Kids love skittles – setting them up and knocking them down is excellent entertainment. We’ve designed a fabulous paper skittle set for you to make and play with. It features amazing safari animals your little people will love. We also reveal how to craft different types of balls to knock the skittles down with.
Create the Safari Skittles
Time for some sensational safari fun with these paper skittles featuring a lion, elephant, rhino, monkey, cheetah and zebra, with fabulous embellishments.
You Will Need:
• A printer
• Scissors
• Paper
• Thin card
• Glue
Step 1: Print out the templates and glue the rectangular pieces onto thin card. Cut out all the pieces.
Step 2: Curve the rectangles into a tube shape and glue along the guide shown. This will form the body of each of your animal skittles.
Step 3: For the animal heads, firstly fold along all the dotted lines.
Step 4: For the elephant and rhino, fold them in half and then fold out the sides of the head at the crease line, folding the elephant ears out as well. Glue together the front sections, just up to the crease line.
Step 5: For the lion, cut along all the lines marked on the circular mane to create a fringing affect. Stick the lion’s face in the middle of the mane.
Step 6: For the zebra, fold down along the two creases on the nose and fold in the two tabs on the sides. These tabs will be used to attach the zebra head to the body. Glue just the end part of the nose together.
Then make the black mane by folding the mane piece in half and glue together just the black section, folding out the two white tabs at the bottom. Cut along each of the lines marked on the black section to create a fringe effect.
Slide the mane into the slot on the head of the zebra and glue down the tabs on the underside to hold it in place.
Step 7: All the heads can be paired up with their matching body and glued in place. Line up the skittles, grab a ball and get ready to play!
Craft a Ball
If you’ve got a light ball, then you can use this to knock over the skittles. Or, why not make your own balls for extra fun? Here are 3 types you can craft.
1. A Bouncy Ball
It’s chemistry time! Simply mix borax, corn starch, glue, water and food coloring together, leave to dry and hey presto – a bouncy ball! Go here for the instructions.
2. A Rice and Balloon Ball
The great thing about balloon balls is that you can use them as juggling balls too! All you have to do is fill a small food bag with uncooked rice or sand until you have enough to create a small ball. Seal the bag with a tie, wrap it around, then place cut balloons over it. Here are the instructions and video.
3. A paper ball
Wrap layers of paper into a ball shape, then use tape to hold them in place. Finish with a colored paper layer, like our fabulous safari wrapping paper and add decorations too, if you want, like stickers.
Check out our amazing sticker range here, particularly the mini jungle sticker roll with safari animals. Or draw animals to match the skittles and stick them onto the balls with glue.
If you want to play the skittles game as part of a safari party, then check out our brilliant Go Wild party range and our Safari Party In A Box bundle which includes:
1. Go Wild plates 2. Napkins 3. Cups 4. Cupcake kit 5. Candles 6. Leopard mask 7. Go Wild garland 8. Cheetah foil balloon 9. Ray Zebra knitted organic toy