Alligator Craft

Here he is! The alligator is finished! I shall name him Al the Alligator (clever, I know).

Materials:

1 Cascade Action Pacs dishwasher soap box

Green construction paper

Foam - white and green if you wish (I used white and colored it green with a highlighter)

Hot glue gun with glue

Google-y eyes

White foam balls - I used FloraCraft Foam Balls

Instructions:

• Clean the Cascade Action Pacs box with soap and warm water. Dry thoroughly with a towel.
• Glue each foam ball to the top of the box behind the line where the box opens. I did glue these next to each other to the point where they were touching each other. Use hot glue. Press and hold in place until glue dries (about 3-4 minutes).

• Attach google-y eyes to the front of the foam balls. Press and hold in place until dry.
• Cut out teeth from the white foam and two round circles from the white foam (or green foam).
• Color the circles green if you did not use green foam. Make little black lines on the top of the green circles to show nostrils (this portion is optional).
• Glue the white teeth to the alligator using the hot glue gun. Take it slow. Hold each section in place until the glue dries. This is the longest part of the process so be patient!
• Next, glue the green circles on the top of the box. See the picture above.

You're almost done! The last part is to cover the alligator in green construction paper. 

• I folded a piece of construction paper in half long (like a hot dog) and cut it.
• That will create the body and both piece will wrap around the alligator. You will have seams showing, but who really cares? Hot glue one piece and then glue the second piece. Be patient and let the glue dry.
• Finally, cut a rounded square shape to match the bottom of the box and glue the paper on the bottom. You don't have to do this, but I think this step makes it look complete.

It should look like this from the front when it is finished!

I have been asked what hot glue gun I use. I use a very basic glue gun from Wal-Mart that I got for about $15. It's pretty cheap, but it does the job well.

Feel free to individualize your own alligator! I thought about making little arms and a tail, but I didn't really have the time for that.

Want to make the craft a little more challenging? Get some kid-friendly tweezers and have the student pic up the picture with the tweezer and drop it in the alligator's mouth! Make this sound: nom nom nom nom as the alligator eats the fish!

If you decide to make your own alligator, please send me a picture! I would love to see how yours turn out! :)