Paper Bowl Jellyfish with Ribbon

Make a simple paper bowl jellyfish kids’ craft with tentacles made from ribbons in several colors and textures.

Jellyfish are amazing animals! They are invertebrates that live in the ocean and swim by squirting water from their mouths. Some species are tiny, while others are larger than a human.

If you’re lucky enough to see jellyfish swimming in an aquarium, you know they can be mesmerizing to watch.

Make this paper bowl jellyfish with ribbon tentacles for a fun craft with an ocean or beach theme.

Craft tips

• We made our jellyfish with purple paint and shades of blue and purple ribbon. You can make yours any color. According to National Geographic Kids, they are often pink, purple, blue, or yellow.
• A paper bowl works best for this craft. Paint does not stick well to styrofoam or plastic. Alternatively, you can use a bowl in any material that is already the desired color.
• This craft looks best with a mix of ribbon colors, sizes, and textures. This is a great way to use up leftover ribbon from other projects. You can even use curling ribbon to imitate the way jellyfish tentacles move.

How to make a paper bowl jellyfish

Supplies

• paper bowl
• craft paint
• paintbrush
• scissors
• assorted yarn or ribbons
• pipe cleaner

Instructions

1. Paint the bowl.

Cover your workspace with newspaper or a drop cloth. Paint the inside of the bowl, let it dry, then paint the outside. You may need 2 coats of paint to cover if your paper bowl has a smooth surface. Let the bowl dry completely, about 15 minutes.

2. Punch a small hole.

Use the tip of the pipe cleaner, scissors, or another pointy object to carefully poke a small hole in the center of the bowl. (Note: Even if your child can do most of these steps, an adult should do this one for safety.)

3. Attach the ribbon.

Cut the ribbon into several lengths between 24 and 36 inches long. We used 10 pieces.

Fold the ribbons in half and twist the pipe cleaner around the center. Poke both ends up through the inside of the bowl, leaving the ribbon to dangle down.

Loop the pipe cleaner into a circle large enough to hang wherever you like. You can either trim the excess pipe cleaner or wrap it around itself.

Hang your paper bowl jellyfish up to display. If you’re able to hang it near an open window or air vent, it will gently move in the breeze. Watch your jellyfish swim in the breeze!

Printable instructions

Paper Bowl Jellyfish

Print

Active Time 15 minutes

Dry Time 15 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Materials

• paper bowl
• craft paint
• paintbrush
• scissors
• assorted yarn and ribbons
• pipe cleaner

Instructions

1. Paint the bowl.
   Cover your workspace with newspaper or a drop cloth. Paint the inside of the bowl, let it dry, then paint the outside. You may need 2 coats of paint to cover if your paper bowl has a smooth surface. Let the bowl dry completely, about 15 minutes.
2. Punch a small hole.
   Use the tip of the pipe cleaner, scissors, or another pointy object to carefully poke a small hole in the center of the bowl. (Note: Even if your child can do most of these steps, an adult should do this one for safety.)
3. Attach the ribbon.
   Cut the ribbon into several lengths between 24 and 36 inches long. We used 10 pieces. Fold the ribbons in half and twist the pipe cleaner around the center. Poke both ends up through the inside of the bowl, leaving the ribbon to dangle down. Loop the pipe cleaner into a circle large enough to hang wherever you like. You can either trim the excess pipe cleaner or wrap it around itself.

More fun ideas from Backyard Summer Camp:

• 12 Purple Crafts to Make with Toddlers
• 30 Animal Paper Plate Crafts
• Colorful Paper Plate Fish