Create an Adorable DIY Toilet Paper Roll Lion for Kids
Are you looking for a fun, creative activity for your little ones that costs basically nothing? Turn an empty toilet paper roll into a cute little lion with a wild and fuzzy yarn mane! This easy recycled craft is inexpensive, fun to make, and perfect for kids of all ages.
Once the cardboard pieces are cut out, the lion is surprisingly easy to assemble with hot glue. Add googly eyes, draw on a nose and whiskers, and let the kids make the yarn mane as wild and fuzzy as they want — the messier it looks, the cuter the lion! It is easy enough for preschoolers with a little help, while older kids can cut and assemble on their own. Best of all, no two lions look the same.
What You’ll Need
- 2-3 toilet paper roll tubes
- Colorful yarn for the mane
- Hot glue gun
- Black marker
- Pencil
- Scissors
- Googly eyes
You may need more than one toilet paper roll for the cut-out pieces, depending on how closely you can arrange and trace them on the cardboard.
Step 1: Cut Out the Pieces
Take a toilet paper roll and carefully cut it lengthwise down the center. Open it up and flatten the cardboard, then draw the lion’s head, tail, and legs — make the legs longer than you need, since both ends will be folded. Cut out each piece and set them aside.
Step 2: Draw the Face
Use a marker to give your lion personality! Draw on a nose, mouth, whiskers, and paws. Add the eyes — googly eyes or drawn ones both work — and make your lion as silly or fierce as you want.
Step 3: Make the Yarn Mane
Cut the yarn into short pieces, then glue them around the back of the lion’s head to create a fuzzy mane. TIP: to keep the “fur” from flopping over, glue a scrap piece of round cardboard on top of the back of the head once all the yarn is glued down.
Step 4: Assemble the Lion
Hot glue the head, legs, and tail onto the toilet paper roll body. For the legs, bend each piece at both ends — one fold creates a flat surface for gluing it to the body, while the other creates little feet to help your lion stand. If the head is too heavy for the body, hot glue a small rock inside the body near the tail end to distribute the weight.
Tips from My Craft Table
- No yarn? No problem! Make the mane from small strips of construction paper, tissue paper, or fuzzy pipe cleaners — just keep it light or the lion might flop over.
- Cutting practice: this is a wonderful scissor-skills workout for preschoolers — cutting the pieces builds hand strength.
- Try a twist: make another lion with a paper plate base for a fun variation.
- Make a whole pride: every kid’s lion comes out different — line them up for a safari parade.
This toilet paper roll lion craft is a great way to turn something headed for the recycling bin into a fun afternoon activity. Cheap, creative, and endlessly customizable!
