Did you finally get your Christmas decorations packed away? Just resting on your laurels until Valentine’s Day? WRONG! There is another holiday that deserves attention: January 21st is Squirrel Appreciation Day… yes, this is a real holiday and it also makes for fun winter entertainment for your children. A wildlife rehabilitator, Christy Hargrove, in North Carolina founded this holiday back in 2001.
Sure you could just turn on the movie The Nut Job and call it a day, OR you could read some of our favorite books with squirrels as the lead character and follow up story time with a squirrel-themed craft. I chose a squirrel craft that I had most of the supplies for already in my home… feel free to modify it – toilet paper rolls could be the squirrel body or even pine cones.
“Squirrelly” Books
If you aren’t familiar with the Scaredy Squirrel books then you must head to the library or bookstore ASAP and start reading these books with your kids. They are hysterical and charming and great for story time.
Maybe you don’t really know what squirrels do all day… Open the pages of this book to meet a piano-playing squirrel. Kids will love this book with the real-life pictures of squirrels.
Yes, the title implies this is a chicken-centered book – BUT there is a darling squirrel who comes to the chicken squad to solve a problem – Great beginning chapter book.
Squirrel Finger Puppet Crafts
Supplies:
- Liquid glue, no glue sticks here
- Brown, Black, Tan, White pipe cleaners (I used multiple colors, but just use what you have
- Fluffy pipe cleaners (optional for the tail)
- Googly eyes
- brown pompoms
- small black pompoms (for nose)
- wine corks (optional)
- spools (optional)
Instructions:
Assemble your supplies. I suggest getting extra pipe cleaners because depending on what you use for a body, you may need more or less.
Wrap 1-2 pipe cleaners around the body, tuck the ends under the last loop on each end.
Glue eyes and nose to brown pompom and set aside to dry.
For the paws, take a 1 to 1.5 inch piece of pipe cleaner and form a U shape. Then fold each end of the U up for the paws. Wrap the U shape around the body, tucking it into the loops to secure it.
For the ears, take a 1 inch piece of pipe cleaner and form it into an M shape, clue the M shape onto the back of the head.
For the tail, use a 1.5 inch piece of fluffy pipe cleaner or regular pipe cleaner if you have it and form it into the shape of a checkmark, tuck it into one of the loops on the back side of the squirrel.
Finally, glue the head onto the body base and voila, tiny squirrels perfect to hang out in the garden, we’ve also used them as buddies for our garden gnomes.
Enjoy your Squirrel Appreciation Day and let us know what you fun ideas you come up with to honor squirrels this year!
Post contains affiliate links.
