Tag Archives: crafts for homeschooled kids

Oct6

Art Project for Kids: Sponge Painting

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Art Project for Kids: Sponge Painting

Sponge Painting: The Sun

SPONGE PAINTING: THE SUN

Materials:

Household sponges in various shapes and sizes (Household sponges found in grocery stores can create interesting patterns and designs.)

Craft paints in various colors

Water jar

Paint palette or paper palette

Printing paper like bond or rice paper or sheets of canvas

Markers or colored pencils.

Project:

  1. Draw a design or picture on a piece of paper and use it as reference for the sponge painting. Or draw directly on the surface that you are going to paint, i.e., a sheet of canvas.
  2. Cut small pieces of the sponge from the larger sponge. To create an abstract design, snip tinier pieces from the divided pieces of the larger sponge.
  3. Squeeze the paints on the palette.
  4. Dampen the sponges and squeeze out the excess water.
  5. Dab the sponge in the paint and dab it on a piece of scrap paper to test the design and the amount of paint needed. A lot of paint on a sponge will create large blobs of color on the paper or canvas.
  6. With the design as reference, dab the paint on to the paper. Do not drag the sponge because that will smear the paint (unless smearing is the effect you want to create).
  7. Remember to wash and rinse the sponge to use again or use a separate sponge for each color.
  8. Continue until you have completed the painting. Add details with a marker or colored pencil when the paint is dry.

NOTE:  In the example above, the central design was painted first, then the background.

ADDITIONAL PROJECT:

Create a sponge painting on wood or stone.

Inspired by Arts and Crafts Activities Desk Book by Joyce Novis Laskin

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Aug19

Art Project for Kids: Painted Rocks!

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Art Project for Kids: Painted Rocks!

PAINTED ROCKS is an updated adaption of the project from “Painted Stones and Stone Sculptures” found in the Reinhold Book of Arts and Crafts Techniques and published by Van Nostrand Reinhold Company, a division of Litton Education Publishing, Inc. in 1976. Materials: Rocks preferably with a relatively smooth surface Poster or acrylic paints Brushes of various widths Container for water Palette or disposable smooth surface like wax paper Soap Paper Towels Newspaper or something similar to cover the surface of your work space

  1. Wash rocks thoroughly and dry. If rocks are very dirty, soak in a bucket of sudsy water, rinse and dry. In the meantime, cover your work space.
  2. Think of a design for the rock. Sometimes the rock suggests a design or an object. Stripes, dots, stars, swirls, circles are some ideas you can use alone or in combination.
  3. Select the paint colors and squeeze a small amount (about the size of a quarter to start) on the palette or wax paper. Squeeze white, black or brown for the base coat of the rocks.
  4. Prime the rock white if you selected lighter colors or brown if you selected darker colors. This step isn’t required but it makes the colors adhere to the rock better if there is a base coat on which to paint your design. Paint one side at a time and allow the rock to dry. Turn over and paint the other side.
  5. If you can’t think of a design, lay the paints on the surface randomly. Overlap the colors and see them run into each other.
  6. Paint one side at a time and allow the design to dry. Turn over and paint the other side.
  7. Use your rocks to decorate your desk or your bedroom’s window sill. They also make nice gifts!

VARIATION: Select yarn or string in different colors and dip into glue. Wrap around the rock in different directions. Allow the glue to dry. VARIATION: Create rock creatures by gluing paper, pipe cleaners, pompom, buttons and more!

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Aug11

BUGS AND THINGS: Butterfly

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BUGS AND THINGS: Butterfly
BUTTERFLY

BUTTERFLY

BUTTERFLY

Butterflies belong to the order of Lepidoptera which means “scaly wings.”

Butterflies and moths live in high mountains, warm tropical rainforests, the Artic tundra, deserts and swamps. Some pollinate flowers but some are also pests. They help the environment by providing food for bats lizards, frogs and birds.

 Scientists have discovered one million creatures in the animal world; ¾ of these are insects. Of these, 18,000 to 20,000 different kinds of butterflies have been identified.

During the fall, monarch butterflies fly as far as 3,000 miles to their winter homes. None of them return to their place of origin because few of the live longer than a month. Only some butterfly species can journey very far.

Materials:

Paper Twist or similar wide wire ribbon (color of choice)

Chenille stems (color of choice)

Clothespin

sequins, glitter, markers, etc.

Project:

  1. Unfurl the twist and lay one end down on a smooth surface. Determine the length. For example, if you choose to make a 6” butterfly, unfold it, and lay down 6” of twist going in one direction. Lay down another 6” going in the other direction. Continue in this manner until you have 3-4 loops of twist on each side. Cut off any excess.
  2. Pinch the twist loops in the center with a clothespin.
  3. Decorate the clothespin with sequins, glitter, markers, and other craft items.
  4. Take two chenille stems and wrap them around the clothespin. Curl the ends so that the stems look like antenna.

