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Get ready for a trip to the Kalahari Desert when you print our latest animal diorama playset! Our world has lots of different animal habitats and each one has perfectly adapted critters living there. What will you find in this desert? Start with some foxes, then add a reptile and some feathered friends, and top it off with some unique plants!
Our foxy friend is a bat-eared fox. It has very large ears! Next is a flap-necked chameleon. We made sure you can see him, but you can color yours so he can hide in a tree! And finally, there’s a swallow-tailed bee eater, which is a cute little bird that snatches bees from the air. They all live in the Kalahari Desert in the southern part of Africa.
Since this is the desert, it’s especially fun to set up your diorama playset in some real sand or on sandpaper. It’s like making a tiny sandbox for the animals to live in!
These desert creatures are the sixth in a series of animal habitat playsets. You can find the monkey set here and watch for more printable dioramas in the weeks ahead!
Grab a few simple supplies and let’s set the scene!
what you need:
- Cardstock
- Coloring Supplies (optional)
- Scissors
- Foam Produce Tray or a Shallow Box
- Sand or Sandpaper
- Printable play set
how-to:
Step 1
Print the desert diorama page on cardstock. You can print the black and white version and color it yourself or start with the full-color version for a faster project.
Step 2
Carefully cut out all of the pieces. Be sure to leave the white tabs attached and don’t worry about cutting out the small spaces between the branches or legs.
Step 3
Use the blade of the scissors to score along the top of each tab. Press hard enough to leave a mark on the cardstock, but don’t tear or cut through the tabs.
Step 4
Make a couple of tiny snips on the edge of the trees (and maybe on the flowering cactus too!).
Step 5
Pour some sand into the foam tray and spread it out.
Start adding the plant and animal pieces to the sand. You can slide the tabs under the sand so they are hidden and stand up better!
If you don’t have loose sand, you can also use a piece of sandpaper to add to the desert feeling.
The critters can move around and hide behind trees and rocks or they can be friends.
As you play, it’s also fun to learn about habitats, so take a few minutes and learn more about these creatures and the other animals (and plants!) who might live nearby.
