There is something about a hedgehog that little ones just love. Maybe it’s the round body, maybe it’s all those spikes, but every hedgehog craft we’ve ever made has been a hit at our kitchen table.
The nice thing is that hedgehogs are forgiving little creatures to make. Crooked spikes and smudged paint only make them sweeter, which takes the pressure off everyone.
I gathered twelve easy ones here, and most of them use supplies you already have at home. If your children love making little creatures as much as mine do, our easy animal crafts for kids would be a sweet list to keep nearby too.
12 easy hedgehog crafts for kids
Here are the crafts, each with a simple idea to get you started. Pick whichever one fits your afternoon and the supplies on your shelf.
1. paper plate hedgehog
Paint a paper plate brown, then cut the edge into points or snip a simple fringe for the spikes. Add a little face on one side and a nose at the tip. It’s an easy one for even the youngest hands.
2. hedgehog handprint craft
Press a brown handprint onto paper with the fingers spread wide, and those fingers become the spikes. Add a face near the thumb and a small black nose. These make sweet keepsakes because the little hands grow so fast.
3. fall leaf hedgehog craft
Cut a simple hedgehog body from paper, then glue real fall leaves across the back for the spikes. Gathering the leaves on a walk is half the fun. If your children enjoy this one, these easy leaf crafts for kids are a natural next step.
4. fork-painted hedgehog
Dip the back of a fork into brown paint and press it onto the hedgehog’s body again and again to make spiky prints. It’s quick, a little messy, and very satisfying for small hands. An old fork from the kitchen drawer works just fine.
5. acorn hedgehog craft
Glue real acorns or paper acorn shapes across a hedgehog body for a woodland feel. A short walk to gather the acorns makes the craft feel like part of the season. It sits nicely alongside our other easy harvest crafts.
6. toilet paper roll hedgehog
A cardboard tube makes a sturdy little hedgehog body that can stand on its own. Wrap it in brown paper, snip a fringe of spikes along the top, and add a face at one end. We keep a small stash of tubes just for cardboard tube crafts like this one.
7. yarn hedgehog craft
Cut a hedgehog shape from cardboard and let the children wrap brown yarn around and around the body. The wrapping is slow, quiet work, which makes this a lovely calm-down craft. Our basket of scraps gets put to good use with these cute yarn craft ideas.
8. toothpick hedgehog craft
Roll a small ball of play dough or salt dough for the body, then let the children press toothpicks in for the spikes. It’s wonderful practice for little fingers. Just keep this one for children old enough to handle the pointy ends gently.
9. hedgehog paper hat
Cut a strip of brown paper to fit around your child’s head, then add a hedgehog face in front and a fringe of spikes along the top. Once it’s taped together, the craft turns into dress-up. Expect a little hedgehog to follow you around the house for the rest of the day.
10. 3d paper hedgehog
Fold strips or fans of brown paper and glue them upright onto a hedgehog base so the spikes stand off the page. It looks impressive but comes together with simple folding. If your little ones enjoy this kind of project, our easy paper crafts for kids have plenty more to try.
11. hedgehog corner bookmark
Fold a square of paper into a corner pocket, then add a little face and paper spikes to turn it into a hedgehog that sits right on the page. It’s a sweet one to tuck into a favorite storybook. Older children can make a whole family of them.
12. tissue paper hedgehog
Crumple small squares of brown tissue paper and glue them across the hedgehog’s back until it’s nice and full. The scrunching is the best part for toddlers. No two hedgehogs ever turn out the same, and that’s the charm of it.
why hedgehog crafts are worth an afternoon
Hedgehog crafts are a gentle way to notice the season. These little creatures belong to fall the same way acorns and falling leaves do, so they fit right into a cozy autumn afternoon at the kitchen table.
They’re also wonderfully low-prep. Most of these use paper, glue, and a bit of paint, which means you can say yes to craft time without much planning. If you’re building a little fall rhythm, these easy pumpkin crafts pair nicely with a hedgehog day.
simple supplies to keep on hand
You really don’t need much for this list. Brown construction paper, glue, a little paint, and safety scissors will carry you through most of these crafts.
After that, a small basket of extras goes a long way — googly eyes, tissue paper, yarn scraps, cardboard tubes, and whatever the children bring home from a walk. Acorns and pretty leaves always seem to find their way into our hedgehogs.
gentle tips for crafting with little ones
A few small things keep craft time calm around here. None of them are rules, just what has worked for us.
- Cut the body shapes ahead of time so the youngest ones can get right to the fun part.
- Lay down a tray or an old towel to keep the mess in one spot.
- Set out one craft at a time so no one feels overwhelmed.
- Let the finished hedgehog look like theirs, crooked spikes and all.
a little wonder tucked inside
Crafting little creatures is a quiet way to talk with children about the world God made. Even a small, spiky hedgehog was made with care, and children seem to understand that without much explaining.
“O Lord, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all.” — Psalm 104:24
sew and tell
Before you go, sweet friend, one small invitation. If you make any of these hedgehogs with your little ones, I would truly love to see them. You’re always welcome to send in a picture or share your creation in the comment section below.
From time to time I feature reader crafts here on the website, and it’s such a gift to see what other families are making. Your ordinary afternoon might be the very thing that encourages another mama to pull out her craft basket too.
With love,
Betty
Get the FREE Days of Creation Craft
Don’t let your kids just hear about Creation—help them build it.
With this free Days of Creation craft, kids color and build a little fold-out Earth that opens to all seven days—from light and dark, to the animals, to the day of rest. Each day comes with a simple line of Scripture straight from Genesis 1.
frequently asked questions
what age are these hedgehog crafts best for?
Most of these work from toddler age through early elementary. For the littlest ones, cut the pieces ahead of time and let them do the gluing, painting, and scrunching. Older children can handle the cutting and folding on their own.
what supplies do i need to get started?
Brown construction paper, glue, paint, and safety scissors will cover most of the list. Extras like tissue paper, yarn, googly eyes, and cardboard tubes are nice to have. A few of these also use simple finds from a nature walk.
which hedgehog craft is easiest for toddlers?
The tissue paper hedgehog and the fork-painted hedgehog are the gentlest places to start. Both are mostly scrunching, dipping, and pressing, with no tricky steps. The handprint hedgehog is another sweet one for the youngest crafters.
are these good for a classroom or group setting?
Yes, many of them scale up well. The paper plate hedgehog, fork-painted hedgehog, and corner bookmark all work nicely for a co-op day or classroom because the supplies are inexpensive and the steps are simple.
can we use things we find outside?
Absolutely, and it’s one of my favorite parts. Real leaves and acorns make the fall leaf hedgehog and acorn hedgehog extra special. A short walk to gather materials turns the whole craft into a little outing.
