let’s-Read-and-Find-Out Science)

Completed polar bear kids craft made out of a paper bag.

More Winter Crafts for Kids

Not ready to pack away your crafting supplies yet? We’ve got you covered! There’s a whole array of winter-inspired crafts that are perfect for little hands to create and explore.

From snowflakes to Arctic animals, here are some more fantastic winter craft ideas for kids that will keep their creativity flowing throughout the frosty season.

Apple Barrel Acrylic Paint Set, 16 Piece (2-Ounce), Best Colors Count Bassion Pack of 2 Kids Art Smocks, Children Waterproof Artist Painting Aprons Long Sleeve with 3 Pockets for Age 2-6 Years AdTech Ultra Low-Temp Cool Tool | Mini Hot Glue Gun for Safe Crafting | Children and Kids | Item #05690 , White Aleene’s Turbo Tacky Glue, 4 FL OZ – 3 Pack, Multi

There you have it – a world of frosty fun right at your fingertips! From creating your very own polar bear craft to exploring more winter-inspired crafts. Pairing it all with captivating books about Arctic animals, your creative journey through the snowy wilderness promises to be both educational and entertaining. So, grab your crafting supplies and let your imagination roam free in the magnificent Arctic expanse.

Paper Bag Polar Bear Craft

Yield: 1

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Active Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

Difficulty: Easy

Estimated Cost: $5 or less

Create an adorable polar bear craft using a paper bag with our simple cut and paste craft activity. Includes a printable template & encourages pretend play!

Materials

Polar Bear Craft Template
White Paper
White Paper Bag
Glue

Tools

Scissors or Cutting Machine

Instructions

If cutting the pieces out yourself, start by printing out the polar bear craft template PDF. I suggest using cardstock paper.
Cut out each of the pieces. Lay a white paper bag down with the opening as the "bottom" of the polar bear and the bag's flat bottom as the head.
Glue the ears onto the back of the bag so they are sticking out above the head.
Lift the bottom and glue the lower mouth piece underneath.
Now glue the nose and upper mouth piece on the flat bottom, lining up the bottom of the muzzle along the edge. Part of the mouth should hang down over the lower mouth piece.
Lastly, glue on the eyes.
If using a cutting machine such as a Cricut, start by uploading the PNG, SVG or EPS file.
Resize the images to fit 6 ½ inches wide and 11 inches long. Then select print and cut. Be aware that the SVG and EPS files are in black and white. If you choose to print in color, you will need to set those colors within your software manually.
After the pieces are cut, then glue them onto the white paper bag to create your polar bear puppet.

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Darcy Zalewski

Darcy is the founder of “Life With Darcy and Brian,” where she combines her love for education, board games, and crafting to create engaging learning experiences for kids. Her creative projects and writing have been featured in outlets like The Toy Insider, CafeMom, Mom.com, Parents.com, Country Living, and The Pioneer Woman.