 

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Jun24

KID’S CRAFTS: Red,White and Blue Banner

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KID’S CRAFTS: Red,White and Blue Banner

Fourth of July Banner

Red, White and Blue Banner

Ages: 5 – 12 years

Time: one hour

MATERIALS:

White felt 14” x 18”

Red, white, blue craft foam sheets

Sharp tool like an awl

¼” red, white and blue ribbon

Dowel rod 18”

String – double the length of the dowel rod

Measure and cut white felt to 14” x 20”. Place felt horizontally. Make a loop by measuring and folding and ironing a 1” seam. Measure and fold a second 1” seam. Iron and glue the second fold. You will be inserting the dowel rod through this loop. (This piece of felt should now measure  14” x 16”.)

Using templates or stencils trace the large star pattern and cut one large star out of the white craft foam sheet. Cut 13 smaller stars out of the white craft foam using the smaller star pattern. Trace and cut a large circle out of the blue craft foam sheet. Glue the large star in the center. Arrange the smaller stars around the circle. Make sure that they all face the same way. Lay aside.

Measure and cut 7 stripes ¾” x 16” out of the red craft foam sheet. Arrange the stripes on the banner so that there is a ¾” stripe of white felt showing between them. (Refer to the photo of the banner.) Glue the stripes down and trim if necessary.

Glue the blue circle with the stars in the center of the red and white stripes.

At the bottom of the banner, poke holes every 1” with a sharp tool like an awl. (Small children should let adults do this for them.) Insert the ribbon in the holes, alternating the colors. Pull the ribbon through and tie a knot in the back.

Trim the dowel rod to 18”. Cut a piece of string to a length suitable for hanging. Tie the string to each end of the dowel rod. The first Fourth of July celebration occurred in Philadelphia, PA. Eventually, all the states celebrated the holiday which included parades, picnics, military displays and fireworks.

VARIATION: You can also hang your banner on Memorial Day or Labo

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Nov26

Picture Book Month: Yellow T-Shirt

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Picture Book Month: Yellow T-Shirt

Read: In My New Yellow Shirt by Eileen Spinelli

Aunt Betty gives her nephew a new yellow shirt for his birthday.

“That’s no fun,” his best friend, Sam, declares.

But the birthday boy loves it and imagines himself transformed into a variety of yellow shapes and forms:

A yellow duck

A yellow lion

A yellow cab

A yellow caterpillar

A yellow daffodil

A yellow tropical fish

A yellow tennis ball

A yellow trumpet

A yellow canary

A yellow butterfly

A golden treasure hidden in a dark, dark attic

A yellow banana

A yellow submarine

A yellow and black fire fly

And a “smile of moon.”

Project:

Do you play soccer? Do you collect fire flies? Do you belong to a secret boys’ or girls’ club? Decorate a T-Shirt with a favorite shape or symbol.

Materials:

T-Shirt

Fabric paint

Fabric brushes

Fabric markers

Water and container for water

Fabric glue

Iron-on transfers

Iron-on patches

Additional Reading:

Boase, Petra. T-Shirt Fun

Gould, Deborah. Aaron’s Shirt

Wells, Rosemary. Max’s Dragon Shirt

Wollman, Jessica. Andrew’s Bright Blue T-Shirt

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Jan5

The Double-Headed Serpent: Paper Mosaic Design

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The Double-Headed Serpent: Paper Mosaic Design
Paper Mosaic Design

Double-Headed Serpent Paper Mosaic Design

Materials:

White pencil (optional)

Poster board or matt board

Construction or similar paper in four colors

Scissors

Pencil/eraser

Ruler

Double stick tape

Glue stick

Utility knife

White paper (optional)

Paper Clips (optional)

Project:

  1. Select a design like the double-headed serpent in this project. (Double-headed serpents were popular cultural and religious symbols among the Aztec and Mayan people.)
  2. Draw the object on poster or matt board. Or draw it on a piece of white paper. Turn the paper over and blacken the back of the design with pencil. Turn it over to the front, place it on the matt or poster board and secure the paper on the board with paper clips or tape. Trace.
  3. Design a border around all four sides of the design.
  4. Select three or four colors of the construction or similar paper. Decide where to place the paper mosaic tiles. Measure and cut these paper tiles no smaller than 1/ 4” x 1/ 4.” The smaller the size of the tiles, the longer it will take to complete the project.
  5. Decide the color pattern. Lay down strips of double-stick tape on the area, one strip at a time, and place the paper tiles side by side, forming a mosaic pattern. In the sample, the colors of tile form a random design. Repeat until the area finished. Use a utility knife to shape round corners, etc.
  6. Following step #2, trace the central design on the construction paper and cut and glue this cut-out to the poster or matt board. If you are using the double-headed serpent as the central design, use a white pencil to highlight the eyes and teeth.
  7. Cover the other areas of the design including the border.

