Fiercy Dino!
Make a fierce dinosaur puppet from cardboard, paint, and brads; create a movable jaw and decorate scales while learning measuring and cutting skills.
Step-by-step guide to make a Fierce Dino puppet
Step 1
Gather all your materials and clear a flat workspace to make your fierce dino.
Step 2
Use the pencil and ruler to draw a large dinosaur head shape on the cardboard.
Step 3
Draw a matching lower jaw shape on the cardboard that will fit under the head.
Step 4
Mark a small dot near the back edge on both the head and jaw where the jaw will hinge.
Step 5
Cut out the head and jaw shapes carefully with scissors following your pencil lines.
Step 6
Make small holes at each hinge dot using the tip of the pencil or a hole punch.
Step 7
Push a brad through both holes to attach the jaw to the head and bend the prongs flat to secure it.
Step 8
Paint a base coat over the head and jaw and cover all the cardboard areas you want colored.
Step 9
Wait until the paint is completely dry before touching it.
Step 10
Use paints or markers to add scales teeth eyes and other fierce details on the dinosaur.
Step 11
Glue the wooden craft stick to the back of the head as a handle and press it in place.
Step 12
Wait until the glue is dry so the handle is firmly attached.
Step 13
Open and close the jaw to test its movement and fix any paint or glue spots if needed.
Step 14
Show your finished fierce dino puppet on DIY.org
Help!?
What can I use if I don't have brads, a wooden craft stick, or thick cardboard?
If you don't have brads to 'push through both holes', substitute a paper fastener/split pin or make a taped hinge by overlapping the holes and securing with strong tape, replace the wooden craft stick handle with a glued strip of stiff cardboard, a straw, or a ruler, and use a cereal box or cardstock in place of thick cardboard while relying on markers instead of paint if needed.
My dinosaur jaw won't open smoothly or the handle keeps coming off — what should I try?
If the jaw is stiff or floppy after you 'make small holes' and insert the brad, slightly widen the holes with the pencil tip or add a tiny washer or cardboard spacer before bending the prongs flat, and if the glued wooden craft stick handle is loose, press and clamp it while the glue dries or add a second dab of PVA glue and let it cure fully.
How can I adapt this Fiercy Dino activity for different ages?
For toddlers have an adult pre-cut the head and jaw, use a tape hinge and markers for coloring, and for older kids encourage freehand drawing with the pencil and ruler, use acrylic paints for the 'base coat', and add extra brads for more moving parts.
What are easy ways to enhance or personalize the finished dino puppet?
After you 'paint a base coat' and 'use paints or markers to add scales, teeth, eyes', glue on googly eyes, felt or foam teeth, add glitter or textured paper for scales, or attach a second brad to create an articulated tongue and mount several puppets on a shoebox stage for a puppet show.
Watch videos on how to make a Fierce Dino puppet
The Very Big Story of the Dinosaurs | SciShow Kids Compilation
4 Videos
The Very Big Story of the Dinosaurs | SciShow Kids Compilation
Meet Megaraptor! 🦖 | Fast, Fierce & Fantastic Dino Facts
DINOSAURS: All you need to know All parts | Educational Videos for Kids | Kids TV 2025
Which Was The Fiercest Dinosaur? | Walking with Dinosaurs | BBC Earth Kids
Facts about puppet-making for kids
🦖 T. rex could grow over 40 feet long — that's longer than a school bus!
✂️ Corrugated cardboard has a wavy middle layer that makes it extra strong and perfect for cutting and building puppets.
📏 Measuring with a ruler helps parts line up so jaws and limbs move smoothly — tiny mistakes can make big wobble!
🎨 Acrylic paint dries fast and stays bright, making it great for painting fierce dinosaur scales.
🔩 Brads (also called split pins) let pieces rotate, which is how you can create a moving jaw on your dino puppet.
How do you make a Fiercy Dino puppet?
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Is the Fiercy Dino puppet safe and what safety tips should I follow?
