Create a Colorful Toucan Craft Your Students Will Love

Teachers are always looking for classroom activities that are fun, easy to prep, and perfect for young students. A Toucan Craft is just the thing to add to the classroom during the year. Whether you’re decorating a zoo-themed classroom, studying the rainforest and the animals that live in it, or rewarding kids with hands-on crafts they love, this craft checks all the boxes. It’s simple to assemble, exciting to piece together, and it looks great up on a bulletin board any time of year!

Keep reading to learn more about this vibrant Toucan Craft and how you can incorporate it into your lessons this year. Don’t forget to check out the other Rainforest Animal Crafts that can be added to your bulletin board decor!

Why Choose a Toucan Craft?

Toucans are one of the most recognizable rainforest animals thanks to their vibrant colors and oversized beaks. That alone makes them a student favorite, but they also provide a great opportunity to integrate science, geography, and art into one hands-on activity.

This toucan craft is designed with young learners in mind. The pieces are easy to cut out and assemble, so students can work independently or in small groups. All you need are the printed patterns, scissors, glue, and a little imagination.

How to Prep and Use the Toucan Craft

One of the best things about this toucan craft is how simple it is to prep. Just print the patterns onto colored paper or allow students to color their own. The directions are easy to follow, and students love seeing their toucans come to life piece by piece.

This activity works well in many different classroom settings:

• As part of your weekly art rotation
• In small groups during literacy centers or free choice time
• After reading a book about rainforest animals
• To celebrate the end of a science or geography unit
• For early finishers or as a reward on a Fun Friday

Once completed, display the toucans on a bulletin board with a fun header like “Flying Through the Rainforest” or “Our Bright Ideas Soar.” The pop of color and creative designs are sure to draw compliments from students and staff alike.

Extend the Learning with Toucan-Themed Activities

To get the most out of your toucan craft, consider pairing it with a few simple extension activities that tie in reading, writing, and science.

1. Read Alouds About Toucans and Rainforest Animals

Set the stage for your toucan craft with a story. Here are a few picture books that can spark curiosity and offer some basic background on toucans or rainforest life:

• The Umbrella by Jan Brett – a beautifully illustrated story that introduces various rainforest animals
• Rainforest Animals by Paul Hess – a nonfiction look at creatures found in the rainforest
• Toucan Can by Juliette MacIver – a fun, rhyming book that plays with language while featuring the lovable toucan

After reading, invite students to share what they learned or draw connections between the story and the toucan they just created.

2. Writing Prompts to Inspire Creativity

Pair your toucan craft with writing tasks to add a literacy focus to the project. If you’re like me and need some help thinking of writing prompts, here are a few to get you started:

• “If I Were a Toucan…” – Students write from the perspective of a toucan living in the rainforest. Remind them to use details about the rainforest after you do some research as a class.
• “My Toucan’s Adventure” – Students invent a story featuring the toucan they just made. They can give the toucan a name and read the stories aloud to their peers when they are done.
• “All About Toucans” – Students do simple research or use a fact sheet to write an informative paragraph. They can create bulleted lists or write complete sentences while doing their research.

You could even turn the completed crafts and writing into a hallway display or class book. Teachers and parents will love looking at the creations when they walk down the halls.

3. Geography Tie-In

Introduce your class to the toucan’s natural habitat by exploring where rainforests are located on a map or globe. Students can label a simple map to show South America and the Amazon Rainforest, then draw a toucan in the corner to mark the habitat. This helps connect the craft to real-world learning and gives students a broader understanding of global ecosystems.

4. Rainforest Animal Comparison

Once students learn a bit about toucans, you can compare and contrast them with other rainforest animals. Use a simple Venn diagram to compare toucans to sloths, monkeys, or snakes. This can be done as a whole group discussion or as a small group activity with picture cards or books.

5. Vocabulary and Facts

Boost science vocabulary by introducing terms like “habitat,” “tropical,” “beak,” or “camouflage.” You can create a mini word wall or have students label parts of their toucan with related vocabulary. A simple fact writing page where students list 3-5 facts about toucans can also be a great wrap-up activity.

Finish It Up with a Toucan Craft Bulletin Board

Once your students have completed their crafts and activities, show off their work. A bulletin board filled with vibrant toucans and student writing makes a cheerful, content-rich classroom display. Add jungle leaves, vines made from twisted paper, or a rainforest backdrop to set the scene.

Check out this video to see how easy it is to creat the Toucan Craft with students.

Take It Further with the Rainforest Animals Craft Bundle

If your students enjoyed the toucan craft, there’s more fun where that came from. The Toucan is just one of 15 animals included in the Rainforest Animals Craft Bundle. This bundle features cut-and-paste crafts for anteaters, sloths, pandas, tigers, and more. Each one offers the same easy-to-use patterns and classroom-friendly format.

These crafts are perfect for exploring animal habitats, building cross-curricular units, or just adding a little creativity to your week. Whether you use them one at a time or build a full rainforest scene over several weeks, the Rainforest Animals Craft Bundle gives you the tools to engage students while boosting fine motor skills, vocabulary, and science knowledge.

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