The JumpStart Blog

What did the boy octopus say to the girl octopus?

“Can I hold your hand hand hand hand hand hand hand hand????”

At least this octopus had the courage to ask right?! In all seriousness, octopi are some of the most fascinating creatures in the ocean. Not only do they have 8 legs, but they also are the smartest of all invertebrates! “Experiments show that some octopi have short- and long-term memory, that they can distinguish shapes and patterns, and that they may even possess observational learning.” (More octopus facts here.) They can even change their skin to camouflage themselves in their surroundings. They are able to match a wide range of backgrounds like sand, coral, seaweed and more! Their skin changes almost instantly as they swim through the sea. Just in case their camouflage defense does not work, many have an ink sac that shoots out ink when they are in trouble. This ink produces a strong colored liquid in the water that acts as a screen to hide the octopi from their enemies as they swim away. In celebration of this magnificent creature, here is a fun craft to do with the kids!

Learn to make this adorable sea creature!

What you will need…

• toilet paper roll or paper towel roll (use a paper towel roll if you want to make a squid!)
• 2 colors of paint
• scissors
• a pencil
• googly eyes

How to make the octopus…

1. Paint the toilet paper roll one color.
2. When it dries, take a sponge and dip it into the next color. Sponge the 2nd color to give it a camouflaged effect.
3. Once the second color of paint dries, use the scissors to make a cut that extends 2/3 of the way up the roll. Make the same cut another 7 times to create tentacles.
4. Roll each tentacle up around the pencil.
5. Paint under the tentacles with a solid color and draw circles to represent suction cups!
6. Stick on those googly eyes and draw a mouth.

Step 1. Paint the tube!

Step 2. Sponge paint!

Step 3. Cut out some tentacles.

Step 5. Make those tentacles colorful.

Step 6. Finish your octopus off with eyes and a mouth!

Now you have your very own pet octopus! Have some fun with your new octopus pal and test your children’s understanding of camouflage. See if your children can hide the octopus in areas where its pattern will blend with its surroundings. There’s nothing like octopus hide-and-seek to get your little one thinking!

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Filed under: Just for Fun! Tagged: | crafts, science