Bibliography

Morris, Ting. The Arts and Crafts of the Aztecs and Maya. North Mankato, MN: Smart Apple Media, 2007.

Robinson, Fay. Hispanic-American Crafts Kids Can Do! Berkeley Heights, NJ: Enslow Elementary, 2006.

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Jun14

Summer Camp: Sponge Painting

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Summer Camp: Sponge Painting
Sponge Painting: The Sun

Sponge Painting: The Sun

 

Materials:

Household sponges in various shapes and sizes (Household sponges found in grocery stores can create interesting patterns and designs.)

Craft paints in various colors

Water jar

Paint palette or paper palette

Printing paper like bond or rice paper or sheets of canvas

Markers or colored pencils.
Project:

  1. Draw a design or picture on a piece of paper and use it as reference for the sponge painting. Or draw directly on the surface that you are going to paint, i.e., a sheet of canvas.
  2. Cut small pieces of the sponge from the larger sponge. To create an abstract design, snip tinier pieces from the divided pieces of the larger sponge.
  3. Squeeze the paints on the palette.
  4. Dampen the sponges and squeeze out the excess water.
  5. Dab the sponge in the paint and dab it on a piece of scrap paper to test the design and the amount of paint needed. A lot of paint on a sponge will create large blobs of color on the paper or canvas.
  6. With the design as reference, dab the paint on to the paper. Do not drag the sponge because that will smear the paint (unless smearing is the effect you want to create).
  7. Remember to wash and rinse the sponge to use again or use a separate sponge for each color.
  8. Continue until you have completed the painting. Add details with a marker or colored pencil when the paint is dry.

NOTE:  In the example above,  the central design was painted first, then the background.

ADDITIONAL PROJECT:

Create a sponge painting on wood or stone.

 

Inspired by Arts and Crafts Activities Desk Book by Joyce Novis Laskin

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May17

Our Imaginations! Yellow T-Shirt, Blue T-Shirt, Red T-Shirt

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Our Imaginations! Yellow T-Shirt, Blue T-Shirt, Red T-Shirt

Read: In My New Yellow Shirt by Eileen Spinelli

Aunt Betty gives her nephew a new yellow shirt for his birthday.

“That’s no fun,” his best friend, Sam, declares.

But the birthday boy loves it and imagines himself transformed into a variety of yellow shapes and forms:

A yellow dick

A yellow lion

A yellow cab

A yellow caterpillar

A yellow daffodil

A yellow tropical fish

A yellow tennis ball

A yellow trumpet

A yellow canary

A yellow butterfly

A golden treasure hidden in a dark, dark attic

A yellow banana

A yellow submarine

A yellow and black fire fly

And a “smile of moon.”

Project:

Do you play soccer? Do you collect fire flies? Do you belong to a secret boys’ or girls’ club? Decorate a T-Shirt with a favorite shape or symbol.

Materials:

T-Shirt

Fabric paint

Fabric brushes

Fabric markers

Water and container for water

Fabric glue

Iron-on transfers

Iron-on patches

Additional Reading:

Boase, Petra. T-Shirt Fun

Gould, Deborah. Aaron’s Shirt

Wells, Rosemary. Max’s Dragon Shirt

Wollman, Jessica. Andrew’s Bright Blue T-Shirt

 

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Dec28

Our Imaginations! Paper Cut-Outs: Spring/The Four Seasons Mural

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Our Imaginations! Paper Cut-Outs: Spring/The Four Seasons Mural
Spring Panel

Spring Panel Four Seasons Paper Cut-outs

MATERIALS:

Paper

Scissors

Pencil/eraser

Tracing paper

Glue Stick

 

  1. Research the paper cutouts of Henri Matisse which are a mix symbolic and abstract shapes. “I have attained a form, filtered to the essentials,” Matisse once said and this sums up his philosophy as an artist. Study the paper cutouts for color and form; www.henri-matisse.net/cut_outs.html.
  2. There will be four panels or sections for the Four Seasons Mural. The second section will be spring. Plan the design for the season. The sample shown features flowers. There are other symbols for spring: rain, butterflies, bees, birds, grass, etc. Sketch your design on tracing paper.
  3. The sample features five spring-like colors: white, peach, yellow, and two shades of pink. Other colors that evoke spring are pastel shades of most colors. Limit the palette to three to five colors as in the sample.
  4. Decide the size of the paper cutout. The sample shown is 4” x 6.” Cut the background paper to the size you want for the paper cutout. The sample shows a medium pink as the background color. Light pink, peach, yellow and white are the color choices for the flowers.
  5. Sketch the design on tracing paper. Decide the colors for each part of the design. Blacken the back of the design and flip it over on to the papers you will use. Trace the outline of the shapes.
  6. Use embroidery scissors to cut out the shapes. Embroidery scissors enable you to cut inside larger shapes.
  7. Glue the shapes down on to the background paper and you have the second section of the Four Seasons Mural: Spring!

 

 

 

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