How to Make a Foam Monkey Face

Create a foam monkey face with your child.

Foam is an ideal craft material for young children. It cuts easily with safety scissors, comes in many colors and patterns, is more durable than paper and even gives a three-dimensional effect when layered. For a simple afternoon activity, you and your child can each create your own foam monkey faces or plan a group activity for a weekend play date or jungle-themed birthday party.

Things You'll Need

• 1 sheet brown craft foam
• Scissors
• 1 sheet tan craft foam
• Glue
• 2 googly eyes
• Black marker
• Pink paint marker

Instructions

1. Cut out a circle using the brown foam. The circle should be approximately 6 to 8 inches in diameter. This will serve as the background of the monkey's face.

2. Draw the outline of the second layer of the monkey's face on the tan foam. Begin with an oval, approximately 4 to 6 inches wide, stretched horizontally. Add two protruding semicircles from the top of the oval. These semicircles will serve to outline the monkey's brow region. Cut along the marked outlines.

3. Glue the tan shape onto the center of the brown circle.

4. Cut two small circles, each approximately 1 1/2 to 2 inches in diameter, from the tan foam. These will be the monkey's ears.

5. Attach the small tan circles to the monkey's face. Space them a few inches apart, or where "ten" and "two" are located on a clock. Glue them to the back of the brown circle so the bottom third of the ears are hidden and the top 2/3 stick out.

6. Glue on the googly eyes inside the semicircle sections of the monkey's face.

7. Draw the monkey's mouth using the black marker. Allow your child to draw a happy, scary or funny face.

8. Draw two small, opaque circles on the monkey's cheeks using the pink paint marker.

Tips & Warnings

• To create a foam monkey mask, replace the googly eyes with moderately sized holes. Punch two tiny holes on each side of the foam face, thread thin elastic through them, and tie securely. Use this elastic strap to hold the mask in place.

• To create a monkey puppet, simply glue the end of a flat, wooden craft stick to the back of the foam face.

Resources

• Parents; Fun Foam Craft Projects for Kids; Margaret VanEchaute