Paper Cup Shark Craft And Magnet Fishing Game

Paper cup shark craft with a twist! Do your kids love sharks? If so, this scary and fun shark craft for kids is exactly what you´re looking for. This DIY fishing game got a lot of love from the kids. We glued a magnet on a string so the sharks could catch fish created from a mason jar lid.

 

Why you should create this shark craft and fishing game

Crafting this paper cup shark was a lot of fun, and it is the perfect craft for Shark Week and Ocean Day. You only need a few recycled materials, like a paper cup and a mason jar lid. We created a FREE printable for you to make the crafting process easier. Your kids will have a blast making these scary sharks. And they will have a lot of fun playing with their paper cup sharks and fishing for the mason jar lids.

What inspired us to make this shark craft

This craft is fun and educational, inspired by the book The Shark Who Learned a Lesson. Written by Gill McBarnet from Hawaiian Children´s Books, the story revolves around a shark named Shadow who bullies the creatures of the reef. However, his friends decide it’s time to teach him a lesson. This book, loved by kids, serves as a great learning tool.

 

Craft Supplies fishing game

Below is a list of all the craft supplies you need to create this shark craft. If you don´t have all the craft supplies, don´t worry. Just be creative and look for supplies you do have at home.

• Paper cup
• Printable, download here
• Paint for your shark
• Colored paper in the color of your paint
• Mason jar lid
• Yarn
• Small magnet
• Button (optional)
• Black marker or fine liner
• Googly eyes (optional)
• Small (popsicle) stick
• Glue stick and glue gun

Step-by-step craft instructions paper cup craft

Step 1: Gather the craft supplies above and print the printable.

Step 2: Paint the cup with your desired shark color; use washable or acrylic paint.

Step 3: Create all the body parts of your shark. You can use the printable for the fins, tail, and mouth of the shark. You can trace or copy the printable on colored paper or color the printable and cut out all the pieces. The dashed lines on your printable are the folding lines.

 

Step 4: Now you have all your shark pieces, glue your shark together. You can attach the back fin by making a small cut on the backside of the paper cup and slide the fin inside.

Step 5: Take a piece of string as long as you want your fishing line to be. On one end, you glue a small magnet. To make this easier, we tightened a button to the string and glued the magnet on the button.

Step 6: Make a tiny hole in the top of your cup with a craft knife, sharp pencil, or skewer. Poke your string through the hole from your paper cup (magnet down). When the string goes through the cup, you can tighten a stick on the other side of the line, the opposite side of the magnet. We used a small popsicle stick, but you can also use a stick from outside or a toothpick/skewer.

Step 7: Take your top fin and fold the fin on the folding lines. You can glue the fin around the stick. Now, you can pull the top fin up, and the magnet will move.

Step 8: Now that your shark is ready, we craft our fish. Take a metal lid and color your top in your favorite fish color. Use acrylic paint to make sure the paint covers the surface well.

Step 9: When the paint is dry, trace the lid on paper. Ensure you have enough space to draw a fishtail and two fins. Cut out the paper and glue the lid on top. The best is to use hot glue to ensure the lid sticks well on the paper.

Step 10: Add two googly eyes, and you can add details to your fish with a marker.

Would you be interested in more ocean crafts? Try out this whale craft with a free printable. Or these colorful crabs created from shells! Check out the blog post favorites for more information about our favorite craft supplies and stores.

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