20 Fun Animal Crafts From Recycled Toilet Paper Tubes
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Get crafting the sustainable way with these adorable animal crafts made from recycled toilet paper tubes – from penguins and snakes to rabbits and fish.
I love crafting with toilet paper rolls and kitchen paper tubes. It’s a great eco-friendly way to make something fun from something that would otherwise head straight into your recycling bin.
One of the most fun things you can make with the empty rolls is animals. If you’re looking for some inspiration, here are 20 of the best animals you can make from your old cardboard rolls.
20 Easy Animal Toilet Paper Roll Crafts To Make
Ready to get crafting? Roll up your sleeves and dig into the cutest toilet paper roll animals you have ever seen:
Easy Tiger
In The Play Room has a fun guide to making these adorable tigers from toilet paper tubes. All you need is some recycled toilet roll tubes, paint, a little cardboard, and some glue, and you’ve got everything you need to make a fun play figure from the contents of your recycling bin.
Quality Koalas
Estéfi Machado has made this cute koala bear family from recycled cardboard tubes. Whilst there’s no specific tutorial, you just need a few supplies to create this adorable trio. If you’ve got a little extra cardboard, some white paint and a black marker, you’re all set!
A Couple Of Cool Cats
Want to make a couple of cool cats? This adorable pair from Make Zine is a perfect animal crafts make. Just fold down one end of your toilet roll tube to make some ears, and get painting and decorating. It’s a great craft idea for pre-schoolers and little kids, but to be honest, I’d love to get creative too!
Rocky The Rockhopper Penguin
If you have a penchant for penguins, then you’ll love Rocky the Rockhopper Penguin. The DIY comes from thisNZlife – they provide a useful stencil to help make Rocky. You just need to provide the toilet paper tube and some coloured card.
If you wanted to be more sustainable and omit the plastic googly eyes, then you could draw or paint these on instead. Alternatively, you could cut them out of recycled paper.
Cheeky Chick
Keeping with the bird theme, Look We’re Learning has a great crafts tutorial to make this cheeky chick that’s perfect for any Spring and Easter-based activities. Again, draw or paint the eyes on, or use recycled paper or card if you’d prefer not to use googly eyes.
Sneaky Snakes
Crafts By Amanda has a fun and easy tutorial for making these sneaky slithering snakes. Simply paint and then cut the cardboard tube into coils, for a craft that kids of all ages will enjoy making. Again, there’s no need to use plastic for the eyes if you don’t want to. Draw or paint these on, or make them out of paper.
Two Bouncing Bunnies
Love bunny rabbits? If this is your favourite animal, then Happy Toddler Playtime offers a full step-by-step guide to craft this adorable pair. It’s a lovely Spring-themed craft and would make a great recycled centrepiece for your Easter table.
Oi Koi!
Every day is a school day, especially with this school of fish from Babysits! All jokes aside, this shoal of Koi fish is one of the most unique and striking of all the animal toilet paper roll crafts.
If you keep scrolling through the Babysits post, there are even more fun sea-themed crafts to make from toilet paper rolls. From fun frogs to scary sharks, they are all super creative.
Batty About Bats
Batty about bats? Or looking for a fun recycled Halloween craft? You’re in luck! Easy Peasy & Fun will talk you through all the details on how to make these cool eco-friendly bats.
Toilet Paper Roll Hedgehogs
Looking to make forest creatures from toilet paper rolls? Simple Everyday Mom has an easy and effective tutorial to make these fun hedgehogs. There’s a free handy template available to make the body, or you can just freestyle if you don’t have access to a printer.
Lovely Ladybug
Another great make from Easy Peasy & Pun, this lovely ladybug is a nice easy one for little kids to craft. Plus it’s super eye-catching and sustainable.
Owl-vis Presley
Or is it Owl MacPherson? While you are debating what your favourite owl pun is, give DIY Everywhere a visit. Here you’ll find a fantastic eco-friendly tutorial to make this recycled wise owl.
Clever Crab
If crabs are your favourite creature, then you are in luck. Big Family Blessings has a great tutorial to make this clever crab. I’m not a huge fan of using pipe cleaners in my crafts, as they tend to be made from plastic. If you’re not either then I’d sub these for card or paper. My top tip is to concertina thin strips of recycled paper or card to make moveable arms.
Beautiful Butterflies
Love butterflies? Fraeullein Jasmin makes stunning butterflies from, you guessed it, recycled toilet paper tubes. This would look great as a cluster on a wall.
Sweet Squirrels
Desperate to add a toilet paper tube squirrel to your collection of animals? Mamaland has a video tutorial for crafting these sweet squirrels. I love how pinecones are cleverly used to make the tails. I have a whole post on Christmas pinecone crafts, which you can check out when the festive season rolls around.
The Dandy Lion
Lions are always pretty dandy-looking creatures, let’s be honest. But this actual Dandy Lion – made with a toilet paper tube and dandelion flowers – by Laura Prietto is a joy to behold. Just remember to leave plenty of dandelions for the bees and other pollinators – especially if you are picking them in early spring when most other flowers haven’t opened up yet.
Woodland Bird
Monstamoons cleverly makes these cute birds from toilet paper tubes and foraged finds. This includes stick legs, leaf wings and pine needle hair. This is totally on my list of things to make with my kids!
Dashing Dachshund
Love dachshunds? Jumbletree has made this very dashing dachshund out of a toilet paper tube and an egg carton cone. Easy and effective!
Funky Chickens
Another amazing toilet paper tube make from Fraeullein Jasmin is this pair of funky chickens. Collect fallen feathers that you find on walks, or use feathers from old pillows, rather than buying packs of feathers. Feathers are often sourced cruelly so is something I always recommend trying to avoid buying.
Happy Moth-ers Day
Finally, Monstamoons is on a literal roll with the toilet paper crafts. This beauty of a moth is made with a recycled toilet paper tube, scrap fabric and dried flowers. Stunning!
What’s first on your list of toilet paper tube makes? And if you are looking for more sustainable crafting inspiration try these toilet paper roll flower crafts that you can make!
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