This adorable Peter Rabbit paper craft is an easy way to create a sweet miniature playset for imaginative small-world play props or a spring sensory bin. Invite your little ones to immerse themselves in the magical world of the beloved Beatrix Potter stories with this (free!) printable Peter Pabbit play.
I have a long love affair with Beatrix Potter books. I was gifted a mini collection when I was born, and though the covers are falling off and the pages are lovingly worn, the set is still among my most treasured possessions and favorite picture book treasury.
The illustrations are pure magic, and as I grew up, the idea that Beatrix daydreamed about these little pals through her adulthood only made the series more beloved. What a model of keeping imagination with you.
In honor of Ms. Potter, everyone’s favorite mischievous bunny, and the arrival of spring, I thought I’d share my own version of a miniature Mr. McGregor’s garden – in a portable, travel-sized tin. It’s Peter Rabbit small-world play made simple!
Beyond enchanting small-world creation, you can use this paper playset to make all kinds of Peter Rabbit kids’ crafts and activities, and I’ve shared lots of ideas to spark your imagination below!
Bonus: combine this with our bunny & chick free printables for a whole afternoon of sunny bunny fun! Or make a different kind of mini garden with our recycled peace garden kids’ art and meditation project!
To make your own miniature Peter Rabbit garden you’ll need:
Note: We prefer to shop locally or use what we have at home, but this list contains Woodpeckers Crafts, Etsy, Blick Art Materials, Bookshop.org and/or Amazon affiliate links for reference. As affiliates (and Amazon Associates), we make a small commission on qualifying purchases.*
BASIC SUPPLIES:
- 1-2 Sheets of 8.5 x 11 Heavy Cardstock
- Our free printable pocket Peter Rabbit garden play set
- Scissors
- Brown play dough, paper, or felt
OPTIONAL SUPPLIES:
- (1) Self-laminating sheet (I used a half-page of these Scotch brand sheets)
- Green felt for grass
- Crayons, markers, or other coloring supplies
- An Altoid tin for storage
The printable includes miniature paper vegetables, a picket fence, foliage, a potting bench & supplies, a wheelbarrow, the infamous scarecrow, and (of course!) Peter Rabbit himself. There are also two additional pages in black & white for ink-savers who would rather color their own!
How to Make a Miniature Peter Rabbit Garden – DIY Instructions:
Download, print, and cut out our free printable paper Peter Rabbit Garden pieces.
Download and print out the desired pages of our printable Peter Rabbit Garden PDF (be sure to choose “borderless printing” in your printer settings). Cut out the pieces you’d like to use for your garden. Pieces that have a mirror image can be folded over to stand up!
Laminate the pieces (optional).
Because I wanted to “plant” my vegetables in the playdough garden, I used a self-laminating sheet to moisture-proof them, make them more durable & keep them from bending when being played with.
Add playdough to a small tin to create a mini garden filled with “dirt.”
Make or add playdough to a small tin for your garden. I used this playdough recipe and added equal parts of red, blue, and green dye to create a brown color. If you’d rather not use play dough, you can cut a piece from a thick foam sheet, old styrofoam, felt, or something similar to create your garden “dirt”.
Arrange your own little Peter Rabbit garden!
This part is the most fun because you get to set up your very own garden and have fun letting Peter play! You can add to your garden with drawings, cut more felt pieces to use as extra grass patches or dirt and create your own pop-up figures of Mr. McGregor and other characters.
Five Ways to Use Your Miniature Peter Rabbit Playset
1. Put together an easy Peter Rabbit sensory bin.
So many people have sent lovely photos of our printed playset put to use for Peter Rabbit-themed spring sensory bin play. Fill a small container or small clay pots with dried beans, colored rice, paper grass, play dough, or even dirt, then add our printed pieces and other small gardening accessories.
2. Create a pop-up paper Peter Rabbit playset for travel.
This little paper garden folds up to fit in a travel tin, making it a fantastic play item to throw in a purse for restaurants or on-the-go entertainment.
3. Print for instant Peter Rabbit party accessories.
For spring or summer parties, these make a super-cute set of themed cake toppers or baby shower gift tags.
