DIY Paper Cup Duck Family Puppets

Recycle paper cups to make a super cute family of duck puppets! Your kids will have a blast making the mother duck and ducklings and afterwards they can play with them. Let’s get started!

Note: This project is for children 3+. Take care with the scissors and craft knife!

What You Need

Mother Duck and Duckling

2 paper cups (medium)
2 paper cups (small) or better 8 for 4 little ones!
Paper: orange, yellow and white (medium, 120g/m2)
Acrylic paint: white and yellow
Yarn or baking twine
Sticker white (medium) and black(small)

Tools

2 Brushes
Black marker
Scissors, optional: craft knife for the beak-cut
Reamer/punch
Hole punch
2 Bottle caps (palettes)

Getting Prepared

Mother Duck
Paint one cup completely white on the outside. Second only 3/4. I used pure acrylic paint without water. Let them dry.

Duckling
Paint one cup completely yellow on the outside. Second only 1/2. Let them dry.

How To Make The Mother Duck

Step 1

Cut a piece for the beak 3 1/2x 1 1/2in (8.5x4cm) fold both ways in half and cut a half circle at both ends. For the feet (orange) and wings (white) cut each two pieces 2 1/2 x 1 1/2 in (3.5×6.5cm). Half circle to one side, 3 triangle cuts to the other side. Punch a hole in each of them.

Step 2

First cup
2 holes over the edge. Punch 2 holes on either side 1/3 from the rim.

Second cup
Cut a piece from the second cup (1/3). Punch 2 holes over the edge

Step 3

Take an arm’s length from the yarn. Thread the 2 feed to the middle. Now start at the bottom and the first holes with one end. Take the second cup: Inside, outside, over the top. Do the same with the second one. Test it.

Step 4

Close and open the two cups and make a knot.

Step 5

Cut a long cross for the beak, longer than high in the middle of the cup. Put the beak in and form it as you wish.

Step 6

Add the eyes-sticker and draw around with the marker.

Your Mother Duck is ready—now let’s make the ducklings!

How To Make The Ducklings

Note: Same as mother duck with the exception of cutting half the cup and making smaller beak and feet (and of course in yellow.)

Step 1

Cut a piece for the beak 2 x 1 in (5x3cm) fold both ways in half and cut a half circle at both ends. For the feet (orange) and wings (yellow) cut each two pieces 2 x 1 in (5×3 cm). Half circle to one side, 3 triangle cuts to the other side. Punch a hole in each of them.