Easy Popsicle Stick Lion Craft for Kids (Free Lion Template)
Bring the king of the jungle to life with this adorable and easy Lion Popsicle Stick Craft for Kids!
This popsicle stick lion craft is roaring with cuteness and packed with learning opportunities for kids of all ages. Using simple supplies like jumbo craft sticks, felt, googly eyes, and glue, your little ones can create a wild new craft friend with a fluffy, fringed mane and a big personality.
Perfect for preschool jungle units, zoo animal lessons, or a fun afternoon at home, this craft encourages creativity and fine motor skills in one roar-some package. Whether crafting for a classroom activity or making a handmade puppet for pretend play, this lion will make your kids smile from ear to ear!
Whether you’re a teacher planning a classroom activity, a parent wanting a weekend project, or just someone who loves crafts for kids, this craft is a wild hit every time.
DIY Popsicle Stick Lion Craft for Kids
This popsicle stick lion isn’t just adorable—it’s the perfect craft activity to introduce concepts like shapes, colors, and textures. It also helps boost fine motor skills as kids learn to cut, paste, and piece together their jungle king.
Plus, it’s budget-friendly, especially if you’ve got some extra craft supplies and paper lying around (we see you, fellow crafty hoarders).
And don’t worry—this project is easy enough for preschoolers but still exciting for an older child who loves getting hands-on. It’s one of those crafts that’s just the right mix of fun and ease.
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You’ll Need:
- Jumbo craft sticks
- Wiggly eyes
- Felt – Brown, Light Pink, Dark Orange, Tan
- Black marker
- Glue gun and glue sticks (low-temp works best)
- Tan acrylic craft paint
- Paintbrush
- Scissors
- Ruler
- Printed lion face patterns (Get the free resource at the bottom of the post)
STEP ONE: Prepare the Base
Begin by gathering all your materials. To create the base of your lion’s face, line up five jumbo craft sticks horizontally on a flat surface. These will form the face. Next, take two additional jumbo craft sticks and use scissors to trim them to the width of the assembled five-stick panel.
Apply hot glue to the trimmed sticks and place them across the back of your lion base to secure all five front sticks together. Press firmly and allow to cool.
TIP: If you’re working with younger children, liquid craft glue is a safer alternative—but be sure to allow extra time for drying (15–30 minutes or longer).
STEP TWO: Paint the Face
Using a foam brush or paintbrush, apply a basecoat of tan acrylic craft paint to the front of the lion’s face. Cover all visible areas and let it dry completely. Apply a second coat if needed for full coverage.
Alternative for younger kids: If you’re not using paint, let children color the craft sticks using washable markers, crayons, or colored pencils.
STEP THREE: Prepare the Felt Pieces
Download and print the free lion pattern template. Cut out the paper pieces. Then, using a pencil or fabric marker:
- Trace the outer ears onto tan craft felt
- Trace the inner ears onto light pink craft felt
- Trace the nose onto brown craft felt
STEP FOUR: Cut Out Felt Shapes
Carefully cut out all of the felt pieces using scissors. For a clean finish, cut inside the traced lines to remove visible marks and give your lion a polished look.
STEP FIVE: Create the Mane Strips
Using dark orange craft felt, measure and cut three rectangles, each measuring 2 inches by 12 inches. These strips will become the lion’s flowing mane.
STEP SIX: Fringe the Mane
With a pair of sharp scissors, fringe one long edge of each rectangle. Cut thin, evenly spaced slits—stopping about ½ inch from the opposite edge—so the felt remains in one piece while creating a soft, textured fringe.
STEP SEVEN: Add Eyes, Nose, and Ears
Use a glue gun to attach two wiggle eyes near the top center of the lion’s face. Below the eyes, glue on the brown felt nose.
Then, assemble the ears: glue each light pink inner ear piece onto a tan outer ear piece. Let dry briefly.
STEP EIGHT: Attach the First Layer of the Mane
Start gluing the fringed orange felt strips around the outside edges of the lion’s face, beginning at the bottom and working upward along the sides. Let the fringe extend outward to form the lion’s mane. Slightly overlap the ends as needed.
Continue gluing the fringed mane pieces around the lion’s face in a second layer.
STEP NINE: Add a Second Layer of Mane
Once the first layer is complete, repeat the process with the second set of fringed strips. This time, glue them slightly inward from the first layer to add volume and texture to the mane.
STEP TEN: Trim for Shape
After both layers are in place, use scissors to trim any excess felt and tidy up the shape of your lion’s mane.
