Water Buffalo Paper Plate Craft

If you’re looking for a fun and educational craft, this paper plate water buffalo craft is a perfect fit!

This craft is perfect for a cultural unit on the Philippines or Vietnam, as the water buffalo (called the carabao in the Philippines) is the national animal for both of these countries.

Kids will love using our free printable template to transform a paper plate into an adorable water buffalo.

Not only is this craft fun to create, it’s also a great chance for kids to learn about the significance of the water buffalo in many countries.

Perfect for classrooms or at home and great for kids of all ages!

Water Buffalo Craft

Materials

• Water buffalo template (available for download below)
• Paper plates (2)
• Grey paint/paintbrush
• Scissors
• Glue

Instructions

Here’s how to make your very own water buffalo craft!

First, grab the water buffalo template by downloading and printing it from the link at the bottom of the page. Once you have that, it’s time to get started with the plates.

You’ll need two paper plates—paint one dark grey and the other light grey. Then, set them aside to dry.

While your plates are drying, cut out all the pieces from the template you printed earlier.

Once the plates are dry, take the dark grey one and trace the water buffalo’s head and ears onto it. Then, use the light grey plate to trace the horns.

Now, go ahead and cut out all those pieces.

Next, let’s put your water buffalo together! Glue the horns on either side of the head, then glue the ears behind the horns.

Finish off your water buffalo by gluing on the eyes and using a black pen to draw the nostrils and any other little face details you want to add.

And there you have it—a cute and crafty water buffalo!

Now that you’ve completed your paper plate water buffalo, you’ve not only created a fun and unique craft but also learned a bit about its cultural significance.

Whether you’re studying the carabao in the Philippines or the water buffalo in Vietnam, this project is a wonderful way to connect with different cultures.

Interesting Facts About Water Buffalo

• National Animal: In countries like the Philippines (where it’s called a carabao) and Vietnam, the water buffalo is the national animal! It’s highly respected for its role in farming and daily life.
• Farm Helpers: Water buffalo are strong animals that help farmers plow fields, especially in rice paddies. They are often called “living tractors” because of their strength and endurance.
• Love of Water: Water buffalo love to cool off by spending lots of time in ponds, rivers, and mud. This helps them stay cool in hot weather.
• Two Types: There are two main types of water buffalo—domestic water buffalo, which help farmers, and wild water buffalo, which are larger and live in the wild.
• Big Horns: Water buffalo have large, curved horns that can grow up to 5 feet long! These horns help protect them from predators.
• Gentle Giants: Despite their size and strength, domesticated water buffalo are known to be calm and gentle animals, often living peacefully alongside humans.
• Rice Paddies and Mud: In many Asian countries, like Vietnam and the Philippines, water buffalo are essential for working in the wet, muddy fields needed to grow rice.
• Symbols of Strength: In both Vietnam and the Philippines, the water buffalo symbolizes hard work, resilience, and patience due to its importance in agriculture.
• Festival Favorite: In some places, water buffalo races and festivals are held to celebrate these amazing animals, like the Pahiyas Festival in the Philippines.
• Milk and Cheese: Water buffalo milk is richer and creamier than cow’s milk. In some countries, it’s used to make cheese, like mozzarella di bufala in Italy!