Towel Alligator

On our last cruise on Holland America Westerdam life sized giant alligators joined the towel animal invasion on the Lido deck one morning. It takes a lot of towels to make one of these alligators, but of course on a cruise ship finding lots of matching towels is not really a problem. Not so much for me, but I made one anyway out of mismatched bath towels.

giant alligator made from beach towels on the Westerdam

Supplies Needed to Make a Life-Sized Towel Alligator

6 Beach or Bath Towels

Googly Eyes or Paper Eyes

Small Towel Animal

Giant Towel Alligator Folding Instructions

lay towel out flat, fold over edges of long sides an roll from one short end to the other

Lay one bath towel out flat. Fold both long sides over an inch or two on top of the towel. Start rolling from one short end and keep rolling until the entire towel is rolled. Repeat with a second towel.

the rolled towel stands in an arch to make one pair of alligator legs

When you are ready to assemble the alligator these two towels will stand up like arches to form the legs.

Tightly roll the far side of the towel on both ends.

Take one bath towel and find the center of one long side. Tuck the center bit under your chin, hang it on a peg, or have someone hold it for you. Roll in both sides at the same time making sure to work your hands up and down the rolls to get them as tight as you can.

Underside of the rolled towel

Keep rolling and until the entire towel is rolled down both sides. To watch a video where you can see a cabin steward fold a towel this way click here for a video where a steward makes a small crocodile. Repeat with two more towels. One will form the tail and the other two the head.

assembling 4 towels into the alligator’s head, body, and tail

Lay the last towel out flat. Place the two head towels on one end with the pointed ends away from the flat towel. Place the tail towel on the other side of the flat towel with the pointed end hanging out the opposite way. Wrap the flat towel around the wide ends of the other three towels to make the alligator’s body.

roll the last towel around the head and tail towels

Place one leg towel under the front of the alligator’s body standing on both ends like an arch to support the head and front half of the body. Place the other leg towel at the back end of the body to support the tail and back half of the alligator’s body.

finished towel alligator made with bath towels eating a small snake made from a hand towel

Tuck in any loose ends and shape body, head, and tail as desired. Add eyes to the head. Make any small towel animal desired and place between the two head towels so it is in the alligator’s mouth. Holland America’s alligator at the top of the page has a bird. Ducks are a good choice if you want a bird because they take just one towel. My alligator is eating a little snake. Snakes also take just one towel and are very easy to make.

Copyright My Cruise Stories 2019

For instructions on how to fold other towel animals see My Cruise Stories Towel Animal Page.