At a Glance
This printable penguin mask gives preschool, kindergarten and other young children a great way to get into some dramatic play and imaginative storytelling. Available in both pre-colored and black-and-white versions, the mask supports fine motor development through cutting and coloring while building confidence, language and creative thinking through role play. Ready to print and play in minutes.
This printable penguin mask is a simple, low-prep way to encourage some awesome imaginative play.
One second there’s a small person sitting quietly opposite you at the table – the next, there’s a penguin. A very serious penguin, waddling importantly across the room squawking and flapping their arms!
The pack includes a pre-colored version ready to cut straight away, and a black-and-white version for little ones who want to make theirs their own before stepping into character. Either way, a bit of careful cutting, some elastic or string, and your little penguins are ready for their debut.
And a nice little fact to share whilst they’re busy creating – did you know their black-and-white coloring is actually a form of camouflage? From above in the ocean, their dark backs blend into the deep water; from below, their white bellies match the bright surface.
And a super thing about these types of crafts is not only are they great fun to make and your children can practice lots of skills when doing so, but then they have a toy they can play with at the end – and play is just such a great way for children to learn!
Win win!
So grab some crayons, scissors, and string, it’s time to spread those wings and get creative!
What Skills Can Your Children Learn And Practice?
When making these cute penguin masks, your children will have the chance to practice and develop some skills such as:
- Cutting Skills – if you feel they’re ready, you can let them have a go at cutting out the pieces all by themselves – they’ll need to be careful and have good scissor control if they want to cut out the pieces neatly
- Pencil Control – if you print off the black and white templates they can practice their pencil control and develop hand strength through decorating.
- Observation and color awareness – For children coloring the black-and-white version, looking closely at the real-life penguins and thinking about which colors go where.
And when they’re done, they’ll also be able to use their imagination, storytelling, confidence and social / communication skills when going on adventures with friends and family!
How To Prepare These Printable Penguin Masks
First you’re going to want to download the mask templates by clicking on the download button at the bottom of the page – I’ve made a color and a black and white version.
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Other Materials You’ll Need:
- Safety scissors
- Card stock or craft paper
- Some coloring pencils or pens / other artsy materials for decorating
- Some elastic or string to keep them on your little one’s head
- Or you could add a popsicle stick if you’d like the masks to have a more ‘masked ball’ feel
These masks are fairly simple to make but your little ones will probably need a bit of help with attaching the elastic if you go down that route (*always be careful with little ones and string – keep an eye on them to ensure they’re safe while playing*).
Once you’ve downloaded the templates, you’ll need to print them off onto paper or card.
Then, you can cut them out. Or if you’d like your children to get some cutting practice, you can let them have a go. If you’re going with the plain templates it’ll probably be a good idea to decorate them first.
The next two steps will probably require some grown-up support:
The first is to carefully cut out the eyes holes.
Then, if you want to add elastic, simply make a couple holes near the edge (either with scissors or a hole punch). It’s a good idea to add a little clear tape on the area you’re making the holes for some added support.
Thread the elastic through the hole and tie a knot on the face side to stop it slipping back through.
Then loop around with enough elastic so it’s not too loose or tight, do the same on the other side and you’re good to go!
Some Other Ways You Could Use This Penguin Mask Craft
The Penguin Parade
Once the masks are on, set up a simple obstacle course and make it a penguin challenge. Can they waddle through without using their arms? Hop over an iceberg (a cushion on the floor)? Slide across the ice (a smooth floor in socks)? Great for some gross motor skills, body awareness and listening to and following instructions.
Tell Me a Penguin Story
Give your little penguin a name, a home, and a problem to solve. Maybe they lost their fish. Maybe they got separated from the colony in a snowstorm. Maybe they found something mysterious on the ice. This kind of open ended playful storytelling builds language, narrative sequencing and expressive communication.
Bird of the Day Display
After crafting, hang the masks on a wall with penguin facts or photos.
Movement and Music
Play frosty music and have children “swim and slide” around like penguins – great for a little energy release and gross motor practice!
Penguin Photo Booth
Pin a sheet of blue or white paper on the wall, add a few paper snowflakes, and you have an instant Antarctic backdrop. Take some penguin photos. Children at this age love seeing themselves in character, and the results make a lovely keepsake – or a very cute holiday card.
Design Your Own Wings Extension
Give each child large paper or card sheets to design and attach matching wings then waddle around the room flapping proudly!
However you use them, I hope they enjoy becoming little awesome penguins!
And if your little ones just love penguins, they may also want to check out this number tracing maze and this build a penguin craft!
Enjoy and let’s nurture those neurons!
