Paper Octopus Craft – A Cute Under The Sea Activity!
Home » CREATE »
Bring your kids’ imagination to life with this sweet Paper Octopus Craft! Exploring the underwater world has never been more fun. This bright and colorful octopus can be made in a range of colors and is the perfect art project to turn a lazy afternoon into a wonderful playtime adventure!
Affiliate Disclosure
We have included affiliate links to products and services related to the topic of this post.
This post contains affiliate links, and we will be compensated if you purchase after clicking on those links.
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Read Our Full Disclosure and Privacy Policy
Paper Octopus Craft
This charming under the sea craft is great for improving those cutting skills, learning how to follow instructions, and an opportunity to talk about different creatures that live in the ocean.
To make a paper octopus, all you will need is some construction/craft paper, scissors, glue, and our free printable template.
Once assembled, you can use the Octopus for roleplaying, learning about the creature (check our facts below to get you started!), building an aquarium or ocean scene, or hanging from the ceiling!
Facts About Octopuses
- There are around 300 species of octopus.
- The plural of octopus is octopuses.
- Octopuses are soft-bodied, eight-limbed creatures that belong to a group of animals called cephalopods. Other cephalopods are squid and cuttlefish.
- They have two eyes and a hard beak (like a parrot) on their body at the center point of theirlimbs. They also have three hearts!
- Octopuses are invertabrates which means they do not have a skeleton!
- They can can quickly change their shape enabling them to squeeze through small gaps.
- Octopuses eat crabs and shellfish.
- All octopuses are venomous, but only the blue-ringed octopuses are known to be deadly to humans.
- Octopuses appear in mythology as sea monsters like the Kraken.
- The largest octopus is believed to be the giant Pacific octopus which weighs about 15 kg (33 lb), and has an arm span up to 4.3 m (14 ft).
- They are eaten and considered a delicacy by humans in many parts of the world, especially the Mediterranean and the Asian seas.
Materials & Tools Used in This Craft
The full list of materials, tools, and instructions are found in the printable tutorial card at the end of this post. I highly recommend reading the blog post all the way through before starting this project to ensure that you have everything required and understand the steps and timings involved.
You may have several standard craft supplies at home already, but I’ve included links to Amazon below for your convenience.
- Construction Paper in the following suggested colors: Dark Green, Light Green, White
- Scissors
- Glue Stick
- Octopus Printable Template
- You will find the template download links before the tutorial card and surrounded by a purple box. Tap the purple download buttons to save the file(s) to your device.
- Printables are available in two paper sizes – A4 and US Letter (8.5″ x 11″). Download the size that is appropriate for your printer.
TOP TIP! Print my craft templates in advance and store them in a folder so that you can grab them at a moment’s notice.
Speaking of a moment’s notice, a box of basic craft supplies is also a good thing to have on hand so you can get started on projects without worrying if you have the right stuff!
I’ve compiled a list of craft basics that I think everyone should have – you’ll find them in tips section further down this page. You don’t have to get ALL the things all at once, but building your craft stash will make life a lot easier when the kids are stuck indoors or want to make something last minute!
More Under The Sea Crafts
This Octopus paper craft is just one of a collection of fun under the sea paper crafts! Here are the others for you to do after this one:
- Angelfish
- Blue Whale
- Blue Crab
- Blue Tang Fish
- Dolphin
- Jellyfish
- Lionfish
- Lobster
- Octopus
- Oyster & Starfish
- Pelican – by the sea rather than under it!
- Puffer Fish
- Scuba Boy
- Scuba Girl
- Seagull – by the sea rather than under it!
- Seahorse
- Sea Turtle
- Shark
- Sperm Whale
- Squid
- Stingray
- Submarine
We have created more than 100+ Free Printables for you to download and use. They include seasonal crafts, decorations, puzzles, coloring sheets, and more! Right-click and open a new tab to read next.
Octopus Craft Tips
- Print the template onto the suggested colored construction paper and cut the pieces out. (But you could use any colors you want!)
- Why not experiment with different color combinations and make an aquarium full of colorful Octopus?
- If construction paper won’t go through your printer, you could print onto regular paper and trace around the pieces onto the colored paper/card. You will have to add any detail with a black marker pen.
- Another option is to print onto white paper and color the pieces in with crayons, pens, paints, or pencils.
- Or what about making this Octopus using craft foam? You will have to add any detail with a black marker pen.
- Cut all the pieces out and lay them where they should go before sticking them down with glue.
- An optional extra is adding glitter: apply white school glue to the parts you want to add some sparkle, sprinkle glitter on top, shake off the excess and leave to dry.
- You could also use other embellishments like googly eyes, or sequins to bring this craft to life.
- If you want to hang up your completed Octopus you could use a piece of ribbon or string to form a hanging loop and stick to the back (or you could punch a hole at the top and thread the ribbon/string through).
- Why not use a variety of blue paints to create a water background to mount the paper Octopus onto?
- If you plan on making more under-the-sea creatures from this series, you could even paint a large ocean background using a roll of plain/lining paper from the DIY store!
- Included in the printable are bubbles of various sizes – use these in your artwork as you wish.
Download the Octopus Template
Click the download link to save the printable file(s) to your computer.
The Shop opens in a new tab/window.
Visit The Purple Pumpkin Shop for both premium and FREE printables that you won’t find on my main blog!
How Do I Make a Paper Octopus?
Just check out the how-to card below with full materials, tools, instructions, and demonstration photos. You can print the card out too (don’t worry, the pics don’t print to save your ink!).
Paper Octopus Craft
This adorable octopus is super easy to make, you just need some construction paper and few other simple craft supplies and you’re ready to go!
Materials
- Construction Paper in the following suggested colors: Dark Green, Light Green, White
- Free Printable Template (link in blog post)
Tools
- Scissors
- Glue Stick
Instructions
- Download the octopus template and print it onto the suggested color construction paper. Additional bubble template is included to use as you wish.
- Cut the pieces out.
- Lay the pieces in the correct order before sticking them down with a glue stick.
- Leave to dry before using (mounting, using role-play, or hanging up).
- Optional - paint a blue ocean background onto a larger piece of paper to mount the lobster onto!
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.