Kids Arts & Crafts Ideas by Techniques

CRAFTS MATERIALS YOUR KIDS WILL NEED TO MAKE THIS CHILDRENS' ARTS AND CRAFTS ACTIVITY:
Easter Bunny Pinata -

Materials Needed:

Large, Round Balloon
Newspaper
Paper Mache Paste
Masking Tape
Cardboard
Paint
Crepe Paper or Tissue Paper
String or Yarn

Instructions:
Make sure you cover you work surface well. I usually set down newspaper first and then wax paper on top of the newspaper. This is a very messy project!
Tear several newspaper pages into strips. You will want them 1 inch wide and about 6 - 8 inches long. Set them aside.

Use a large bowl to prepare your paper mache paste (Pick a recipe here). The paste will be sticky! I would suggest using a bowl that is easy to soak and clean (glass perhaps) or even a disposable bowl.

Blow up the balloon and tie it closed. Now you are ready to start with the paper mache! (To hold your ballon while you are working on it, you might want to try to set it in a cup or bowl that is covered with plastic wrap.)

Dip the newspaper strips into the glue and spread them onto the balloon. Completely cover the balloon, leaving a small hole at the top to remove the balloon and fill the pinata. Let the first layer dry.

Add two more layers of paper mache to your balloon. Allow each layer to dry completely before putting on the next layer. Once it is dry, pop the balloon and remove it through the opening you left at the top (If you cannot get the balloon out, don't worry about it too much - No one will see it).

You can now decorate your pinata to look like a bunny. The fastest way is to paint on the details, or cut the facial features out of construction paper.

You can color and texture to your bunny by using 3 inch squares of tissue paper. Spread some glue on your pinata. Hold the 4 corners of your tissue paper square together and then stick the center of the tissue paper square onto the glue. The 4 corners hould not touch the glue, they should remain sticking up.

To hang your pinata, poke 4 small holes evenly spaced around the larger hole in the top. Thread a piece of string, yarn, or even fishing line through each hole and tie the together at the top. Tie a longer piece of string onto the these.

CRAFTS MATERIALS YOUR KIDS WILL NEED TO MAKE THIS CHILDRENS' ARTS AND CRAFTS ACTIVITY:
Fall Mosaic Paper Mache Box -

Paper mache box, small
Tissue paper, orange
Tissue paper, yellow
Tissue paper, red
Sizzix Machine
Sizzix Die-Cut, Leaf
Paper Mod Podge
Scissors
Ruler
Cost of each project will vary depending on materials used.

Due to the seasonal nature of some merchandise, actual availability of some products pictured may vary.






Cut 2 orange and yellow tissues into ½-inch to ¾-inch squares.



Working in sections at a time, brush Mod Podge onto the box and lay yellow and orange paper squares over the Mod Podge. Cover the papers with another layer of Mod Podge.



Use the Sizzix Machine and leaf die to cut 10-12 leaves from red tissue paper. Mod Podge leaves to the box.

CRAFTS MATERIALS YOUR KIDS WILL NEED TO MAKE THIS CHILDRENS' ARTS AND CRAFTS ACTIVITY:
Lady bug Paper Mache - Material

Paper Mache
Red and Black Paint
Small (Head) and Large (Body) Margarine Container
2 Black Pipe Cleaners
Instructions

Tape two margarine containers together to form the base shape.
Cover shape with Paper Mache and let dry
Glue pipe cleaners for antenna's and curl
Paint black head, red back and let dry
Paint black spots

CRAFTS MATERIALS YOUR KIDS WILL NEED TO MAKE THIS CHILDRENS' ARTS AND CRAFTS ACTIVITY:
Make a Paper Mache Dinosaur Hat -
SUPPLIES NEEDED:
One large balloon for each hat
A lot of old newspaper and/or brown-bag paper
Flour-water glue (instructions follow)
Scissors
Hole punch (or just use the tip of a scissors to make holes)
Assorted paper, cardboard scraps, styrofoam scraps, egg cartons
Paint
String or elastic for chin straps

1. Choose the type of dinosaur hat(s) you want to make. Species with interesting heads include (click on the underlined names to see a picture of that dinosaur): Styracosaurus, Triceratops, Dilophosaurus, Lambeosaurus, and T. rex. For more dinosaur pictures, click here.

