• Kids will be fascinated to build their own echidnas while learning about this strange animal.Ant eater image by Alhazm Salemi from Fotolia.com
  
  The echidna is a strange and fascinating animal that calls Australia home. The echidna is a rare mammal that lays eggs, and it resembles a porcupine with large, pointy spines protruding from their backs. If they are learning about strange animals or Australian wildlife, children may enjoy creating their own echidnas as a basic craft project.
  
  

Stick Echidna

• Children can create their own echidnas using sticks as the spines for the small animal's back. A lump of modeling clay or Play-Doh makes the ideal medium to hold these sticks in echidna shape.
  
  The clay or dough should be brown or tan to resemble the echidna's body. Shape the clay into the general shape of a ball; it should be slightly thicker in the middle than at the ends so you can tell where the animal's head and tail are. To form the creature's round, long nose (which is used much like an anteater's), push a small, thin rock into the clay at one of the thin ends. Children can also add small black buttons for eyes or some red clay on the end of the rock for a tongue.
  
  To complete the echidna look, push short sticks, trimmed pencils or short popsicle sticks into the clay along the creature's back. Each child can add as many sticks as he or she likes to make their echidna unique.
  
  

Echidna Puppet

• For an echidna puppet that is easier to move and play with than the clay version, gather some basic supplies from an arts and crafts store: egg-shaped foam pieces, brown paint and paintbrushes. You will also need some golf tees (five for each echidna your kids will make; these are available in bulk at many sporting goods stores) and toothpicks to form the echidna's spines.
  
  Push the pointy ends of the golf tees into one side of the foam eggs; these will form the echidna's legs. You may need to play with the placement of the legs until you can make the puppet stand on its own. Place one golf tee in one of the rounded edges of the egg to form the echidna's snout. Paint the body, legs and nose brown to resemble an echidna.
  
  Stick the toothpicks into the back of the egg to make the spines for the echidna. You can also paint these brown, or just leave them their natural tan color. Add small black buttons for eyes over the snout golf tee, or just draw the eyes on with a permanent marker. Kids will be able to play with this echidna, but carefully; toothpicks can be sharp.
  
  

Pipe Cleaner Echidna

• If you are looking for a safer echidna puppet that your kids can play with later, consider using pipe cleaners instead of toothpicks or sticks. You can replace the spines in the previous projects with pipe cleaners (you can paint them brown if you want them to match your clay or foam egg), or you can try a project made with cardboard.
  
  Use a brown cardboard tube, like those found in toilet paper or paper towel rolls. If you cannot find one a color you like, you can choose to paint or color it brown. Use a sewing needle to make small holes along the length of one side of the tube (make sure an adult does this part), and fill in those holes with pipe cleaners for the echidna's spines. You should also attach four pipe cleaners to the bottom of the tube for legs.
  
  To form the echidna's snout, measure the end of your cardboard tube and cut a cone out of cardboard or construction paper to match the size of the opening. Glue the cone onto the tube to create a pointy snout.
  
  You can also create feet, eyes and other optional adornments out of the cardboard and glue them onto your echidna.