When I made this zoo craft I had no idea that during the calendar year there are three separate days that focus on or celebrate zoos. There’s Zoo Lover’s Day in April, June is Zoo and Aquarium Month and December 27th is Visit the Zoo Day! I actually was surprised to see that I didn’t really have that many zoo crafts on my blog.

Zoo Craft: Clothespin Hippo and Zebra Magnets

So I decided to change that. Zebra crafts have been appearing here and there, but something you don’t see a lot of are hippo crafts! So I decided to create both of these to add to the zoo crafts here on the blog.

Note: some links below are affiliate links. That means if you happen to buy something, a small percentage of that sale goes back into this site, which enables me to continue to bring you free tutorials such as this one. So, thanks!

Want that recipe hanging on my fridge? My Slow Cooker Barbecued Country Style Ribs is one of our all time favorites and everyone that finds it on my food blog loves it. Go here to get a printable version and try it yourself.

As always, a full printable supply list and instructions are at the end of this post.

For this zoo craft you will need the following supplies:

• 2 wooden clothespins
• Cardstock: white and light blue
• Markers: black, gray, pink
• 4 googly eyes
• 2 magnets
• Patterns
• Tools: scissors, white craft glue, glue stick

• Cut the hippo pattern from light blue card stock and the zebra pattern from white card stock.
• Use scissors in a zigzag type manner to cut the zebra’s mane.

• Use a black marker to add the zebra’s muzzle. Leave two small ovals for the nostrils.
• Color the zebra’s mane with black marker.
• Follow the pattern as a guide and draw stripes on the zebra. (Hint: if you prefer, you can print the zebra pattern directly on the card stock and simply color in the snout!)
• Color in the nostrils with gray marker and the inside of the ears with pink.
• For the hippo, draw two nostrils with gray marker.
• Turn the hippo over, cut teeth from white card stock and glue them to the back of the face with a glue stick.

• Pipe a line of glue onto the top of the clothespin.
• Attach the clothespin to the back of the hippo. Repeat for the zebra.
• Glue a magnet to the back of each clothespin.

All done! Hope you have fun with this cute zoo craft!

More zoo crafts

• Cardboard Tube Giraffe
• Cardboard Tube Penguins
• Cardboard Tube Coiled Snakes
• Cardboard Tube Polar Bear
• Paper Plate Toucan – I Heart Crafty Things
• Paper Elephants – Relief Teaching
• Koala Mask – My Poppet

Print Project

Clothespin Hippo and Zebra Magnets

Author: Amanda Formaro

Supplies

• 2 wooden clothespins
• Cardstock: white and light blue
• Markers: black gray, pink
• 4 googly eyes
• 2 magnets
• Patterns
• Tool: scissors white craft glue, glue stick

Instructions

• Cut the hippo pattern from light blue card stock and the zebra pattern from white card stock.
• Use scissors in a zigzag type manner to cut the zebra's mane.
• Use a black marker to add the zebra's muzzle. Leave two small ovals for the nostrils.
• Color the zebra's mane with black marker.
• Follow the pattern as a guide and draw stripes on the zebra. (Hint: if you prefer, you can print the zebra pattern directly on the card stock and simply color in the snout!)
• Color in the nostrils with gray marker and the inside of the ears with pink.
• For the hippo, draw two nostrils with gray marker.
• Turn the hippo over, cut teeth from white card stock and glue them to the back of the face with a glue stick.
• Pipe a line of glue onto the top of the clothespin.
• Attach the clothespin to the back of the hippo. Repeat for the zebra.
• Glue a magnet to the back of each clothespin.