2. Make a simple, thin glue from flour and water (boiling gives it a nice consistency). A good recipe is: Mix 1 cup of flour into 1 cup of water until the mixture is thin and runny. Stir into 4 cups of boiling water. Simmer for about 3 minutes, then cool.

3. Have the students tear a lot of strips of newspaper and/or brown bag paper. Strips should be about 1 inch wide; the length doesn't really matter.

4. Blow up a balloon for each child. Each hat is molded over a large balloon.

5. Dip each strips of paper in the flour glue and put on the balloon. Put the balloon sideways because most dinosaurs had long heads. Apply the papier-mâché strips to cover about half of each balloon . About 3 layers of paper are necessary for a hat thick enough to decorate later. You can do all the layers at one time, or wait between layers. Let dry for a few days.

6. Pop the balloon when the hat's dry and remove. Trim the hat, depending on the dinosaur species chosen. Using glue or staples, add horns, frills, crests, beaks, teeth, and more, made of paper, cardboard, styrofoam, egg cartons, etc. Let dry.

7. When the hats are dry, punch holes for chin straps and paint the eyes, nostrils, beaks, skin color, etc. Let paint dry. .

8. Add string or elastic to use as a chin strap. As a costume addition, the students could drape themselves in paper that matches their mask or wear matching clothing.

Paper Mache Alligator - MATERIALS:
The only "store bought" material is green paint (tempra, poster or finger paint all work well... acrylic paints work great, but don't wash out of clothes!!!) If you don't have green paint, green tissue paper or napkins will work too. My alligator took about 2 oz (100 ml) of green paint.

paint brush

OPTIONAL: white paint and red paint (the craft works fine without these)!

newspaper

ONE OF: egg carton (styrofoam) OR cardboard (empty cereal boxes work well!)

ONE OF: white tissue paper, white kleenex, white paper towel OR white toilet paper

scissors

tape (masking or scotch tape)

ONE OF: white glue, mod podge OR paper mache paste (1 part flour to 5 parts water... boil about 3 minutes and let cool)



STEP 1: BUILD THE FRAME:
Like I said, this is the first of a more complicated crafting series so if you have any suggestions to improve the instructions, please feel free to let me know! I recommend you quickly review all the instructions before starting the project.


Take one piece of newspaper. Cut it in half along the crease.

Take one 1/2 and roll it into a long, loose sausage

Take the other 1/2 and roll it into a long cone.


Fold the sausage in half (this will be the alligator's jaws ), but make the top half a bit longer (about 4 to 6 inches longer) than the bottom half.

Roll the longer piece to make the snout. Tape snout well!



Take a good look at your cone shape. There should be a V shape at the open end. Insert the jaws so the V side is on the top of the alligator. Tape the jaws and cone together well (top and bottom)
Now it should look like this

or here is the view from above

Alrighty! We're doing well...

Now press the alligator's back so it is flat (just below the jaws)

Fold the part just below the flattened back to the left and then fold in half again to the right (Z-shaped). Pinch/crease.
Let go so you get a zig zag tail if it didn't zig zag enough, pinch/crease it harder!

Now the eyes... Make two newspaper balls (about 1 inch balls) and tape them really well/tightly so they don't unscrunch. Then tape them to the top of the alligator's jaws.
And last the legs (your alligator may be a bit wobbly up to this point... don't worry!). Make two more newspaper sausages long enough to stick out at least an inch on either side of the alligator. Roll nice and tightly this time so he has sturdy legs. Tape well to the bottom of the alligator.
I should have put them a bit farther apart than I did, I think.

You're now done your frame (that's the toughest part, but it's amazing what you can do with newspaper, isn't it!?!)




STEP 2: MAKE HIM SOLID:
Take your white tissue paper (toilet paper, kleenex or paper towel will also work... we used toilet paper *grin*). The white paper (whichever kind you chose) will make him more solid and will make it easier to paint him (less paint required than if you were painting over newspaper).

