Some bookmarks slip inside a book and disappear. This one doesn’t — it clips right onto the edge of a notebook or page with its little arms dangling down, round panda face peeking over the top like it’s curiously watching you write or read.
The whole craft is refreshingly simple: draw the panda shape freehand or from a light pencil guide, color in the signature black-and-white patches, cut it out, and slot it onto the edge of a notebook page. No folding technique required, no glue, no straw — just drawing, coloring, and one clean scissor cut. It’s an ideal first “design your own character” craft for kids who love markers more than scissors.
This is a wonderfully approachable craft for developing fine motor skills — coloring inside the lines, cutting a clean curved outline, and making the small central slit that turns a flat drawing into something that actually clips onto a page. Ages five and up can do nearly all of it independently. It’s perfect for personalizing school notebooks, a five-minute activity between homework breaks, or building a whole collection of different peeking-animal clips.
What You’ll Need
Materials:
- White cardstock or heavy drawing paper
- Black marker or colored pencil (for the panda patches and outline)
- Pink marker or colored pencil (for cheek blush, optional)
- A notebook or paper pad (to clip the finished panda onto)
Tools:
- Pencil (for the initial light sketch)
- Fine-tip black marker (for outlining and details)
- Scissors
Before You Start — Essential Notes
Sketch lightly in pencil first. A rough pencil guide — round head, two small round ears, a long rectangular body strip hanging below — makes the coloring and cutting steps far more accurate than drawing freehand straight in marker.
Color before you cut. Coloring a flat, uncut piece of paper is far easier to keep neat and controlled than trying to color a shape that’s already been trimmed out — always finish every marker detail first, then cut last.
The slit is the whole trick. A small clean cut made straight up the center of the lower body strip (not too long, not too short) is what allows the finished panda to slide onto and grip a notebook page like a clip. Cut it slowly and check the fit before finalizing.
Keep the body strip long enough to grip. The hanging lower section needs enough length to wrap securely around a notebook page edge — too short and it won’t stay clipped in place.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1 — Sketch the Panda Shape
On white cardstock, lightly pencil a round panda head with two small rounded ears at the top, and a long rectangular strip extending downward from the head to form the body and dangling arm sections. Keep the strip roughly 12 to 15cm long.
Step 2 — Color the Ear and Eye Patches
Using a black marker or colored pencil, color in the two round ears completely black, and add two black oval patches around where the eyes will sit — the classic panda “eye mask” shape.
Step 3 — Draw the Face Details
Inside the black eye patches, draw two small round white-centered eyes with black pupils, a small black triangular nose, and a simple curved mouth line beneath it. Add soft pink circles on the cheeks with a pink marker for extra charm.
Step 4 — Cut Out the Panda Shape
Carefully cut around the entire outline of the panda — head, ears, and the long body strip — following the pencil guide closely for clean, smooth curved edges.
Step 5 — Cut the Paws Separately
After cutting the main outline, carefully cut around each of the two paw/arm shapes on either side of the head separately, following their rounded outline closely so they stay attached only at the top near the shoulders. Then, cut away the blank paper area directly below and between the paws — the space where the body would normally hang — leaving that section open with nothing but empty air between the two dangling paws. This creates the illusion that the paws are draped freely over the notebook edge, with no visible body beneath them.
Step 6 — Cut the Center Slit and Clip It On
Near the top of the head, just above where the paws attach, carefully cut a short straight slit, no more than a third of the head’s width deep. Slide this slit over the edge of a notebook page so the panda’s face rests just above the page edge, with its two paws draped down over the front of the page and nothing but open space visible beneath them.
Fun Variations to Try
Peeking panda pair: Make one larger “parent” panda and a smaller “baby” panda clip to hang together on the same notebook edge.
Other peeking animals: Reuse the exact same drawing-and-clip technique with different color patches for a fox, a cow, or a koala — same shape, entirely different character each time.
Sleepy panda version: Draw closed curved-line eyes instead of open round ones for a sleepy, drowsy expression.
Bow or glasses accessory: Add a tiny drawn bow between the ears or small round glasses on the face for extra personality.
Rainbow patch panda: Swap the traditional black patches for playful pastel colors — lavender ears, mint patches — for a whimsical non-traditional “fantasy panda” version.
Tips for Best Results
Keep the pencil sketch light enough to fully cover with marker — heavy pencil lines can show through lighter-colored areas once finished.
Test the notebook slit fit before cutting it any deeper — it’s easy to cut a little more, but impossible to undo a cut that’s gone too far.
Use cardstock rather than thin printer paper for extra durability — a clip made from thin paper tends to bend and lose its shape after being clipped and unclipped a few times.
Display and Gift Ideas
Make a small set of two or three different peeking animal clips as a personalized back-to-school gift for a classmate or sibling.
Clip one onto the cover of a journal or planner as a cute, functional page marker that’s visible even when the notebook is closed.
Use a whole peeking-animal collection along the top edge of a single notebook for a playful, colorful lineup every time it’s opened.
Final Thoughts
This peeking panda notebook clip proves that the most charming crafts don’t need complicated folding or elaborate materials — just a good drawing, some careful coloring, and one small clever cut.
Draw one. Color it in. Clip it onto your favorite notebook. Watch it peek over the edge every single time you open the page — somehow it never stops being cute.