Kangaroo puppet play set: Mother and Joey

I’m not sure why it took me two years to write a kangaroo post but in light of Australia day coming up on Sunday it couldn’t have come at a better time.

My children are really into pretend play at the moment, so it seemed only fitting to provide them with a printable that would keep them playing and also encourage a connection with the lovable Aussie kangaroo.  We’ll be using them as shadow puppets later in the week too. Here’s how you can make your own mother and joey Kangaroo and Puppet Play Set.

What you’ll need:

• Download the printable below (in colour or colour your own)
• Recycled cardboard cereal packet
• Scissors
• Blue tack
• Glue stick
• Extra coloured paper (not required)

Download the Kangaroo and Joey Play Set  in colour

 Download the Kangaroo and Joey Play Set colour in set

Mother and Joey Kangaroo Puppet Printable Instructions

1. Cut the cereal packet until you have a diorama set up. So you’ll need three sides and one bottom.

2. Download and print the kangaroo play set you’d like to use.

3. Glue the printable onto the rectangular side of the cereal packet you cut off. I recommend using a glue stick because they leave a better finish.

4. Once the glue is dry, cut out the kangaroos and surrounding terrain. Cut along the line of the mother kangaroo’s pouch too. You can slip the joey in and out of the mother’s pouch during play.

5. Fold over the flaps on the bottom of each item. These should allow the figures to stand up but you can use a little bit of blue tack to give it a more secure hold if you like.

6.  Then, all you have to do is let your children play!

You can join in the fun too and help them learn about kangaroos while playing. Here’s some helpful tips

Language and terms to include during  kangaroo play:

• Herbivore – An animal that only eats plants. Kangaroos are herbivores.
• Macropod – kangaroos are a part of the Macropod family. Macropod means ‘ big foot’
• Marsupial – kangaroos are marsupials, meaning females of the species have a pouch.
• Nocturnal – most Kangaroos are mainly active at night

Kangaroo facts to include during play:

• Kangaroos hop on two legs but can walk slowly on all four legs.
• They can jump three times their own height
• Kangaroos can’t walk backwards
• They can actually can swim!
• Kangaroos babies, like all other marsupial young, are called joeys.
• More Kangaroo facts

I hope you  and your children enjoy this kangaroo puppet printable.  I think I’ll be making more of these play sets because my girls thought this was so much fun. They really loved the mum and joey Kangaroo puppet printable. It held up very well through all the rough love too. Please let me know if you have any requests for print outs. I love making them!

More ways to Celebrate Australian Wildlife

• Save the Koala Activities
• Wombat Play and Mask
• Australian Animal Finger Puppets
• Bilby Activities and Mask
• Koala Mask
• Learn how to Koala Bellow
• Australian Animal Movement Game