Many moons ago we did a video hangout (where several bloggers get together and share their ideas via a skype type recording) about Nursery Rhymes and Nursery Songs. They were all the obvious ones, such as Humpty Dumpty sat on a Wall and Five Little Ducks Went Swimming One Day.. but one that I REALLY wanted to find a craft for and didn’t have much luck finding, was a cute Kookaburra craft to with the Kookaburra sits in the Old Gum Tree song! And then.. as if by magic this adorable little Kookaburra Craft “fell into my hands”. Even LONGER ago, my husband’s family went on a holiday to Bali. They were advised NOT to bring sweets for local children, but small gifts – practical ones such as pens or note pads, as well as things that represent their home country. My husband at the time (then 7 or 8yrs old) lived in Australia and his mother made a set of adorable Australian animal finger puppets, including a super lovely little Kookaburra Finger Puppet made from felt. As my husband was doing some clearing out, he came across on of these little Kookaburras and came to show me……. and I thought YOU would love a copy of it. I traced it and created a pattern… all these years later (easily 35 years later!!!)
Check out our 40 Nursery Rhyme Craft Ideas, as well as individual posts here on Red Ted Art (from cute Spiders to fabulous Humpties)
Isn’t this little Kookaburra Finger Puppet simply adorable?!
First… the Kookaburra Sits in the Old Gum Tree lyrics:
Kookaburra sits on the old gum tree,
Merry merry king of the bush is he.
Laugh, Kookaburra, laugh, Kookaburra,
Gay your life must be!
Kookaburra sits in the old gum tree
Eating all the gumdrops he can see
Stop, Kookaburra, Stop, Kookaburra
Leave some there for me.
Kookaburra sits in the old gum tree,
Counting all the monkeys he can see
Stop, Kookaburra, Stop, Kookaburra,
That’s no monkey, that’s me.
Now, a Kookaburra Sits in an Old Gum Tree video:
(NOT one of my YouTube Videos.. but do come and check out Red Ted Art on YouTube and subscribe!!)
Finally – the Kookaburra craft – materials and pattern:
Free Kookaburra pattern click here
(Print in A4 size if possible)
- Felt in various colours – cream, brown, black, blue
- A sewing machine or HOT GLUE GUN
1) Cut out all your parts – remember the pattern has been traced from the orginal, if need be trim your pieces.
2) Aline your cream back piece, with your cream front (the two top pieces on the pattern), with your brown piece (the bottom piece of your pattern. Then sew carefully together – in a big upside down U – this is where your finger needs to be able to slide in. If you don’t want to sew, or don’t feel confident with a sewing machine, you can carefully hot glue gun this together!
3) Now glue on the details – the eyes, beak, blue dash and face features.
DONE!!! ENJOY!
Tracey Quinn says
Hi there. I just listened to the video of the Kookaburra song and had a laugh. I’m an Australian and I can tell you that that was not sung by an Australian. The timing of the song was wrong, the words were wrong and the accent is fake. But do love your site and have made a few things with my grand sons. Thank you
Red Ted Art says
I have to say, I didn’t think it was the best video either – do you have one on youtube that you like? I can replace it!!!