climbing critters

supplies

• straw 
• yarn (about 3')
• card stock (thick paper) or thin cardboard (like a cereal box)
• scissors
• pencils/pens/crayons
• tape
• pennies
• pony beads 
  

steps

1. Decide what kind of critter you would like to make. (This project works best if you draw the critter as if you are looking down on it.) Turtles, butterflies, ladybugs, caterpillars, and fish are the easiest to draw.
2. Draw and color your critter on the card stock (thick paper) or cardboard and then cut it out.
3. Cut straws into 1" pieces. You will need two straw pieces for each critter.
4. Once you have your critter cut out, flip it over and tape two straw pieces in the middle. Tape a penny to the bottom of your critter too. The penny will help it climb better. 
   
5. Thread your yarn through the straws so you have a loop at the top and the ends hanging down. Tie a bead to each end of the yarn so the yarn doesn't slip through the straws. 
   
   
   
   
6. To make your critter climb, hang it from a doorknob and pull the yarn tails. Pull the yarn to the sides so they touch the inside of the straws. Experiment with different ways to make your critter climb, such as pulling one side of the yarn at a time, pulling both sides at one time, or pulling only one side of the yarn. Which way makes your critter climb the fastest? When you drop the yarn, the critter will drop to the bottom ready for another climb.

Project, images, and instructions from Make and Takes.