Torn Newspaper Elephant Craft

This cute torn newspaper elephant craft is lots of fun for kids in preschool, kindergarten and primary school.

All you’ll need is our free printable elephant template, construction paper, old newspapers and glue – a great low prep screen free activity for kids.

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Easy Newspaper Elephant Craft

We’re so excited to be adding this cute newspaper elephant craft to our growing collection of recycled newspaper activities for kids.

This adorable elephant craft idea comes together in a few easy to follow steps and uses a free printable template (get that below), construction paper, old newspaper and glue.

Kids in preschool up to middle primary school will have loads of fun creating an adorable elephant!

Supplies

Elephant template – you can get a copy of our free elephant template by filling in the form located at the very bottom of this post.
Cardstock – for optimal results we highly recommend using 110 lbs cardstock.
Pink construction paper
Old newspaper
Glue stick
Scissors
Pencil
Googly eyes

Directions

Print a copy of our printable elephant template on high quality cardstock paper. Using scissors cut out the elephant’s head, ears and rosy cheeks.

Tear up a few pieces of old newspaper into small pieces. Using glue, stick the torn up newspaper all over the elephant’s head and ears . Don’t worry if the newspaper overlaps the edge of the template.

Using scissors trim off the excess newspaper that overhangs the edges of the elephant template. If you are crafting with especially young children you may have to help them complete this step.

*Tip: flip your elephant over and trim it upside down so you can trim around the template with your scissors.

Trace the elephant’s ears and rosy cheeks on a piece of pink construction paper or cardstock. Cut them out.

Using a small amount of glue, stick the elephant’s ears and rosy cheeks to its head.

Stick your self-adhesive googly eyes to the elephant’s face.

Let your newspaper elephant craft dry completely before displaying or playing with it.

Download Instructions

Getting your hands on this fun and free printable elephant template to make a newspaper elephant craft is really easy! Just fill out the quick form at the bottom of this post and hit that “send me the printable” button.

Once you’ve signed up, check your email to confirm—then voilà! You’ll officially be part of our mailing list and get instantly redirected to the PDF file with the free printable elephant template.

Already subscribed? No worries! If you’ve downloaded from us before, simply fill out the form again, and you’ll be automatically sent straight to the download link for our newspaper elephant craft template—no extra steps needed.

For the best results, we recommend printing the PDF on high-quality white card stock (letter size). Otherwise, the glue can bleed through regular paper.

Books We Love

We absolutely love reading! We’re always on the lookout for fun books to complement the screen-free activities we share here on This Tiny Blue House.

Here’s a selection of our favorite elephant books that pair perfectly with the newspaper elephant craft we shared with you in this post.

Elmer – This classic tale by David McKee introduces Elmer, a colorful patchwork elephant who teaches children about individuality and self-acceptance.
Horton Hears a Who! – In this Dr. Seuss favorite, Horton the elephant demonstrates kindness and perseverance as he protects the tiny Whos, emphasizing that ‘a person’s a person, no matter how small.
Pomelo Begins to Grow – Authored by Ramona Badescu, this whimsical story features Pomelo, a tiny garden elephant, as he navigates the challenges and wonders of growing up.
What to Do if an Elephant Stands on Your Foot – This humorous book by Michelle Robinson offers playful advice on handling various animal encounters, including the titular elephant.
Where’s the Elephant?– Barroux’s engaging book combines a seek-and-find game with a gentle introduction to deforestation, encouraging young readers to think about environmental issues.
Strictly No Elephants – Written by Kelly DiPucchio, this heartwarming story tells of a young boy and his pet elephant who are excluded from a neighborhood club, leading them to create their own inclusive group.