15+ Wildly Fun Lion Crafts For Kids To Make And Smile About
Lion crafts for kids bring a fun mix of wild charm and easy creativity to the crafting table. From fluffy manes to bright paper faces, these playful ideas are a cheerful way to turn simple supplies into little jungle favorites.
A set of lion crafts for kids is perfect for home afternoons, classroom activities, and rainy-day play. They are simple to make, budget-friendly, and full of personality, so kids can enjoy crafting while building their own proud little lions.
Bright Paper Plate Lion with a Sunshine Mane
A cheerful paper plate lion like this brings instant color and personality to any kids’ craft table. The bold paper-strip mane gives it a playful, sunny look that feels happy and easy to make.
What you need
- 1 yellow paper plate
- Construction paper in orange, brown, and yellow
- 1 white circle cutout for the muzzle
- 1 black paper heart or oval for the nose
- Googly eyes or paper eyes
- Glue stick
- Safety scissors
- Black marker
How to make it
- Cut paper strips from the orange, brown, and yellow construction paper
- Fold or curl the strips slightly and glue them around the back of the paper plate for the mane
- Add the white muzzle, eyes, nose, and simple whiskers to the center of the plate
- Finish by gluing on the ears and letting the lion dry flat
Cheerful Painted Lion Face on a Round Base
A sunny lion face with a bold painted mane brings a playful jungle feel to any kid’s craft table. The bright colors and simple features make it extra cheerful and easy to love.
What you need
- 1 round paper plate or cardboard circle
- Yellow acrylic or craft paint
- Orange and brown paint for the mane
- Pink and white paint for the ears and muzzle
- Black paint or a black marker
- Paintbrushes
How to make it
- Paint the center yellow and let it dry
- Add the mane with quick orange and brown brushstrokes around the edge
- Paint the ears, muzzle, nose, eyes, and whiskers
- Let everything dry fully before displaying it
Sunny Plate Lion with a Bold Paper Mane
A cheerful paper plate lion like this brings instant storybook charm with its bright yellow face and layered paper mane. The simple round shape makes it a sweet little project for kids who love playful animal crafts.
What you need
- 1 paper plate
- Yellow craft paint
- Orange and yellow construction paper
- Black paper
- Googly eyes or paper eyes
- Glue stick
- Scissors
- Paintbrush
How to make it
- Paint the paper plate yellow and let it dry
- Cut short strips of orange and yellow paper for the mane
- Glue the strips around the back edge of the plate so they fan out evenly
- Add the eyes, nose, mouth, and whiskers with black paper and finish with a friendly face
Playful Paper Lion with a Bouncy Accordion Body
A bright paper lion like this brings instant jungle charm with a smiling face, fluffy orange mane, and springy accordion legs that make it extra fun to display.
What you need
- Yellow construction paper
- Orange construction paper
- White and black paper scraps
- Glue stick
- Scissors
- Black marker
How to make it
- Cut out a round yellow face, a body shape, mane circles, ear pieces, and simple paw shapes
- Layer the face pieces together and draw or glue on the eyes, nose, whiskers, and smile
- Fold narrow strips of yellow paper back and forth to make the legs and tail section
- Glue the mane, body, legs, and paws together, then add the tail tip and any final details
Soft Clay Lion with a Puffball Mane
A sweet little clay lion like this brings a soft, playful look to any kids’ craft shelf. The round face, chunky paws, and textured mane make it feel extra cuddly and fun.
What you need
- Yellow modeling clay
- Orange modeling clay or clay strips
- White and black clay for the face
- Small plastic eyes or black beads
- A craft knife or toothpick
How to make it
- Shape the yellow clay into a round head, body, legs, and tail
- Roll the orange clay into many thin strands and wrap them around the head for the mane
- Add the white snout, black nose, eyes, and whiskers
- Press in the ear details and paw lines, then let the lion sit and firm up
Paper Lion Crown with Leafy Jungle Charm
A bright paper crown like this makes lion crafts for kids feel extra festive and playful, with bold colors and a friendly lion face front and center.
The leafy accents and repeating lion faces give it a cheerful jungle look that is perfect for dress-up, party fun, or a simple afternoon craft.
What you need
- Yellow construction paper or cardstock
- Orange and brown paper
- Green paper leaf cutouts
- Black marker
- Glue stick or liquid glue
- Scissors
How to make it
- Cut a wide strip of yellow paper to fit around the head and make the crown base
- Cut out scalloped orange mane pieces, round yellow face shapes, and small ear shapes for the lion fronts
- Glue the lion faces onto the crown and add the leaf cutouts around the top and bottom edges
- Draw on eyes, whiskers, a nose, and a smile with a black marker, then let the crown dry before wearing
Sun-Kissed Paper Plate Lion with a Puffy Painted Mane
A bright paper lion like this brings instant cheer with its round face, fluffy painted mane, and sweet little paws. The bold colors make it feel playful and friendly, which is exactly why lion crafts for kids are such a fun afternoon activity.
What you need
- 1 paper plate
- Yellow paint or cardstock
- Orange and red paint
- Black marker
- Pink paper or paint for the ears and nose
- Glue stick or liquid glue
- Scissors
How to make it
- Cut out a large round head and a simple body shape from yellow paper or cardstock
- Paint or stamp orange and red around the head to form a fluffy mane
- Add the ears, eyes, nose, whiskers, and a smiling mouth with paper or marker
- Glue on the body, paws, and tail, then let everything dry before displaying
Cheery Fork-Stamped Lion with a Radiant Painted Mane
A bright fork-stamped mane gives this little lion a sunny, handmade look that kids will love. The simple paper face and friendly features make the finished craft extra sweet and display-worthy.
