Make a Cute Rat Card

2020 is the Year of the Rat in Chinese culture – it’s time to celebrate this zodiac animal! The rat is believed to be a clever creature and it also represents fertility. You’ll love this fun idea that ties in perfectly with your Chinese New Year topic work, so use our simple tutorial today.

You will need:

• A4 coloured card - red and light grey
• Pink coloured paper
• Scissors
• PVA glue and a spreader
• Black felt-tip or pencil
• White paper to print your template
• Bulldog clip or blue-tack (optional)

What you do:

1. Download our rat shapes template to print out as a guide to help make your card.
2. Fold the red card to make an A5 card blank.
3. Cut out the template pieces for the rat shapes and 'Happy New Year' message. Then use the templates to cut the rat body, head and ears from grey card - you may find it helpful to use a bulldog clip, or blu-tack, to keep each template piece steady on the grey card while cutting out the card and paper.
4. Cut out the inner ear pieces, feet and nose from pink paper.
5. Glue the pink inner ear pieces onto the grey ear pieces.
6. Stick each ear at either side near the top of the rat's head, by using a small amount of glue at the bottom of each ear.
7. Stick down the eyes, which you have cut from the template sheet. Take care to space them apart evenly and position them as shown. Also stick down the pink nose.
8. Glue the rat body in the bottom half of the front of the red card. Stick the rat’s head at the top of the body and the pink feet at the bottom.
9. Use the felt tip to draw a mouth shape and whiskers on the rat’s face, as well as a tail.
10. Finish off your card by gluing on the greeting pieces, which you cut from the template, in position above and below the rat.