Happy Hippopotamus

Supplies

• 1 oatmeal/breadcrumb container (or similar wide cardboard barrel)
• 1 cardboard tube (from roll of paper towels)
• 1 wide popsicle stick
• Construction paper (purple and white)
• Markers or crayons
• Pencil
• All-purpose white glue or tape
• Safety scissors

Instructions

1. Using glue or tape, cover the cardboard container with purple construction paper.
2. Trace a large circle onto the leftover purple construction paper, using the plastic container lid as a guide.
3. Cut out the circle, and glue or tape it to the top of the plastic lid. Put the lid back onto the container.
4. With the remaining purple construction paper, draw and cut out two 4-inch strips with rounded edges. Set aside.
5. On the white construction paper, draw and cut out two more 4-inch strips with rounded edges. Set aside.
6. Take one wide popsicle stick, and draw an eye on each rounded end of the stick. Cut or break the stick in half, so you now have a pair of eyes for your hippo. Set aside.
7. Lay the container on its side, and cut/poke two slits next to each other, close to the container’s lid.
8. To attach the hippo's eyes, poke one of your craft stick eyes through one slit, and one through the other. The rounded edge of the sticks should peek out of the slits.
9. To create the hippo's ears, glue or tape the two purple 4-inch strips on to the top of the container, behind the eyes.
10. Remove the lid of your container. Glue or tape the two white 4-inch strips on the inside rim of the lid, so that the rounded edges stick out. Put the lid back on to the container with the paper strips towards the bottom – now your hippo has teeth.
11. Draw a nose on the center of the lid using markers or crayons.
12. To create the hippo's legs, use safety scissors to cut the cardboard tube into quarters.
13. Tape the cardboard legs on to the bottom of the container. Now your happy hippopotamus is complete!