These Australia Day arts and crafts are perfect for little hands and growing minds.
You can create a charming koala mask using cardboard and cotton balls or try Aboriginal dot painting with Q-tips and earth-toned colours.
Let your toddler make a handprint kangaroo complete with a joey in its pouch, or design an Australian flag collage using torn paper.
Transform paper plates into rainbow boomerangs, craft a newspaper platypus, or weave a colourful wombat with yarn.
Paint with cotton swabs, make sensory rice beaches, and play with Australian animal memory cards.
These activities offer endless opportunities to investigate Australia’s rich culture and unique wildlife.
1. Easy Koala Paper Mask
Creating a lovable koala mask is a perfect craft project for toddlers that requires just a few basic materials.
You’ll need grey cardboard, a template, scissors, glue, elastic, and some fluffy materials for the ears. For an eco-friendly twist, I recommend using recycled cereal boxes.
Start tracing the template onto your grey card and carefully cutting out the mask shape.
Add those signature koala features by colouring the nose and eyes with black marker. Masking tape reinforcement will strengthen the holes before punching them for the elastic.
Stick some cotton balls or faux fur on the ears for extra charm and to create that adorable fluffy look. Remember to reinforce the eye holes with tape before cutting them out.
2. Aboriginal Dot Art
Exploring Aboriginal dot art with toddlers offers a wonderful way to introduce them to Indigenous Australian culture while developing their fine motor skills.
This art form originated in Papunya in 1971 when Aboriginal men began translating their sand drawings onto walls and canvas.
I love using Q-tips instead of traditional bamboo skewers – they’re perfect for little hands!
Let your child dip the Q-tip in kid-friendly acrylic paint and create beautiful patterns on paper. You’ll be amazed at how quickly they learn this fascinating art technique.
- Use earth-toned colours like brown, orange, and yellow to stay true to traditional Aboriginal art.
- Start with simple patterns like circles and lines before moving to more complex designs.
- Create a story together using basic Aboriginal symbols like U-shapes for people and wavy lines for water.
3. Handprint Kangaroo
After discovering Aboriginal art, let’s hop over to another Australian-inspired craft!
You’ll love creating this adorable handprint kangaroo with your little one. It’s a perfect activity that brings the Outback to your crafting table.
Paint your child’s hand and press it onto paper to create the kangaroo’s body. Then, add the distinctive features that make these marsupials so lovable.
Grab your paint, paper, and scissors to get started once you’ve made the handprint, cut out ears, legs, and a tail from construction paper.
Add googly eyes or draw them with markers, create a cute nose, and don’t forget the all-important pouch! I love adding a baby Joey peeking out—it’s always my child’s favourite part of this craft.
4. Australian Flag Collage
This colourful flag collage makes a wonderful companion craft to our kangaroo handprints. I love sharing this activity with little ones because it’s fun and educational.
You’ll want to start with bright blue construction paper as your base—it’s the perfect backdrop for creating Australia’s iconic flag.
The thicker paper provides a sturdy foundation for all the decorative elements.
- Let your toddler help tear white paper into small pieces for the stars
- Use craft glue to create the Union Jack design in the corner
- Add sparkly stickers or glitter to make the Southern Cross shine
Watch your toddler’s eyes light up as they piece together their very own Australian flag!
This hands-on activity helps develop fine motor skills while introducing them to one of Australia’s most important national symbols.
Don’t forget to display their masterpiece proudly alongside their kangaroo artwork.
5. Paper Plate Rainbow Boomerang
Perfectly suited for little hands, the Paper Plate Rainbow Boomerang transforms ordinary craft supplies into colourful, Australian-inspired creations.
You’ll find it’s a delightful way to blend Indigenous Australian culture with vibrant artistic expression.
Start by cutting your paper plate in half, then let your little one paint beautiful rainbow stripes across the surface – I recommend using Kwik Stix Paint for a mess-free experience.
This quick and simple craft can be completed in under 30 minutes. Once the paint’s dry, add fluffy cotton ball clouds with a generous dollop of glue.
For extra flair, you can attach cardstock strips with a stapler to create interesting patterns.
This craft is fantastic for St. Patrick’s Day celebrations or spring-themed activities. It also serves as an educational tool for teaching kids about weather patterns and cultural appreciation.
6. Sensory Rice Beach Play
Moving from the rainbow to the waves, let’s bring the beach indoors with an enchanting sensory rice play experience.
I love creating this magical ocean scene using different shades of blue-dyed rice – stunning!
To get started, you’ll need a large container, rice dyed in ocean colours, seashells, and adorable sea animal miniatures.
- Perfect for those rainy days when you can’t make it to Bondi Beach
- Creates a soothing sensory experience that’ll remind you of Australia’s beautiful coastline
- It helps develop your little one’s fine motor skills while having a blast
Layer your dyed rice to create wave effects, scatter the seashells and sea creatures throughout, and watch your toddler’s eyes light up!
Don’t forget to add some scoops and bowls for hours of pouring and transferring fun.
7. Newspaper Platypus
Creating an Australian platypus from a newspaper offers a delightful way to teach toddlers about one of our unique native animals.
You’ll love watching your little one’s face light up as this simple craft comes to life using basic materials around your home.
Start by rolling legal-sized paper into a sturdy tube, securing it with tape, and stapling one end to create a base.
Cut newspaper into long strips, then show your toddler how to crease and twist them into fun, snake-like shapes.
Once you’ve twisted enough strips, stuff them into your tube. The final touch is decorating your platypus. I recommend using markers to add distinctive eyes and that famous duck-like bill.
It’s a fantastic sensory activity that brings Australia’s most peculiar creature into your craft corner.
8. Colorful Wombat Yarn Art
This delightful wombat yarn art project lets toddlers explore texture while learning about Australia’s charming marsupials.
You’ll start by drawing a simple wombat shape on card stock and colouring it with crayons.
Next, cut tan or brown yarn into one-inch pieces – this is the perfect length for little hands to work with.
- Perfect for developing fine motor skills
- Creates a wonderful sensory experience
- It takes just 15 minutes to complete
Let your toddler apply tacky glue to the wombat’s body, then help them stick on the yarn pieces to create a fuzzy coat.
Add finishing touches like eyes and a nose with crayons. It’s amazing to see how proud kids are when they create their textured wombat – and they’ll learn about Australian wildlife while they craft!
9. Paint With Cotton Swabs
With just a few cotton swabs and some colourful paint, your toddler can create stunning works of art that introduce them to the technique of pointillism.
I recommend setting up a paint tray with vibrant colours, such as tempera or watercolours—they’re perfect for little hands to dip into.
Let your child grip the cotton swab and start dabbing dots onto smooth paper, creating fun patterns and pictures.
You’ll love watching them experiment with different colours and develop fine motor skills.
For the best experience, I suggest using muffin tins to organize paint and minimize mess.Â
Once your toddler’s masterpiece has dried, they can add extra details with markers if they’d like.
Don’t forget to let them investigate freely – that’s where the real magic happens!
10. Australian Animal Memory Cards
Australian Animal Memory Cards offer a delightful way to introduce your toddler to the unique wildlife down under.
These eco-friendly cards, made from recycled materials, are fun and perfect for developing your child’s concentration and memory skills.
You’ll love how these beautifully illustrated cards feature native Australian animals and plants. They will make learning about our incredible wildlife engaging and entertaining.
They’re portable enough to take anywhere.
