I am sure you have probably seen the person blowing the Paper Elephant’s Trunk on Facebook. I was disappoinged there really were not any directions or measurements. It took me about 30 minutes to figure it out. So….Summer is here and the kids are home from school. Here is an Elephant for them to make and play with. The Template gives the general measurements, but they are only guidelines EXCEPT for the 5-1/2″ measurement at the bottom of the page which helps form the basic Elephant head shape. The Kids can also turn the Elephant into imaginary animals if they want. You can even give prizes for the most original, most realistic, best decorated, best coloring, Trunk moves the best, etc.
SUPPLIES:
Two 8-1/2 ” x 11″ pieces of paper: Printer paper or light-weight patterned paper works best especially for the trunk.
Ruler
Scissors or paper trimmer
Simply Scored or Paper Trimmer with scoring blade
Tombow Glue
Tear & Tape Adhesive
Straw
Pencil
Markers, Colored Pencils, etc to decorate your Elephant.
Print 2 Page Template
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Choose your paper.
~You will need an 8-1/2″ x 11 piece for the head and a 4″ x 11″ piece for the Trunk and the straw holder.
~For the Elephant Head and Ears you can use any weight of paper.
~The paper for the Trunk should be light-weight similar to Printer Paper. The lighter-weight the Trunk paper is, the easier it is to blow and have it move. Let’s admit this is the fun part and the point of the whole Elephant.
Elephant Head
2. On the 11″ edge of the paper make a mark in the center at 5-1/2″. Or you can partially fold it in half and make a small creast in the center.
3. Draw a line from the center mark at the bottom to each of the corners on the top edges. Cut on those lines.
4. Fold up the bottom point to the back side of the Elephant. Glue it down.
5. Fold your Ears down from the top two corners.
6. Color or decorate your Elephant Head.
Elephant Trunk
7. Cut a 2″ x 11″ piece for the Trunk. Roll it around a pencil leaving the last 2″ or so flat. Look at the picture so the Trunk will curl the correct way. Although you can experiment with positioning if you want. Glue the top 2″ to the back of the Elephant Head on top of the Point you folded up and glued down. Try to get it on straight so it will move better when you blow on it.
Straw Holder
8. There are two ways you can make the straw Holder. Both are 2″ wide. It si nice if the paper is cardstock weight or heavy printer paper.
~Flat. This is the simplest, but the straw moves around more. Cut a 2″ x 11″ piece of paper. Measure it so it sticks out about 1/2″ past the bottom of the Elephant Head and onto the Trunk and ends at the top of the Head or a little below. Put Tear & Tape on both the long edges. Put the straw down the center of the back of the Elephant Head and put the paper over it. Tape down one side, then with the straw down the center, tape down the other side. Now blow through the straw and watch the Trunk move!
~Triangle. Cut a 2″ x 11″ piece of paper. Make Score lines down the 11″ length at 1/2″, 1″, 1-1/2″. Fold the Score Lines. Measure the length of your Elephant Head down the center back and about 1/2″ onto the Trunk. Cut it off there. Use Tear and Tape along one of the fold lines on the outside section. Attach it to the other edge with the sections overlapping and forming a triangle. Attach a strip of Tear & Tape along the back side of the Triangle (you choose which is the back side.) Attach it down the center back of the Elephant Head sticking out about 1/2″ or so onto the Trunk. Put the straw in the Triangle and blow to make the Elephant Trunk move.
Have Fun!! See how many different Paper Elephants you can make!