STEP ELEVEN: Attach the Ears
Glue the finished ears to the top left and right corners of the lion’s face, just inside the edge of the mane. Position them slightly tilted for a friendly, playful expression.
STEP TWELVE: Add Final Details
With a black permanent marker, draw a simple mouth just under the nose. To complete the face, add three short whiskers on each side of the nose.
Create this bright and colorful popsicle lion craft with the kiddos to promote learning skills and spark conversations about zoo animals.
Animal Craft Stick Craft
One of the best things about this lion craft for kids is its adaptability. Little ones can focus on the glue and eyes, while older children can help cut the felt and draw on the lion’s facial features. That makes it perfect regardless of age, whether you’re working with a curious kindergarten group or a bored tween on a rainy afternoon.
This is also an excellent craft idea to pair with a storytime session or a zoo unit. Are you reading about lions or African wildlife? Follow up with this lion craft to bring the lesson to life (and add fun to your learning plan).
Easy Lion Craft For Kids
Want to take it to the next level? Make a full jungle platter of animals using other paper plate crafts or popsicle stick creations. Think tigers, monkeys, elephants—the whole gang. Decorate a wall or bulletin board with your DIY safari zone. It’s a total crowd-pleaser and makes an excellent backdrop for school plays, themed parties, or simple craft showcases.
You can even hang your lion craft on the wall or fridge when you’re done. Add a magnet to the back or tie on a ribbon loop. Roaring good decor, anyone?
More Fun Popsicle Stick Crafts for Kids
If you enjoyed making the Popsicle Stick Lion Craft, here are more creative and playful Popsicle Stick projects perfect for kids:
- Vehicles Popsicle Stick Frame Craft – Build colorful vehicle-themed frames using popsicle sticks—great for displaying artwork or photos.
- Dinosaur Popsicle Stick Puppets – Bring prehistoric fun to life with these easy-to-make dinosaur puppets.
- Goldilocks Popsicle Puppets – Free Template – Act out the story of Goldilocks with this free printable puppet set and popsicle sticks.
- Popsicle Stick Valentine’s Craft – Create sweet and simple Valentine’s Day crafts with popsicle sticks and heartfelt designs.
Try this Popsicle Stick Lion Craft Idea!
This popsicle stick craft is more than just a fun afternoon—it’s a memory in the making. It’s about the giggles when the googly eyes go crooked, the proud smiles when the kid shows off their cute jungle king, and the joy of making something with your hands.
Now, if you’ll excuse us, we’ve got a few more lions to make… and maybe even a jungle or two. 🦁
Lion Popsicle Stick Craft
Create this colorful Craft Stick Lion with the kiddos to promote learning skills and spark conversations about zoo animals.
Materials
- Jumbo Craft Sticks
- Googly Eyes
- Craft Felt – Brown, Light Pink, Dark Orange, Tan
- Black Marker
- Glue Gun and Glue Sticks – Low Temp Works Best
- Acrylic Craft Paint – Tan
- Paintbrush
- Scissors
- Ruler
- Free Printable Lion Template Pattern
Instructions
- Gather all your supplies. Start by lining up five jumbo craft sticks on your work surface to make the lion. Trim extra jumbo craft sticks to match the width of the lion and attach them across the back using a glue gun and glue sticks. TIP: Liquid craft glue works too—remember it will take longer to dry.
- Apply a basecoat of tan acrylic craft paint to the lion and let it dry completely. If needed, add a second coat for better coverage. Color the jumbo craft sticks with washable markers, crayons, or colored pencils.
- Download and print the lion patterns, then carefully cut them out using scissors. Trace the outer ears onto tan craft felt, the inner ears onto light pink craft felt, and the nose onto brown craft felt.
- Use scissors to cut out all the lion patterns, staying just inside the traced lines for a neat and polished look.
- Measure and cut three 2” by 12” rectangles from dark orange craft felt.
- Using scissors, fringe the long edge of the three rectangles.
- Attach the two wiggle eyes and the brown craft felt nose using a glue gun and glue sticks.
- Then, glue the light pink inner ear onto the tan felt outer ear.
- Starting at the bottom, attach the dark orange craft felt fringed rectangles around the lion’s face to create the mane.
- Continue gluing the fringed mane pieces around the lion’s face in a second layer.
- Finish the second layer of the fringed mane, and trim any excess craft felt with scissors.
- Use a glue gun and glue sticks to attach the ears to both the right and left sides.
- To finish, draw a mouth under the nose and whiskers on both sides of the nose with a black marker.