What you need
- 1 white cardstock sheet
- Yellow construction paper
- Orange and yellow washable paint
- 1 plastic fork
- Black marker or crayon
- Scissors
- Glue stick
How to make it
- Cut a round lion face, ears, body, paws, and tail shapes from yellow paper
- Paint the fork tips with orange and yellow paint and stamp them around the face to build a wild mane
- Glue on the face pieces, then add eyes, nose, mouth, whiskers, and ear centers with marker and paper
- Finish by attaching the body, paws, tail, and a small tail tuft for a complete lion
Cozy Yarn Lion with a Fluffy Golden Mane
A soft yarn mane gives this lion face a warm, cuddly look that feels cheerful and handmade.
What you need
- 1 round cardboard or paper circle
- Yellow yarn
- Yellow and orange paper
- Black and white paper
- Glue
- Scissors
- Black marker
How to make it
- Cut a circle base for the lion face and trim small ear shapes from yellow paper with orange centers
- Glue the yarn around the edge of the circle so it forms a full fluffy mane
- Add the ears, eyes, nose, muzzle, whiskers, and smile with paper pieces and marker details
- Let everything dry flat so the mane stays neat and full
Paper Bag Lion Puppet with a Layered Mane
A paper bag lion puppet with a layered mane makes playtime feel extra cheerful and full of personality. The bright face, soft-looking ears, and open mouth give it a fun handmade look kids will love.
What you need
- 1 paper lunch bag
- Yellow, orange, and brown construction paper
- Pink and black paper scraps
- Glue stick or school glue
- Scissors
- Black marker
How to make it
- Cut a round lion face, ears, nose, mouth, and mane pieces from the colored paper
- Glue the mane layers around the back of the face to build a fluffy ring
- Add the eyes, ears, nose, whiskers, and small cheek dots with paper scraps and marker
- Attach the finished face to the paper bag flap and decorate the mouth area so it opens and closes for puppet play
Golden Cardboard Lion with a Fluffy Paper Mane
Sunny and full of personality, this cheerful lion craft makes a bright little buddy for a desk, shelf, or classroom display. The round face, layered mane, and tiny paws give it a friendly look that kids will love.
What you need
- 1 yellow paper cup or cardboard tube
- 1 piece of yellow cardstock or construction paper
- Orange and yellow paper strips
- 1 pair of googly eyes
- Black marker
- Glue stick or craft glue
- Scissors
How to make it
- Cover the cup or tube with yellow paper to create the lion’s body
- Cut a large yellow circle for the face and two smaller circles for the ears
- Glue orange and yellow paper strips around the back of the face to make a fluffy mane
- Add the eyes, nose, whiskers, and mouth with glue and marker, and Cut out little paws, then attach them to the bottom of the body
Sweet Felt Lion with a Fringe Mane
A soft felt lion like this brings a cozy handmade look to any kids’ craft collection, with a round face, fluffy fringe mane, and tiny stitched-looking paws.
What you need
- Yellow felt sheets
- Brown felt sheets
- Beige felt scraps
- Black felt or marker for facial details
- Craft glue or a hot glue gun
- Scissors
How to make it
- Cut a round yellow face, a beige muzzle, small ear circles, and a stack of brown fringe strips for the mane
- Glue the fringe strips around the back of the face so they fan out like a lion’s mane
- Add the muzzle, ears, eyes, nose, whiskers, and a smiling mouth
- Cut and glue the body, paws, tail, and small felt details to finish the lion
Rainbow Paper Plate Lion with a Bright Festival Mane
A cheerful rainbow mane makes this paper plate lion feel extra happy and kid-friendly. The simple round face and bold colors give the finished craft a playful look that stands out on any wall or fridge.
What you need
- 1 paper plate
- Yellow construction paper
- Rainbow tissue paper squares
- Googly eyes
- Black marker
- Pink paper for the inner ears
- Glue stick
- Scissors
How to make it
- Cut the center face shape from yellow paper and trim the ears and pink inner ear pieces
- Glue the tissue paper pieces around the back of the plate in a full rainbow circle
- Attach the face, ears, and googly eyes to the center of the plate
- Draw the nose, mouth, whiskers, and small cheek details with a black marker
Cheery Clothespin Lion with a Sunny Paper Mane
A clothespin lion like this brings a happy little jungle friend to a desk, shelf, or play corner. The bright paper mane, round face, and tiny tail give it a playful handmade charm kids love.
What you need
- 2 wooden clothespins
- 1 yellow paper circle
- Orange paper strips
- 2 googly eyes
- Pink paper scraps
- 1 black marker
- 1 small piece of brown paper
- Glue
How to make it
- Glue the orange paper strips around the back of the yellow circle to form the mane
- Add the googly eyes, pink ears, and a drawn-on nose, mouth, and whiskers
- Attach the decorated face to the top of the clothespins
- Cut a small tail from paper, add a brown tuft, and glue it to the back
Wearable Orange Lion Mask with a Big Sunny Mane
A bright lion mask like this brings instant dress-up fun, with a bold orange mane and a cheerful face that feels perfect for playtime or a school costume day.
What you need
- 1 orange paper plate or cardstock circle
- 1 sheet of yellow paper
- 1 sheet of pink paper
- Black marker
- Scissors
- Glue stick
- Elastic string or ribbon
How to make it
- Cut fringe around the edge of the orange circle to create the lion mane
- Cut out a yellow face, small ears, and pink inner ear pieces
- Glue the face and ears onto the center of the mane, then draw or add the nose, whiskers, and mouth details
- Cut out eye holes and attach elastic string or ribbon so it can be worn comfortably