ZIPLINING KOALA STEAM CRAFT💛 Lucky Mary Sunshine

You ready to create the cutest, cuddliest STEAM craft that’s ever existed?! ME TOO! Let’s start with some fun koala facts. Did you know that koalas can sleep up to 18 hours a day? No wonder they always seem so well-rested. (And yes, this mama is super jealous! LOL) Their fingerprints are also eerily similar to ours, and get this… they even smell like eucalyptus! Now, we can’t confirm if koalas really love ziplining, but in our house, they can’t get enough of it! Not only are these koalas the most adorable thing ever, they are also great teachers. Your kiddo is going to be able to experiment with angles, friction, and force to learn about momentum (and have so much fun, they don’t even realize it’s a science lesson!) And if you’re looking to extend the learning, we have a free worksheet full of questions to challenge your kiddo. You can also just cuddle your sweet koala and bask in the cuteness! Now, let’s get started!

WHAT YOU’LL NEED:

cardboard
printable template
googly eyes
2 eye hooks
hot glue gun and glue
paint
scissors
parachute cord, ribbon
faux fur or cotton balls for ears (optional)

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LET’S CREATE!

1. Print and cut out the pieces from our printable template. Trace your template pieces onto cardboard and cut them out.

2. Using hot glue, attach the eye hooks to the paws as shown below. Make sure the circles are facing the direction shown. Glue the other body piece on top.

3. Glue head pieces on front and back of body, making sure to line them up.

4. Time to paint! Paint the entire koala (front and back) in your desired color.

5. Paint white details on the bottom of the koala’s face and on the inside of their legs and belly.

6. Glue the fuzzy ear pieces onto the ears. You could also use faux fur or stretched out cotton balls to add a different texture.

7. Glue googly eyes and nose onto the koala’s face.

8. Use sharpie or black paint pen to add details like eyebrows, mouth and outline.

9. Add any details you like. As you can see all of our koalas have very different looks and personalities!

10. Make your koala a zipline! You can tie one end of your string to a low tree branch or a staircase, or a shelf. Put your koala on the string. Encourage your kiddos to try different angles to see if they can make their koala go faster or slower. Try different strings; smooth, rough, thick, thin. Does the friction of the different materials have any effect on the speed or smoothness of the koala’s zipline? don’t forget to print out a free worksheet for your kiddos to record their ziplining experiments.

Amazing job creating your daredevil koalas! I mean, you can’t go wrong combining the excitement of ziplining with the cuteness of koalas, right? While ziplining is usually reserved for older kids, this sweet, science-y craft can be enjoyed by all ages! And if your kiddos loved making this koala, be sure to check out their friends, the floating otters! Have you ever been ziplining? Let us know in the comments.