Fun Animal Friday Tarantula Craft

Enjoy this not-so-creepy tarantula craft!

Activity best for children age 2 and up

Tarantulas are large and sometimes hairy spiders. Their habitat is all around the world and they are nocturnal hunters meaning they look for food at night. Tarantulas have four pairs of legs giving them eight legs total. Fangs help them to hunt for their food. They eat insects like grasshoppers, beetles and even small lizards. Tarantulas have a special adaptation that helps them survive in the wild. They can sense vibrations in the ground which lets them know a predator is coming so they can hide to stay safe. The tarantula we are going to make today is not fierce, but more on the cute side.

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Materials you’ll need:

Black paper

Black pipe cleaners

White paper

Tape or glue

Crayon or marker

Directions

STEP 1

Cut the black paper into a long but short rectangle about 2 inches high, about the height of a grown ups thumb. Roll the paper into a loose circle and tape or glue the circle together. This will be the spider’s body.

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STEP 2

Cut out some small round circles for the spider’s eyes. Glue them to the body and you can use the crayon or marker to draw on the eye.

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STEP 3

Take 4 pipe cleaners, fold them in half and cut. You should have eight legs. Bend the pipe cleaners so that a small piece fits into the circle of the body and the rest of the leg is sticking out. Tape down the legs inside the circle to keep the legs from moving.

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STEP 4

Your tarantula is all ready! Can you make a web for its home? How about hunting for insects for lunch? Have fun!

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