Printable Sloth Mask

printable sloth mask for kids

The most relaxed animal in the rainforest - and our printable sloth mask has exactly the right energy! With that permanent sleepy smile, long curved claws and profoundly unbothered expression, the sloth has become one of the internet's most beloved animals and for very good reason. Perfect for South American animals school plays, rainforest classroom projects, World Book Day, birthday parties, and the most leisurely imaginative play ever attempted.

The sloth's extraordinary biology is genuinely fascinating - everything about it is an adaptation for an almost impossibly slow lifestyle, and the science behind how it survives on such a low-energy diet is brilliantly counterintuitive. Every mask comes with a full colour version AND a black and white line art version for colouring in.

5 Interesting Facts About Sloths!

  • Sloths are so slow that algae grows in their fur - the green tinge this gives their coat actually helps camouflage them in the forest canopy. They have a whole ecosystem living on them, including moths, beetles and mites.
  • They move so slowly that their muscles produce very little heat - sloths are one of the few mammals that can't regulate their body temperature properly and warm themselves by moving into sunlight.
  • A sloth's grip is so powerful it can remain hanging from a branch after death - the curved claws lock onto branches passively without any muscular effort, meaning they don't fall even when they're completely asleep.
  • They only descend from the trees once a week - to defecate on the forest floor. This is one of the most dangerous things they do, as ground predators like jaguars lie in wait. The toilet trip can take up to an hour.
  • Baby sloths cling to their mothers for six months - they learn which leaves are safe to eat by licking their mother's lips, and are fully independent by about a year old.