Last Updated on May 3, 2026 by Masha Eretnova
Jellyfish are one of those animals kids are completely fascinated by. They look alien, they glow, they float without any effort. This jellyfish craft for kids turns that fascination into a hands-on activity that takes less than 30 minutes and costs nothing beyond printer ink and a glue stick.
The printable includes all the pieces needed to assemble a big-eyed, smiling cartoon jellyfish: a rounded blue bell, a cute face with rosy cheeks, several wavy tentacles in two shades of blue, and a scalloped fringe strip that sits at the bottom of the body.
What Age Is This For
This craft works well for children aged 3 and up. Preschoolers will need help with cutting but can handle the gluing independently. Kids aged 5 and older can complete the whole page on their own. There’s no folding or assembly complexity, just cut and stick.
What You’ll Need
- The free printable PDF (download below, enter your email for instant access)
- Scissors, child-safe for younger kids
- A glue stick
- A printer, color recommended but black and white works if kids want to color it themselves
- Crayons or markers if printing in black and white
Optional: a sheet of light blue paper to mount the finished jellyfish on as a simple ocean background scene.
How to Make the Jellyfish
Step 1: Download and print
Enter your email below and the PDF will arrive in your inbox immediately. Print on standard letter-size paper. The pieces come pre-colored in two tones of blue, so color printing gives the best result.
Step 2: Look at the reference image before cutting
The top corner of the printout shows the finished jellyfish. Spend a moment identifying each piece on the page and where it goes. The large rounded shape is the bell, the wavy strips are the tentacles, the scalloped strip sits along the bottom edge of the bell, and the eyes, cheeks, and smile make up the face.
Step 3: Cut out all the pieces
Cut along the outer outline of each piece. The bell is the largest and easiest shape. The tentacles are wavy and slightly more winding, which gives kids good scissor practice. For children under 4, parents can pre-cut while kids get the glue ready.
Step 4: Build the face first
Glue the eyes, cheeks, and smile onto the lower half of the bell before attaching anything else. Using the reference image as a guide, position them so the jellyfish has that wide-eyed, cheerful expression. Press each piece down firmly and hold for a few seconds.
Step 5: Attach the scalloped fringe
The scalloped strip runs along the bottom curved edge of the bell. Apply glue to the back of the strip and press it into place so the scallops hang just below the bell’s edge. This is the piece that gives the jellyfish its layered, flowing look.
Step 6: Add the tentacles
Arrange the wavy tentacles below the scalloped fringe before gluing, alternating the two shades of blue. Once the arrangement looks good, glue each one into place overlapping slightly behind the fringe strip. Fan them out so they spread downward naturally.
Step 7: Let it dry and display
Give the glue a minute to set, then mount the jellyfish on blue paper or hang it from a string for a floating effect. A group of them at different heights makes a beautiful display.
Tips for Best Results
Encourage kids to arrange all pieces before gluing anything down. This one extra step prevents the frustration of having glued something in the wrong spot.
If printing in black and white, let kids color the bell and tentacles before cutting. It’s much easier to color flat pieces than to color around already-assembled parts.
For a classroom or group activity, set out pre-cut pieces in small trays so kids can go straight to the assembly stage. This keeps things moving and lets younger children participate fully without waiting.
More Ocean Crafts to Try
If your child loved this jellyfish, there are plenty more ocean animals to build. Our paper fish craft follows the same simple cut-and-glue format and is great for preschoolers.
The seahorse craft and build-an-octopus printable are both one-page builds at a similar level.
For something with more of a challenge, the 3D stingray uses a folding technique that makes the wings pop up.
And if you want ten different ocean animals in one download, the ocean animals paper craft collection covers fish, turtle, crab, octopus, and more.
Get the Free Printable
Download the Build a Jellyfish printable PDF free by entering your email below.
Masha Eretnova, born in 1991, is a Buenos Aires-based certified teacher, artist, and member of the Professional Artist Association with 20+ years of personal painting journey.
She started painting and drawing very early and is now an international abstract artist and educator passionate about acrylic painting, gouache, and crafts.
Her works are part of international exhibitions and contests, including ArtlyMix (Brazil), Al-Tiba 9 (Spain), Exhibizone (Canada), Italy, and many more.
Besides her artistic pursuits, Masha holds a post-grad diploma in Teaching Film Photography and 2 music school diplomas: piano and opera singing.