Today I am sharing a super cute and easy Paper Bag Owl Craft for kids that are sure to be a winner as an activity at home, in the classroom or preschool setting. We love owls here at The Inspiration Edit. In fact, I love Owls.
My grandmother Rae collected Owls ornaments when I was a child and I remember making her owl pictures and buying Owl themed items for her as I grew up.
Grandma still loves Owls and so do I now. Today I've combined our love of owls with our love of crafting to share this paper bag craft idea! Enjoy!
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💖 Why You'll Love This Craft
- Story Time Buddy: This puppet turns into the cutest character for imaginative play and storytelling fun.
- Fall Vibes: Perfect for autumn crafts or woodland-themed learning activities at home or school.
- Classroom Hit: A fantastic group project for classrooms, playdates, or homeschool art time!
🖌️ Let's Make The Paper Bag Owl Craft
- Step 1: Download and print out the template.
- Step 2: Cut the template out. Cut large squares of cardstock or construction paper and glue onto the paper bag. You want to glue on the side that the square bottom flaps up.
- Step 3: Use scissors to trim off any excess paper from the sides.
- Step 4: Trace the template onto coloured cardstock and cut out. Cut the beak out x2. (refer to the photo)
- Step 5: Cut the wing out twice, the second one a bit smaller than the first one.
- Step 6: Glue the smaller wing on top of the larger wing. Glue the wings onto the paper bag just under the flap. Glue the ears onto the top of the paper bag. Glue the 2 beak pieces together at one end. Glue the beak and feet onto the paper bag.
- Step 7: Cut the eyes out and glue them above the beak.
- Step 8: Use a black marker to add detail to the wings and stomach. Your owl paper bag puppet is finished!
This is such a fun and inexpensive craft for a classroom! Go wild and make owls in all sorts of colours!!!
Which do you like best? I really live the red owl!
I think these paper bag owls are awesome!
💡 Pro Tip: Place a piece of thin cardboard inside the bag while crafting to prevent creases when applying— pressure, especially around the center.
🧑🎨 Expert Tips
- Face Framing: Position the facial pieces closer to the top edge of the bag to mimic real owl proportions and leave space below for body or feather details.
- Symmetry Check: Before gluing, hold both eyes or wings in place and step back to check for balance—tiny shifts can throw off the owl’s entire expression.
- Glue Corners Last: Start pressing from the center of each piece and smooth outward, leaving corners for last to avoid curling or lifting later.
- Layer Direction: Stack feathers or belly shapes from bottom to top so they naturally overlap like plumage—reversing the order can make the layout look flat.
- Keep it Flat: Complete all gluing while the bag is lying down to avoid shifting or sagging—standing it up too early may distort aligned parts.
- Ear Positioning: Angle the ears slightly outward and above the eyes rather than straight up—this keeps the silhouette wide and owl-like, not cat-shaped.
💭 FAQs
Projects like this give children a focused task they can do alone with minimal help. It allows them to stay engaged quietly while still using their hands and imagination meaningfully.
Offering an absorbing craft during overstimulated moments gives kids a calm outlet. The slow pace and repeated motions naturally help them settle down without needing a screen.
Short, quiet crafts fit well into transitions between school or activities. A paper bag craft can act as a soft reset before jumping into more energetic or structured tasks.
Easy, familiar projects give kids confidence to spend short periods away from adults. As they succeed alone, their sense of independence grows without pressure or force.
Download Printable
Download your free Owl Paper Bag Craft Template here!
Paper Bag Owl Craft For Kids
Materials
- Cardstock or Construction Paper
- Paper Bags
- Glue
- Scissors
- Black Marker
Instructions
- Download and print out the template.
- Cut the template out. Cut large squares of cardstock or construction paper and glue onto the paper bag. You want to glue on the side that the square bottom flaps up.
- Use scissors to trim off any excess paper from the sides.
- Trace the template onto colored cardstock and cut out. Cut the beak out x2. (refer to the photo).
- Cut the wing out twice, the second one a bit smaller than the first one.
- Glue the smaller wing on top of the larger wing.
- Glue the wings onto the paper bag just under the flap.
- Glue the ears onto the top of the paper bag.
- Glue the 2 beak pieces together at one end. Glue the beak and feet onto the paper bag.
- Cut the eyes out and glue them above the beak.
- Use a black marker to add detail to the wings and stomach. Your owl paper bag puppet is finished!
Did you make this craft? Leave a review and comment below! Alternatively, bookmark it in your browser or save to Pinterest.
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