Ready to dive under the sea without leaving your kitchen table? This ocean-themed craft is one of our favorites here at Glued To My Crafts, and it’s about to become one of yours too!
We’re combining a sweet little handprint fish with a bubbly coral reef made from cupcake liners and crepe paper. The best part? You probably already have most of these supplies tucked away in your craft closet.
This project is perfect for little hands. It’s colorful, hands-on, and gives kids a chance to get creative while building fine motor skills. Whether you’re a parent looking for a rainy-day activity, a teacher planning an ocean unit, or a caregiver hunting for some crafty fun, this tutorial has you covered. Let’s make some underwater magic!
Craft Supplies:
Gather up these simple supplies before you begin:
- Light blue construction paper (this is your ocean water)
- Choice of colored paper for the handprint fish
- Orange paper for the fish’s heart-shaped mouth
- Googly eyes
- MINI cupcake liners {we used blue}
- Light green crepe paper or streamers
- Glitter glue pens
- Elmer’s school glue
- Blue marker
Once you’ve got everything laid out, you’re ready to start crafting up this cupcake liner coral reef design!
Directions:
Step 1: Trace and Cut the Handprint Fish
Have your child place their hand flat on the colored paper with fingers spread apart. Trace around it with a marker, then carefully cut out the shape. Those wiggly fingers become the fish’s fins and tail! This is a great moment to let kids do as much of the cutting as they safely can.
Step 2: Assemble Your Fish
Turn the handprint sideways so the fingers point to one side, like a tail. Glue a googly eye near the palm area to bring your fish to life. Then cut a small heart out of the orange paper and glue it to the opposite edge to make cute little fish lips. Pat down the glue and let your fish rest for a moment.
Step 3: Draw the Water Ripples
Grab a blue marker and draw a few wavy lines across the light blue construction paper. These squiggly lines make it look like your fish is swimming through gentle ocean waves. Kids love this part because there’s no wrong way to do it!
Step 4: Arrange the Crepe Paper Seaweed
Tear off some strips of green crepe paper and crumple them up gently. Twist and arrange them around the bottom and sides of your paper to look like swaying seaweed. Once you like how they look, glue them down with a bit of Elmer’s school glue.
Step 5: Flatten and Glue the Cupcake Liners
Take your mini cupcake liners and arrange them in rows along the bottom of the page to build your coral reef. When you’re happy with the layout, glue each one in place. Butting them up to each other creates a fun, bumpy reef effect.
Step 6: Decorate with Glitter Glue Spirals
Now for the sparkly finish on your cupcake liner coral reef! Use your glitter glue pens to draw swirls and spirals in the center of each cupcake liner. These glittery details make your reef look like it’s glowing under the water. Let everything dry completely before hanging it up.
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And just like that, you’ve created a whole underwater world! This craft is a wonderful way to spend an afternoon together while sneaking in some learning about ocean life. Every fish and coral reef design turns out a little different, and that’s what makes them so special.
We’d love to see how your finished designs! Snap a photo and share your creation with us on social media by tagging @GLUEDTOMYCRAFTS. Happy crafting, my friends!