Suggestion from a viewer:
"You could paper mache it with green crepe paper and just fill in the details with paint, and maybe it would make it harder." Thanks Robert!

Coat your alligator with mod podge, paper mache paste or white glue dilluted 1/2 and 1/2 with water (we choose the white glue/water solution and painted it on with paint brushes).



Lay 2 layers of toilet paper/tissue paper ALL OVER your alligator.
The tissue will soak onto the alligator in a minute or two. Use your paint brush and some more glue/water solution to get the toilet paper wetter when necessary and into all the crevices. Don't forget to do the inside of the mouth!. Use scissors to clip off exess as necessary.

Let dry (likely overnight). At various stages, you'll be letting him dry (now and while painting. I always propped his jaws open with a lightly crumpled piece of newspaper whenever he was drying so his jaws didn't stick shut.

STEP 3: PAINT HIM
Take your green paint and paint your alligator (except his eyeballs). If you have red paint, leave the inside of his mouth unpainted. If you don't have red paint, paint the inside of his mouth green.

If you don't have paint at all, you could use green tissue paper or napkins and the same paste/process as in STEP 2.

Let dry.

Turn him over and paint the bottom (his belly) if you want to. You can paint it a lighter green or a creamy colour if you want... BE CREATIVE (you said you wanted to be! *grin*)

Let dry.

If you have white paint and/or red paint, paint the inside of the mouth red and the eyeballs white (the eyeballs are pretty white without the paint, so it isn't the end of the world to skip painting them)Tasha liked painting the mouth!

Let dry.



Take some markers (or other colours of paint) and draw on some detail: black eyeballs on the eyes, nostrils on the snout and darker green splotches on the back and top of the jaw. I also drew a line down the center from his jaws to the tip of his tail.
Take a styrofoam egg carton and find some flat, white parts (you can substitute cardboard with white paper glued onto it!) Cut out teeth shapes...
...and glue them onto your aligator's jaws.
Guess what? You're done!

(You can cover with a few coats of clear varnish if you want a shiny alligator you can leave outside in the garden!)

CRAFTS MATERIALS YOUR KIDS WILL NEED TO MAKE THIS CHILDRENS' ARTS AND CRAFTS ACTIVITY:
Paper Mache Baskets -


Fill these bright baskets with eggs
and other Easter goodies. What You Need:
Balloons
Liquid starch
Old newspapers
Old cake or pie tin
String
Paper or plastic cup
Colored tissue paper
Can of flat white spray paint
Jar of gloss medium and varnish
Paintbrush




Step 1. Instructions:
1. Tear newspapers into 1-inch-wide strips that are 2 to 3 inches long. Blow up the balloon and tie the end with an overhand knot.





Step 2. 2. Pour starch into the pie tin. Cover the balloon with newspaper strips that have been dipped into the starch. After the balloon is covered with this layer, add a second layer. Overlap the strips and completely cover the balloon, except for the knotted end. Tie a string above the knot of the balloon. Hang the balloon in a cool, dry area to dry overnight. Add more strips, if necessary, and let these strips dry.





Step 3. 3. Snip the knotted end from the balloon, let the air escape, and remove the balloon. Let the paper ball dry for a few more hours.

4. Cut 1 inch off the top of the plastic cup to use for the base. Cover the base with paper strips. Fasten the wide end of the base to the wide end of the ball with more strips. Cover the hole where you removed the balloon with strips. Let the ball dry.





Step 5. 5. Draw a zigzag line around the ball's middle to mark the top of the basket, and a pair of parallel lines over the top (the narrow end) to mark the handle. Cut out the enclosed areas to form the basket. Spray-paint the basket white. When completely dry, apply tissue paper.

TIP: Paint small areas of the basket with the gloss medium and varnish. Lay cut strips of tissue paper over the medium. Paint the medium over the top of the tissue paper. Cover all sides of the basket with the tissue paper. Let dry.

