Upcycle a matchbox into a munching matchbox monster puppet!
Today we’re showing you how to turn a humble matchbox into a DIY toy which is fun to make at Halloween or any time of year. It’s also a great recycling craft.
This DIY toy idea was first published in 2020 and has been updated and reshared for today’s audience.
You might also like our egg carton monster treat holders
Have you ever noticed how matchboxes open and close like a munching mouth? A very hungry-looking munching mouth with hundreds of needle-sharp wooden teeth.
I thought this made a great base for a new recycling craft for kids, and turned some used matchboxes into munching monster puppets. Although our monsters have harmless paper teeth.
Want to make one?
You can make your munching matchbox monster puppet completely unique, just change the eyes (or eye), horns, ears and nose to whatever your imagination comes up with.
How to make a matchbox monster puppet
You will need:
- A matchbox (we’ve used the larger sized ones)
- acrylic paint
- paper
- Lead pencil
- Black marker
- Scissors
- Glue stick
How to:
Paint your matchbox in whatever colour you want your monster to be. Also paint the inside. When painting the outside of the inner part of the box, be careful not to put the paint on too thick or you will have trouble opening and closing your muncher.
On the printed outside of the box, you will probably need to do two coats of paint to get it opaque-looking.
Once the paint is dry, draw the monster features on paper.
To make the teeth, mark the size of the bottom edge of the matchbox and create a row of teeth to fit exactly. Or, just make a couple of fangs.
Glue the paper parts on, and add a little fringed piece of paper to the bottom for chin hair.
Watch out, these guys are very, very hungry!
Monster books for kids
More monster craft ideas for kids
- Make a rainbow of peg monsters
- Upcycle an egg carton into some colourful monster treat holders
- Sew some shape monster softies using our free printable pattern
- This cereal box monster is hungry for sight words
- Turn a large cardboard box into a sea monster costume
- Make your kids lunches funnier with these printable monster lunch box jokes
