Introduction: Benjamin Bobble Bunny

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About: During the COVID-19 crisis, all of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship's religious services moved into an online-only format. I generally organize Sunday school activities for the children of the Fellowship …

Today we heard The Tale of Benjamin Bunny, my favorite Beatrix Potter tale. Now you can make your own Benjamin Bunny to go on adventures with you -- but only take onions from your own garden, please! You can use cardstock, construction paper, or thin cardboard from a cereal box to make this bunny, but plain white paper doesn't have enough structural integrity to make the bobbling head.

Note: If you don't have a printer for the pattern, you can trace it from your computer screen or sketch the pattern out yourself.

Supplies

-bobble bunny pattern (found here)

-cardstock, construction paper, or thin cardboard

-markers or crayons

-pencil or pen

-scissors

-tape

-glue

Step 1: Cut Out Your Pattern Pieces.

You only need one of each; you'll trace two each of the shapes labeled "cut two" on the material you'll be making your bunny out of.

Step 2: Trace the Pattern Shapes.

Make sure to trace two of the shapes that say "cut two" on them! If you have trouble getting the smaller pattern pieces to stay still, stick them down gently with a loop of tape, trace around them, and then carefully pull them up.

Step 3: Decorate the Pieces.

I decided to give my bunny squinched-up happy eyes. Your bunny can look like anything!

Step 4: Cut Out All of the Pieces.

Make sure to keep track of the smaller ones! I lost an ear on the floor under the table and had to hunt around for it.

Step 5: Fold Both Ends of the Body Inward.

You want to be sure to leave a gap in the center. Crease the folds hard.

Step 6: Tape the Body.

Bring the ends together, slightly overlap them, and tape them. This will create the arch of your bunny's body!

Step 7: Glue on Your Bunny's Feet.

You could also tape them, but the glue makes things a little neater.

Step 8: Glue the Ears.

Put your bunny's ears on its head. I made my bunny's ears stick straight up. You could also give it floppy ears or somewhere in between.

Step 9: Cut a Small Strip and Fold It Accordion Style.

Take a piece of your leftover bunny material and cut out a rectangular strip, around 3 or 4 inches long and half an inch wide. It doesn't need to be exact. Fold it, accordion style, three times, like a W. It has to be exactly three times, or the head won't bobble! It will just kind of flop.

Step 10: Tape the Paper to the Body.

Tape it in the same orientation as in the picture, as if it's a letter M laying on its side.

Step 11: Tape the Head to the Neck.

It's easiest if you put a strip of tape on the back of the neck first, sticky side up. Then put the head on it and rub down the tape.

Step 12: Bobble Your Bunny's Head!

You can see it in action here!