Lately, we’ve been keeping track of things our youngest child might be particularly interested in because the other kids have gone off to day camp and he’s been feeling a little down without his siblings around the house all the time. That’s how we started collecting adorable DIY giraffe ideas! Giraffes have always been his favourite animal, so we’ve gathered a few ideas that he can make himself, a few that we can help him out with, and even a few that we could make for him as a little treat. If we’re being honest, we even collected a few project ideas for ourselves in the process because they were just such good designs that we couldn’t pass up the opportunity to include them.
Just in case you love giraffes as much as our youngest does and you’re also feeling intrigued by the idea of doing some themed crafting, here are 15 of the best DIY giraffe tutorials, concepts, and designs that we’ve come across so far in our search!
1. Adorable crocheted giraffe pattern
We’ve always loved yarn crafts and working with our crochet hook. Now that we have kids, it’s one of those diverse skills that we can use for both ourselves and them, and it also holds a lot of exciting potential because we fully intend to teach our kids how to crochet as well the moment they’re old enough. For now, however, we’re content to just make them cute toys we now they’ll love to show them how great the skill can really be. That’s why we crocheted our youngest child this simple but adorable little giraffe toy featured on Hoooked!
2. Standing paper giraffes
Have your kids caught the crafting bug this morning but they’re also feeling quite independent and you’re not sure they’ll want much help while they get down to business making something new? Then perhaps they’d prefer to make these simple little paper giraffes that are folded out of embellished paper cones! Billi Paper Art shows you how to wind the paper to a point so the giraffes can stand up on their own or even be used as finger puppets.
3. Wooden mounted giraffe rock painting
In our house, any chance to craft with unconventional materials is always popular around the DIY table. Our kids love getting hands-on with their regular supplies and altering things they’ve found in nature or round the house. That combined with the giraffe element is probably why our little ones loved making these cute painted rock crafts so much! Piedra Creativa shows you how to paint pebbles and stones in different sizes, arrange them on a backing board to make the shapes of two little giraffes, and affix them to the wood to make some 3D wall art.
4. Yarn wrapped foam animals
Do you love the idea of making 3D or multimedia crafts with your young kids but you’d actually prefer to stick with an idea that uses more classic crafting supplies rather than just things you’d find around the yard, since you have so many available? Well, if you’ve got scissors, yarn, and some hard foam, then it sounds like you’ve got everything you need to make this standing yarn wrapped giraffe featured on Vintage Muse, Modern Views! Wrap it in yellow like a real giraffe or get fancy and wrap it in whatever colour yarn you please, like a piece of pop art.
5. Mini stitched felt giraffe
Perhaps your kids are actually a little bit older and you’ve been looking for simple sewing and stitching tutorials and ideas because you’d love to teach them how to sew? In that case, we’d definitely suggest taking a look at how Guidecentral English created this adorable felt giraffe toy in just a few simple steps! The only stitching involved is actually around the edge and in adding the eyes and mouth; the rest can be embellished with smaller pieces of felt and glue.
6. Speedy giraffe scooter
If you’re going to make something from scratch with your child, would you rather create something that you know they’ll actually be able to use when you’re done, just to help you keep their interest a little more easily throughout the crafting process? Then we think you might get along well with this funny foam giraffe shaped cover that fits perfectly on a folding scooter! The Papoose Mamoose walks you through the process of making the shape, embellishing it with spots and facial features, and attaching it to the front and handle bars of the scooter.
7. DIY giraffe trinket dish
Are you still thinking about the idea of making yourself a DIY giraffe shaped project even though you know it might not be something your kids will use? Well, if you like to wear a lot of jewelry or you’re a trinket collector like us, we’d suggest taking a look at how Little Bright Eyes made a funny giraffe themed trinket dish using an old dish from a thrift shop and a plastic toy giraffe. Paint each with a matching pattern (we love their choice of white with gold contrasts), glue the giraffe into the dish, and use it to place rings or spare change in.
8. DIY painted box giraffe
Are you actually running a little bit low in the supplies department right now, so you’ve been scrolling through our list hoping to find a giraffe themed craft that you can make using upcycled materials that you might already have on hand? Well, Tams & Ed Homeschoolers had a similar goal, so they took a look through their recycling box and came out with this fantastic idea for a squared off, free-standing giraffe! We like that you could use this same base idea to make a giraffe that’s as big, wide, or tall as the boxes and tubes you found allow for.
9. Giraffe plush toy sewing pattern
Have the ideas that grabbed your attention the best so far actually been the softer crafts made from things like yarn and fabrics but you’re looking for a bit more of a challenge than the tiny felt project we showed you above, since sewing is the skill you feel you’re best at? Then we have a feeling you’re going to get a long very well with this cute, homemade plush giraffe outlined step by step on DIY Fluffies! We love how this tutorial outlines surface embellishing for the spots and facial features in just a few very simple steps.
10. Giant origami giraffe
Are you still feeling very interested indeed in the idea of making a free-standing giraffe but you’ve also been looking for the perfect project to try out at home that will help you teach your kids a new skill? Well, depending on their age and patience level, maybe it’s time to start learning origami! We love the way Creative Jewish Mom used clear instructions and photos to walk you through the process of folding your very own tall, sketch-like giraffe and then mounting it on cardboard so that it will stand on its own wherever you please.
11. Gold painted giraffe jewelry display
Were you a huge fan of the painted giraffe jewelry dish we showed you before but you’re more interested in the idea of hanging jewelry on it than you are in the trinket dish aspect of the project? Then maybe you’d prefer to skip that part and simply use the toy to make a stand that will hold things like bracelets! We love how Natalie Was Here painted theirs gold to give it a fancier finish.
12. Clay giraffe planter
Did we really catch your attention when we started talking about projects that will help you teach your kids a new skill but you’re just not sure that they’re quite ready for the patience and careful detail involved in origami yet? Well, that doesn’t mean you can’t get hands-on and take a shot at working with extra fun materials! Check out how Homedit used clay to mould the basic shape of a giraffe but with a hollow back where a small planting pot might sit. Paint it like a classic giraffe or get creative with it!
13. Giraffe nursery art
Is it actually you that loves giraffes so much rather than your child and you are, in fact, waiting for your first little one to arrive? Then maybe including giraffes in the nursery decor is the best idea for you! We’d actually put these adorable multi-coloured canvas giraffe silhouettes in just about any room because we like the simplicity of the design so much, but we’d absolutely suggest taking a look at how Make It, Love It made them in baby colours for a nursery too.
14. Giraffe toilet paper holder
Are you still thinking about how funny the idea of repurposing toy giraffes to make unique, pop culture inspired things to use around your house is but you’ve been scrolling through the list hoping to get even a little weirder than what you’ve seen so far? Then we think you might be the perfect person to try out this hilarious giraffe toilet paper holder. Diana Rambles shows you how to cut the toy, mount it on a wooden backing, and pop the toilet paper right on!