4. Plan a real Peter Rabbit garden.
Use these little play pieces to plan your own Peter Rabbit-themed children’s vegetable garden. You can find some helpful tips and ideas for gardening with kids here.
5. Make a Peter Rabbit felt storyboard for spring.
You can also use them for a spring felt storyboard – simply laminate and add velcro pieces to each cutout piece’s back!
I’ve found the fastest and easiest way to make a DIY felt storyboard (large or small) is to use a picture frame. Simply remove the glass, and replace it with a piece of felt cut to size (along with a piece of scrap cardboard to use as a backing if necessary).
Slide or clip in the frame back as usual, and just like that, you have a felt storyboard that can be used flat, standing up, or even hung on a wall! You can even take it apart and reuse everything when finished.
More Peter Rabbit Crafts and Activities for Kids
Peter Rabbit has always been one of my favorite storybook characters for spring play with kids. Here are a few darling ideas for a Peter Rabbit craft or activity your kids will love!
- Plant a mini McGregor garden. Encourage your kids to explore growing their own produce with this DIY McGregor garden. Carrots, radishes, lettuce…what will your tabletop test garden grow…?
- Make your own Peter Rabbit stuffed animal. Craft a cuddly version with this absolutely adorable felt pocket bunny craft from Teach Beside Me, or this sweet little Peter Rabbit DIY plushie.
- Throw a Peter Rabbit party! Hosting a spring party or shower? Grab inspiration from this oh-so-cute Beatrix Potter-inspired birthday party from Pop Sugar.
- Build a home for a handmade Peter Rabbit. Make your own Peter Rabbit as a DIY no-sew sock bunny – complete with a shoebox play bunny hutch!
More Spring Art and Crafts for Kids
It’s bunny season, so grab an activity idea from this collection of our favorite bunny art and craft projects for kids! Our DIY folk art bunnies include a rabbit-themed process that will make your little ones jump for joy! And for an uber-modern take on bunnies and chicks, try your hand at a Calder-inspired cardboard spring sculpture!
Gather scrap paper to make your own cardboard fold-out secret garden if you’re drawn to the garden. Or head outside to gather fresh blooms for a playdough fairy forest nature play invitation.
*A note about affiliate links: We strive to use simple, earth-friendly supplies that can be purchased locally whenever we can, but sometimes we find the best universally available options, a rare eco-friendly find, or a niche product only available on Blick Art Materials, Amazon, Etsy, or Woodpeckers Crafts. When included in our supply list, these products are affiliate links, and if you click through to make a purchase we receive a small commission that helps us re-order these supplies!
GETTING READY TO TRY this?
I love seeing all the ways people make these ideas their own! If you're sharing the results of one of our projects, mention or tag me with @barleyandbirch, or share it in the comments of one of our Pinterest project pins.
thank you for sharing
You’re so welcome! ☺️
Hi Marg, I’m so sorry you had trouble with the download! I just sent an email with your copy of Peter’s Garden (if you don’t see it right away, be sure to check your spam!)
Hi, I just crafted these, its easy and also fun to play!
I’m wondering if i’m allowed to share it on Instagram?
Many Thanks.
Hi Rhazen! You can share the link to this post anywhere you like, and if you post a picture of what you made with our printable and tag us, we’ll share it in our stories! For more specific information about how you can share our printables/photos you can read the Terms of Service file that came with the printable, visit our printable FAQs or email with any specific questions about usage and sharing. So glad you enjoyed it!
Amanda, You are so very sweet to include all these children in your daily hobby. I really appreciate you letting us use all your ideas. I can not get the Travel Tin Of Peter Rabbit to download. Am I missing something? I have checkedmy spam and no peter rabbit. Please help. This item is about the cutest I have seen on the internet. You do such a beautiful job. Thanks!
Thank you so much for the lovely compliments Debby! I’m sorry you’ve had trouble accessing the download – I’m going to double-check the file, but in the meantime, I’ve sent you and email with the printable! If you don’t see it in your inbox, be sure to check your spam folder, as sometimes our mail gets sent their by mistake.
I cannot see how to download the Peter Rabbit Garden. All the links go to another DIY project.
Lila
Hi Lila! The link is actually up in the supply list – here you go! https://barleyandbirch.com/shop/paper-peter-rabbit-garden-printable/