First get the glue gun hot and ready.

Assemble the base of your hippo friend by gluing FOUR jumbo popsicle sticks and TWO mini popsicle sticks together to look like a fence door {4 next to each other and the mini popsicle sticks across to secure in place.}

Allow it to dry completely. Repeat for each hippo friend you want to make today.

Now grab your craft paint, paper plate and form brush.

Squirt some gray craft paint on the paper plate.

Using the foam paint brush, paint the flat side of your popsicle stick shape completely gray.

Set it aside to let it dry completely.

While that is drying, go ahead and grab your sheets of cardstock paper, marker and scissors.

Out of the gray cardstock, cut out a large oval shape nose/mouth for the hippo, as well as two ears.

Out of the white cardstock cut out two large rectangle teeth.

Now go ahead and glue ALL the paper pieces to the popsicle stick shape from earlier.

Use the sharpie marker to draw on nostrils on the oval paper piece.

To finish off the craft glue the two wiggle eyes in place so he can see.

Add any other embellishments you see fit.

Then let it dry completely before displaying proudly!!!