CRAFTS MATERIALS YOUR KIDS NEED TO MAKE THIS CHILDRENS' ARTS AND CRAFTS ACTIVITY:
Paper Mache Dinosaurs Hat -
SUPPLIES NEEDED:
One large balloon for each hat
A lot of old newspaper and/or brown-bag paper
Flour-water glue (instructions follow)
Scissors
Hole punch (or just use the tip of a scissors to make holes)
Assorted paper, cardboard scraps, styrofoam scraps, egg cartons
Paint
String or elastic for chin straps

1. Choose the type of dinosaur hat(s) you want to make. Species with interesting heads include (click on the underlined names to see a picture of that dinosaur): Styracosaurus, Triceratops, Dilophosaurus, Lambeosaurus, and T. rex. For more dinosaur pictures, click here.

2. Make a simple, thin glue from flour and water (boiling gives it a nice consistency). A good recipe is: Mix 1 cup of flour into 1 cup of water until the mixture is thin and runny. Stir into 4 cups of boiling water. Simmer for about 3 minutes, then cool.

3. Have the students tear a lot of strips of newspaper and/or brown bag paper. Strips should be about 1 inch wide; the length doesn't really matter.

4. Blow up a balloon for each child. Each hat is molded over a large balloon.

5. Dip each strips of paper in the flour glue and put on the balloon. Put the balloon sideways because most dinosaurs had long heads. Apply the papier-mâché strips to cover about half of each balloon . About 3 layers of paper are necessary for a hat thick enough to decorate later. You can do all the layers at one time, or wait between layers. Let dry for a few days.

6. Pop the balloon when the hat's dry and remove. Trim the hat, depending on the dinosaur species chosen. Using glue or staples, add horns, frills, crests, beaks, teeth, and more, made of paper, cardboard, styrofoam, egg cartons, etc. Let dry.

7. When the hats are dry, punch holes for chin straps and paint the eyes, nostrils, beaks, skin color, etc. Let paint dry. .

8. Add string or elastic to use as a chin strap. As a costume addition, the students could drape themselves in paper that matches their mask or wear matching clothing.

CRAFTS MATERIALS YOUR KIDS WILL NEED TO MAKE THIS CHILDRENS' ARTS AND CRAFTS ACTIVITY:
Paper Mache Masks -
Materials Needed:

Round Balloon
Newspaper
Paper Mache Paste
Plastic Wrap
Paint

More Paper Mache
Books about Making Masks
More Halloween


Instructions:
Make sure you cover you work surface well. I usually set down newspaper first and then wax paper or plastic wrap on top of the newspaper. This is a very messy project!
Decide what size and shape of mask or head you want and choose the appropriate sized balloon. Blow up the balloon and tie it closed. Find a bowl or cup your balloon can sit in while you work on it. Completely cover the cup or bowl with plastic wrap so the paper mache does not stick to it. Also cover the table or work surface under the cup with the plastic wrap. Set your balloon in the cup or bowl and set it aside.

Tear several newspaper pages into strips. You will want them 1 inch wide and about 6 - 8 inches long. Set them aside.

Use a large bowl to prepare your paper mache paste (Pick a recipe here). The paste will be sticky! I would suggest using a bowl that is easy to soak and clean (glass perhaps) or even a disposable bowl. Now you are ready to start with the paper mache!

Dip the newspaper strips into the glue and spread them onto the balloon. Completely cover the balloon, except for the area where it is sitting in the cup. Set aside and let this first layer dry.

Once the first layer is completely dry, use various supplies to make the facial features on your ballooen if desired. You can make a nose, ears, thick eye brows, lips, etc. Use cardboard, masking tape, foil, or other items shown on this supply list. Use masking tape to hold everything in place.

Add atleast two more layers of paper mache to your balloon. Allow each layer to dry completely before putting on the next layer. Once it is dry, pop the balloon and remove it through the opening left at the bottom (If you cannot get the balloon out, don't worry about it too much - No one will see it).

You can now paint and decorate your mask or face as desired. You can add hair using yarn, thin scraps of material, or anything else you desire.

To make a more realistic shaped face, make as above except use a double layer of tin foil instead of a balloon. Use your face as a mold. Have someone help you gently press the tin foil to your face to get a nice face mold. Wad up newspaper and put it inside the curved section of the foil mold and lay it on your work surface. While applying the first layer of newspaper and paste, make sure not to press on your mold too hard or it will lose it shapes!