Paper Crafts

For this speedy paper craft you need children’s hands to trace around, paper and scissors, tape, and chenille sticks or pipe cleaners to make the stem and stamen.

	The basis of these lilies are hand shapes. So the first step is to trace around a hand and cut the shape out.
	Roll the hand into a cone shape and tape it near the base. Leave a small hole at the bottom of the cone shape.
	Wrap each finger around a pen …
	… to curl the petals
	Twist the end of a green piece of pipe cleaner around the middle of a short piece of pipe cleaner. Fold that short piece up and curl over at each end.
	Push the pipe cleaner stalk through the lily to make the stalk and stamen.

To see these in red have a look at some other Hand Shape Lilies.
Download the printable version of the worksheet – PDF Worksheet – Hand Lilies.

All you need for this super cheap craft is newspaper, wallpaper paste or white glue, scrap cardboard and some paints.

	Fill a bowl or bucket with torn bits of newspaper. Cover the paper with warm water and leave to soak for 24 hours.
	Pour off the water and slowly mix in wallpaper paste or white glue until the mixture feels like dough or soft clay. It is now ready to use.
	To make a small shape like a fridge magnet or brooch, cut a shape out of cardboard.
	Shape the pulp onto the cardboard.
	Leave the shapes to dry. Depending how thick the pulp is, this can take a few days.
	Paint a layer of white paint onto the shapes to make a plain background.
	Finish with lots of bright paints and fun designs.

Download the printable version of the worksheet – PDF Worksheet – Papier Mache Pulp

For more information about Papier Mache, check out my What is Papier Mache? article.

All you need for this paper craft for children is a piece of square paper! Once you have finished it you will also need an origami stalk and leaf. I just happen to have a tutorial for that handy! Origami Stalk and Leaf Tutorial.

	Fold the paper to make a triangle.
	Fold the corners up. Set them slightly off to the sides of the center point as shown.
	Turn the model over.
	Fold the side points in as shown.
	Turn it over again and you now have a tulip flower head.
	Glue an origami stalk and leaf onto the tulip.

Download the printable version of the tutorial – PDF Worksheet – Origami Tulip

See how the origami tulip has been used in my Accordion Pop-up Card.

For more info about Origami and some basic folds check out the paper crafts for children ‘What is Origami?’ article.

Another of the paper crafts for children that has a very short materials list. All you need for this one is a piece of square paper! Once you have finished it you will also need an origami flower. Here is a handy Origami Tulip Tutorial.

		Fold the paper to make a triangle, crease and unfold.
		Fold the sides in to line up with the center crease to make a kite shape. Fold the sides in again to line up with the center crease.
		Fold the small edge sides in to line up with the center crease as well.
		Fold the wide end over so that the point is part way along the center crease. Fold in half along the center crease.
		Pull the shorter piece out to form the leaf. Crease the bottom firmly.
		Glue the stalk onto an origami flower.

Download the printable version of the worksheet – PDF Worksheet – Origami Stalk and Leaf.

See how the origami tulip, stalk and leaf has been used in my Accordion Pop-up Card.

For more info about Origami and some basic folds check out my ‘What is Origami?’ article.

One of the classic paper crafts for children, you just need a strip of paper and some scissors. Also anything that you want to use to decorate the final piece.

	Any size strip of paper will do – it just needs to be long enough that you can fold it into at least 6 and have room to draw a picture. Fold the strip of paper into a concertina.
	Draw a picture on the top face of the folded up paper. The picture must go to each side of the paper. Any shape is fine as long as it joins on the sides.
	Cut the shape out through all the layers, making sure that the sides are not cut out.
	Open it out you should have lots of shapes all in a row. Decorate each shape as you wish.

Download the printable version of the worksheet. PDF Worksheet – Fold Out Paper Garland

For an example of this one check out Flower Paper Garland or Halloween Garland.

This paper crafts for children activity gave us all a real buzz, it was fun to do and the decorated paper can be used for so many things! Materials needed for this activity are shaving foam and dyes or food colorings. Also a container to squirt the shaving foam in and of course lots of paper.

	Shake the shaving foam well and squirt a layer into a dish.
	Dribble dye or food coloring onto the shaving foam.
	Gently stir the colours to mix them.
	Lay a piece of paper on the foam and dye and gently press the paper so that most of it touches the foam.
	Peel the paper off. Leave it to dry completely. This can take a few hours if it is very thick Once it is dry brush off the shaving foam to reveal the print on the paper.

Download the printable version of the worksheet. PDF Worksheet – Foam Marbling