Make a paper tube parrot craft using an empty tube and construction paper. This colorful macaw is perfect for pirate week fun!
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This parrot craft is a simple project made mostly from paper. It’s inspired by the scarlet macaw, but parrots come in lots of colors. You could make yours mostly green or even blue!
If you’ve read many books about pirates, you have probably seen a lot of colorful parrots.
Did pirates really keep parrots?
Maybe. Parrots are pets that require a lot of care, so they might not do well on a pirate ship at sea for a long time. In tropical climates like the Caribbean, pirates might have captured parrots to transport home as souvenirs or to sell, so some might have kept them.
The book Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson, popularized the idea. Long John Silver had a pet parrot, and this book is where we get many of our modern ideas of what pirates were like.
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How to make a parrot craft
Supplies
- construction paper
- empty paper tube
- scissors or paper trimmer
- glue
- wiggly eyes
- hole punch
- pipe cleaner
Instructions
1. Wrap the tube in paper.
Start by covering the paper tube in red construction paper. Cut a rectangle of paper that’s 4 inches on the short side (the same size as the tube) and long enough to wrap around the tube with plenty of overlap. Glue the paper around the tube.
2. Cut a bunch of circles.
The wings and tail are made of 2-inch circles and you’ll need a dozen. You can trace an object and cut it out with scissors or use a circle cutter. Make 3 each of 4 colors – red, yellow, green, and blue.
3. Make the tail.
Take one circle in each color and fold them in half. Line them up to overlap by about half and glue them together. Don’t glue the center and unfold the tail. Glue the top to the back of the parrot body.
4. Make the wings.
The wings follow the same pattern at the tail. Take 4 and fold them in half, overlapping them closer. Glue each piece together and glue inside the center. Make a second wing. Glue both to the sides of the parrot body.
5. Make the face.
For the beak, fold a scrap of black paper in half. Cut a hooked triangle at the fold. Glue the hooked end closed and the other end against the paper tube body. Add a pair of wiggly eyes.
Let the glue dry completely. At this point the parrot is complete. You can set it on a table with the tail hanging over the edge or carry it around for pretend play.
6. Optional shoulder attachment.
If you want to wear the parrot on your shoulder like Long John Silver, you’ll need a pipe cleaner and a hole punch. Make 2 holes beneath the wings. Slide a pipe cleaner through the holes and wrap the ends around your sleeve. Twist the pipe cleaner to hold it in place and trim if needed.
Complete your pirate look with a paper pirate hat and a pirate telescope.
Printable instructions
Paper Tube Parrot Craft
Materials
- construction paper
- empty paper tube
- scissors or paper trimmer
- glue
- wiggly eyes
- hole punch
- pipe cleaner
Instructions
- Wrap the tube in paper.
Start by covering the paper tube in red construction paper. Cut a rectangle of paper that's 4 inches on the short side (the same size as the tube) and long enough to wrap around the tube with plenty of overlap. Glue the paper around the tube. - Cut a bunch of circles.
The wings and tail are made of 2-inch circles and you'll need a dozen. You can trace an object and cut it out with scissors or use a circle cutter. Make 3 each of 4 colors - red, yellow, green, and blue. - Make the tail.
Take one circle in each color and fold them in half. Line them up to overlap by about half and glue them together. Don't glue the center and unfold the tail. Glue the top to the back of the parrot body. - Make the wings.
The wings follow the same pattern at the tail. Take 4 and fold them in half, overlapping them closer. Glue each piece together and glue inside the center. Make a second wing. Glue both to the sides of the parrot body. - Make the face.
For the beak, fold a scrap of black paper in half. Cut a hooked triangle at the fold. Glue the hooked end closed and the other end against the paper tube body. Add a pair of wiggly eyes. Let the glue dry completely. - Optional shoulder attachment.
If you want to wear the parrot on your shoulder like Long John Silver, you'll need a pipe cleaner and a hole punch. Make 2 holes beneath the wings. Slide a pipe cleaner through the holes and wrap the ends around your sleeve. Twist the pipe cleaner to hold it in place and trim if needed.
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