Download and make the Sledging Penguin as a stand-alone papertoy or as character starting point for your own paper animations. The Sledging Penguin is a perfect model for combining with one of the Essential Mechanisms. Members can download the parts for free, thanks for your support! Non-members can join in the fun for £2/$3

Print out the parts onto thin card (230 micron / 67lb)

Score along the dotted and dashed lines then carefully cut out the parts.

Making the Penguin

The wings and feet are made from double thickness card, this allows them to be printed in colour on both side. Fold the parts over and glue them down. When the glue is dry carefully cut them out.

Starting from one end of the body glue the sides into place. Glue a couple of tabs at a time and work your way round to complete the body.

Give the beak a gentle curve along its length then glue it to the lower part of the eye area.

Glue on the eyes in to place covering the beak tabs.

Glue the feet into position.

Complete the penguin by gluing on the wings.

Making the Sledge

The sledge sides are made from double thickness card. Fold them over, glue them down then carefully cut them out.

Assemble the sledge base as shown.

Glue the sides to the sledge body.

Make a rope by cutting a long thin strip of scrap card and gluing it onto place as shown.

Glue the Penguin into place on the sledge to complete the model.

Handy tip if you are using the Penguin as part of an automata: when attaching the Penguin, glue just the feet so that the body is free to rock back and forth.

Try fitting the completed penguin to one of the Essential Mechanisms to bring it to life. The crank slider shown here makes the sledge bob and jump. Why not try attaching it to a mesh gear to make the penguin spin on the spot!