Make a fun clothespin crab to get kids excited about a trip to the beach or learn about the animals living in the ocean.
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Whether you’re on the beach or in the ocean, chances are there are crabs living in that habitat. With several thousand species, crabs are actually a really diverse group. They’re crustaceans, which means they have a hard shell and segmented appendages.
Make this friendly clothespin crab with claws that can really pinch! It’s a fun craft for a beach or ocean-themed day.
Clothespin crab craft tips
- This craft has a few different dry times. First, you’ll need to wait for the paint. Then you’ll need to wait for the glue. For impatient kids, find a simple activity to do while you wait, like watching an educational YouTube video.
- Most crabs have 8 legs and 2 claws, although the king crab only has 6 legs. We made this a generic red crab. If you’re learning about specific crab species, you could change the details like color and legs to be more precise.
- Some clothespins can pinch hard enough to hurt (just like a crab!) so keep an eye on young children while crafting.
- We used a leftover 9-inch party plate, but you can make this any size. For tiny crabs, swap the paper plates for heavy paper cut into a circle and miniature clothespins.
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How to make a clothespin crab
Supplies
- 1 paper plate
- 2 clothespins
- red craft paint
- paintbrush
- 4 red pipe cleaners
- scissors
- glue
- 2 wiggly eyes
Instructions
1. Paint the plate and clothespins.
Protect your craft space with old newspaper or a drop cloth. Paint the back of the plate and both clothespins red. Set them aside to dry completely, about 15 minutes.
2. Make the pipe cleaner legs.
Use scissors to cut each of the 4 pipe cleaners in half. Bend each one into 3 segments to resemble a crab’s legs.
Fold the paper plate in half. Glue the legs near the folded ends of the plate, 4 on each side. Run additional glue along the rest of the open seam to seal the plate. Allow the glue to dry completely, 15 minutes or more.
3. Attach the crab claws.
Glue the clothespins to the top of the paper plate near the center.
4. Add the wiggly eyes.
Finally, glue the wiggly eyes to the top of the plate near the clothespin claws. Allow all the glue to dry completely, at least 15 minutes.
When the glue is dry, the crab is ready to scuttle away! Display your clothespin crab or use him for playtime.
Printable instructions
Clothespin Crab
Materials
- 1 paper plate
- 2 clothespins
- red paint
- paintbrush
- 4 red pipe cleaners
- scissors
- glue
- 2 wiggly eyes
Instructions
- Paint the plate and clothespins.
Protect your craft space with old newspaper or a drop cloth. Paint the back of the plate and both clothespins red. Set them aside to dry completely, about 15 minutes. - Make the pipe cleaner legs.
Use scissors to cut each of the 4 pipe cleaners in half. Bend each one into 3 segments to resemble a crab's legs. Fold the paper plate in half. Glue the legs near the folded ends of the plate, 4 on each side. Run additional glue along the rest of the open seam to seal the plate. Allow the glue to dry completely, 15 minutes or more. - Attach the crab claws.
Glue the clothespins to the top of the paper plate near the center. - Add the wiggly eyes.
Finally, glue the wiggly eyes to the top of the plate near the clothespin claws. Allow all the glue to dry completely, at least 15 minutes. When the glue is dry, the crab is ready to scuttle away!
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