Let’s make a cardboard Truffula Tree and The Lorax craft today. This easy Dr. Seuss craft is great for kids of all ages, but preschoolers are especially excited about the bright shapes and simple steps. Kids can learn how to make Lorax trees with this recycled craft idea at home or in the classroom.

The Lorax and a truffula tree made using a paper roll and cereal box.
Cereal box The Lorax craft for kids.

Lorax Craft for Kids

This Lorax cardboard crafts project is perfect for kids. They will love our ideas for upcycling to make a Truffula Tree and The Lorax Craft.

Related: 24 Creative Dr Seuss Art Activities for Preschoolers

The Lorax Classic Dr Seuss Book

Whether you are looking for a craft for Earth Day, Dr. Seuss’ birthday, or World Book Day, this truffula tree and The Lorax craft is perfect. The Lorax speaks for the trees and is a wonderful reminder to recycle or upcycle items that we have in our homes and try to find new uses for them.

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The Lorax book cover by Dr Seuss
Let’s read The Lorax!

Lorax Books for Kids

How to make The Lorax cardboard crafts

Things we always seem to have plenty of here are cardboard boxes and paper rolls. Send the kids out to the recycling bin to gather craft supplies for this paper craft.

Supplies needed to make lorax craft: Use cardboard boxes, paint, and scissors to make a Lorax craft with kids.
Supplies needed to make a Lorax craft using cardboard boxes.

Supplies Needed for Lorax & Truffula Tree Crafts

Directions for Lorax Craft

Step 1

Step 1 - Lorax Craft - It's easier to paint a cereal box if you turn it inside out and glue it back together first.
Turn a cereal box inside out and glue it back together before painting it.

Start with the cardboard box which will be the body of the Lorax. We thought an empty cereal box was the perfect cardboard box to upcycle for this easy kids’ craft. Start by opening all sides of the box, turn it inside out, and then glue the sides back together. It’s much easier to paint on the cardboard side of the box than on the shiny painted side, and you don’t need to use as much paint.

Craft tip: I find it quicker to use hot glue for this project, but you can use school glue or a glue stick, it might just take a little longer to dry to move onto the next step.

Step 2

Step 2 - Lorax Craft - Paint the cereal box with orange paint, just like The Lorax.
Paint your cereal box with orange paint.

Paint the cereal box with orange paint. Kids are going to love getting messy with this part. Make sure they are wearing an art smock and you put paper down to protect the work surface.

Step 3

STep 3 - The Lorax facial features sketched onto the inside of a cereal box for a craft project for kids.

On the second box, draw eyes, shaggy eyebrows, nose, and a mustache. Cut them out. If you use a thin cardboard box, kids will be able to help cut the facial features, but for a thicker box, you will need to help them.

Step 4

Step 4 - The Lorax facial features cut out of a cereal box and painted.
Paint The Lorax facial features and glue them onto the orange box.

Paint all of your cardboard cutouts, and then set them aside to dry. You should only need one coat of paint. Once the pieces are dry, you can glue them onto the orange box.

Finished Lorax Craft

A cereal box painted and decorated to look like The Lorax.
The Lorax cereal box craft.

Directions for Truffula Tree Craft

A truffula tree made out of a paper roll and cereal box that's painted green and blue.
A Truffula Tree made out of cardboard and a paper roll.

Step 1

Grab your empty paper towel roll cardboard tube and paint it with green paint.

Step 2

As you can see from the images above, we sketched the top of the Truffula Tree onto the second cardboard box, cut it out, and then painted it bright blue. You can paint yours in any color you like. You can make a whole forest of Truffula Trees in different colors.

Step 3

Clip 1/2 inch slits on opposite sides of one end of the paper towel cardboard roll with scissors and then slip the Truffula Tree top inside.

Our finished Truffula Tree and The Lorax craft

A finished Truffula Tree and The Lorax made out of a cereal box and paper roll.
A finished Truffula Tree and The Lorax craft.
Yield: 1

Colorful Lorax & Truffula Tree Craft for Kids

truffula tree and the lorax craft using cardboard

Celebrate Dr Seuss and books with this The Lorax inspired craft for kids of all ages made from cardboard and construction paper.

Prep Time 5 minutes
Active Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Difficulty easy
Estimated Cost $1

Materials

  • 2 Cardboard boxes or cereal boxes
  • Paint in a variety of colors
  • Paper towel roll with all paper towels removed

Tools

  • Glue or glue stick or tape
  • Scissors or preschool training scissors
  • Pencil

Instructions

  1. Open up all sides of the cereal box and turn it inside out. Glue or tape it back together and paint the box orange.
  2. Draw The Lorax facial features and the top of the Truffula Tree onto the inside of the second box and then cut them out.
  3. Paint the facial features, and the top of the Truffula Tree in bright colors.
  4. Glue the Lorax's facial features into place.
  5. Paint the paper roll green.
  6. Cut a slit with scissors on either side of the paper towel roll tube and insert the top of the Truffula Tree.

MORE DR SEUSS CRAFTS & IDEAS FROM KIDS ACTIVITIES BLOG

If you have a favorite book from the Dr. Seuss library that you want a simple craft or great way to try new things, here are some fun resources and Dr. Seuss activities you can try:

Did your kids have fun making this Lorax craft out of cardboard? Which was their favorite, the Lorax craft or the Truffula Tree craft?



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9 Comments

  1. We love collages over here. We haven’t read this text (or seen the film) but I love the fine detailing of the images, and I think we might use the idea with another character?? Thanks for the inspiration…

  2. This must have been so much fun to put together! Hmmm, gives me some ideas for that pile of magazines I will look at “one day”. !! Thanks for sharing. 🙂