Busy Hands: Egg Box Alligator Puppet

Some of our best craft projects are the ones in which we reuse or repurpose a junk item. That's why I have a hoard of cereal boxes, cardboard tubes, and egg cartons in my house! These are the kind of items which lend themselves to a wealth of creative ideas.

Our newest recycled craft is this Alligator Puppet that's really simple to make, but a fun toy for a child with an imagination. Plastic egg boxes are harder to work with than the carton ones, which are easier to paint or glue things on. But here in Dubai, the plastic ones are more commonly found, and one of the ways I've been using them are as disposable paint pots!

Back to our alligator craft, read on to see how we made it.

These are the materials you need to make this Alligator Puppet:

- Plastic or paper carton egg box (six eggs holder)
- Dark green coloured craft paper
- White craft paper
- Black marker
- Glue, clear tape, and scissors

Here's how you can make it:

1. Measure the width of the box from the front, and cut out the green paper to cover it over the top to bottom, as shown below. Make sure you measure it while the box is closed.

2. Tape the paper in place or glue it on. I taped it mainly on the front and bottom, so the box can open and close freely.

3. Cut out the teeth with white craft paper for the top and bottom, and glue on.

4. Cut out circles for the eyes and mark the eyeballs using a black marker. You can also use large googly eyes. Also, draw nostrils with the marker.

The puppet can be used by opening and closing the box by hand. You can also use this technique to make a monster or alien!

Looking for more recycled craft ideas? Here are some more we have done:

Cereal box parking garage

Cereal box ball game

Cardboard box bus

Penguin snow globe

Busy Hands is a series about activities and craft you can do with toddlers and young children.