This Paper Fish HATES Water! (Paper Fish Craft For Kids)

Admit it, parents, those “educational” apps haven’t quite replaced the allure of a good, messy craft session, have they?

Sure, there’s a certain charm to watching your little Picasso digitally fingerpaint… but nothing beats the pure joy (and slight terror) of wielding scissors and glue with reckless abandon.

And what better way to unleash that inner artist than by creating a vibrantly colored, totally unique paper fish craft that wouldn’t look out of place in Dr. Seuss illustration? That’s right, we’re diving headfirst into the wonderful world of fish paper crafts.

So, put down the tablets, dust off the glitter glue, and get ready to transform your living room into a creative seascape, with minimal tears (hopefully) and maximum cuteness.

I have made an amazing paper fish craft using basic craft materials.

In this article, I’ll walk you through the detailed instructions of the paper fish craft along with images for your reference.

Step 1: Download and Print the free Template

Let’s ditch the play-by-play and get straight to the fun part.

The image above has a handy dandy template that includes all the fishy shapes you’ll need.

Want to skip a step (and maybe avoid some questionable freehand drawing)? Just download and print this template from our website, it’s sized perfectly for A4 paper.

Of course, feel free to grab some pencils and unleash your inner artist on your own blank page, but this template is a great time-saver for busy parents (and perfectionists!).

Step 2: Choose your colorful Theme

Now for the fun part, picking your perfect fish palette.

I went with a cheerful combo of yellow, blue, and dark blue, but feel free to let your creativity run wild.

Think vibrant coral reefs, shimmering scales, or even a classic clownfish.

Once you’ve chosen your colors, grab your scissors and get ready to transform those sheets into a fin-tastic masterpiece (assembly instructions coming right up).

Step 3: The Assembling Process

Alright, time to turn those colorful cutouts into a fishy friend!

I started with the fish’s body as our base.

Next, I grabbed that blue strip and carefully lined it up along the body’s curve.

Imagine it like a cool swimsuit, it should hug the body shape without any gaps.

Step 4: Sticking them all

Once that first blue stripe is swimming smoothly along the body, it’s time for its buddies.

Line up the second strip right next to the first, creating a cool, layered effect.

Repeat this with the third and final strip, remember, it’s the shortest of the bunch.

By now, your fish should be looking nice and shaded, ready for the next step.

Step 5: Adding Vision

With the colorful stripes shimmering like scales (and the glue nice and dry), it’s time to give our fishy friend some life.

I started with its peepers.

I grabbed a scrap of white paper and punched out a perfect circle (a hole puncher works wonders here).

Next, I used a marker to add a black dot for the pupil, just like in the picture above.

Finally, with a careful dab of glue, I adhered the eye to its rightful place.

See? Just like that, the paper fish has come alive.

Step 6: Assembling the Fins

Now that our fish buddy is looking splashtastic, let’s give it some fins to zoom around the seas.

I have three fins to attach i.e. a dorsal fin on the back (that’s the fancy word for the top fin), a caudal fin (that’s the tail), and a smaller pelvic fin near its belly.

Take a look at our template (or picture 6.2 above if you’re following along with your own design), it shows exactly where each fin goes.

Once you’ve stuck all the fins on securely, your fishy friend will be ready for underwater adventures (Do not actually put the fish in water it’s a paper fish it will die LOL).

Video Walkthrough of paper fish craft for Kids

Final Thoughts 

Once you have created a paper fish craft the fun doesn’t have to stop here. Here are some ideas to extend the craft and spark even more creativity:

• Turn it into a mobile: Attach some fishing line or thread to your fish and hang it from the ceiling. Add more fishy friends or other sea creatures for a vibrant mobile that will brighten any room.
• Underwater scene diorama: Use a cardboard box or poster board to create a backdrop for your paper fish.  Decorate it with seaweed (cut from green paper), colorful coral (construction paper circles), and maybe even a friendly octopus (made from handprints).
• Get fancy with textures: Instead of plain colored paper, consider using glitter paper, textured cardstock, or even scraps of fabric for the fins and body.  This adds a unique touch and allows for even more creative expression.
• Story time: Give your paper fish a name and personality.  Use it as a puppet to act out a story about a school of fish going on an adventure.

Remember, there are no mistakes in the world of art.

Embrace the mess, encourage creativity, and most importantly, have fun together. After all, the best part of this craft is the time spent creating alongside your child.

Note: I have shared a complete video walkthrough of the paper fish project on our YouTube channel. If you have particular demands for different fish breed templates such as the popular ones like Shark, Whale, etc. do write to us in our comments section and we will try to have it available for you.

Frequently Asked Questions