Boo-Boo Bunny
Made from a baby blue washcloth with a cute little pom pom nose and tail, this wee bunny cheers little ones up when they fall down and helps ease the pain, thanks to an ice cube tucked into its belly.
Owwiess are never fun, but a boo-boo bunny helps to dry tears faster and can even change a frown into a smile! This simple no-sew project comes together in minutes with whatever you have on hand.
By Dylan Wilde, Cedar Rose Assistant Teacher
When I was a young child, my grandmother made me a special healing friend that helped soothe bumps, scrapes, and other owwies, which she called a “boo-boo bunny.” Made from a baby blue washcloth with a cute little pom pom nose and tail, my wee bunny cheered me up when I fell down and helped ease the pain, thanks to an ice cube tucked into its belly. My old boo-boo bunny is long gone, but I discovered I could quickly and easily make a new one using just a few common household items. I invite you to try your hand at making one with and for your child. Owwies are never fun, but a boo-boo bunny helps to dry tears faster and can even change a frown into a smile!
This simple, no-sew project comes together in minutes with whatever you have on hand. I used two peppercorns and a dried bean for the eyes and nose and a cotton ball for the tail, but you could try beads, buttons, pom poms, pebbles, or whatever else is available. Use your imagination! I’m sure you have everything you need to make a boo-boo bunny right now. So hop to it!
Materials:
Clean square washcloth
Thin rubberband
Small round objects for the eyes and nose (beans, buttons, tiny pom poms, and pebbles all work well; alternatively, you could draw on features with a permanent felt-tip pen, embroider them with embroidery floss or yarn, or leave the face blank)
Cotton ball or small pom pom for tail
Tacky glue
Opaque ribbon, yarn, or raffia for bow
Instructions:
Place the washcloth on a flat surface in front of you and smooth it out. Beginning with the bottom left corner, tightly roll the washcloth until you reach the diagonal center line. Keeping a hand on the roll so it doesn’t come undone (little hands work great for this!), roll the opposite (top right corner) tightly to the center.
Fold up the two pointed ends of the washcloth towards the center as shown in the photos below. You’ll want one end to be shorter than the other, leaving a big pocket for the ice. Tuck the back ear under the front one a little bit so that it will be secured with the rubber band.
Define the head by wrapping a rubber band around the shorter end of the folded washcloth. Make sure the back ear is secured. Pull gently on the head and ears to work them into desired shapes.
Now it’s time to give your bunny a face and tail! Glue your choice of eyes and nose onto the bunny’s face, then flip it around and glue a tail onto the backside. Tie a ribbon around the bunny’s neck to hide the rubber band and make a bow (you can place a small dab of glue on the bow’s knot to make sure curious little hands don’t untie it, if you like).
Once the glue has dried, your boo-boo bunny is ready to hop and heal! It makes a sweet toy as it is, and when its healing powers are needed, slip an ice cube or small ice pack/frozen gem into the bunny’s belly and hold against the boo-boo. Thanks, boo-boo bunny!
