These Pom-Pom Sea Turtles Are Just As Cool As Real Sea Turtles

Learn more about sea turtles while putting together this craft!

If you’re taking a trip somewhere tropical this summer, you may be lucky enough to spot a sea turtle in the wild. Sea turtles are pretty incredible animals, and these pom-pom sea turtles are a fun way to show just how much you love these sea creatures!

There are seven different species of sea turtles that we know about, including the loggerhead, which is the most common sea turtle to see in the U.S., the leatherback, which is the largest sea turtle, and the endangered green turtle who nests in Florida. In fact, the majority of sea turtle species are endangered and need our protection.

That’s why it’s so important to learn about these animals, so you can tell your friends and family why they’re so important to the environment!

Leatherback sea turtles have stayed pretty much the same since the age of the dinosaurs, and they’re known as “living fossils.” These turtles can swim over 10,000 miles per year, and they’re also able to dive to 4,000 feet below sea level. Most sea turtles take more than 20 years to reach maturity (in fact, females don’t reach maturity until age 35). They spend most of that time in the open ocean despite needing to breathe air. They eventually return to the shores where they originally hatched to nest and lay eggs, and can live to be 100 years old.

Sea turtles are so cool — as are these pom-pom sea turtles you can make with construction paper and yarn! Here’s what you need to get started.

Want to do more sea creature crafts? Learn how to make jellyfish twirligigs here, and check out this fun narwhal crayon resist project here!