Paper Crafts for Children

This cute and friendly Jack O Lantern craft for children uses the whole paper plate, so there is no waste.

You will need;
1 Paper plate
Some black paper or card
Tissue paper in orange and green
Glue stick
Scissors

Cut a crescent shape from the top and bottom of the plate.

Trim the crescents into leaf shapes.

Tear the orange tissue into squares. Spread glue onto the plate and stick the tissue pieces on in a
random mosaic. Fold over and glue any pieces that hang over the edge of the plate.

Tear the green tissue into smaller squares than the orange tissue and glue to the leaf shapes.

Stick the leaves under the plate.

Cut the face pieces from the black paper or card and glue to the plate.

This project takes a bit of set up by a grown up, but even quite young children can do the tissue paper part of the process, and that is where all the fun is. You will need coverseal, black paper and bits of tissue paper.

	Cut a shape out of black paper and attach it to the sticky side of some coverseal. You could also draw a shape onto the ‘not-sticky’ side of the coverseal – if you do that make sure the lines are thick.
	Stick bits of tissue paper onto the sticky side of the coverseal until all the sticky bits are covered up.
	It does not matter if the tissue paper goes outside the lines.
	Cut the shape out, following the edge of the black shape and trimming any overlapping bits of tissue in the process. Display in a window so the light from our special star can shine through the tissue paper.

We have also made a tissue paper window bird.

A craft that hides a lollypop inside it is going to be a winner with the kids.

	You need a square or circle of tissue big enough to ‘wrap’ the lollypop, and another couple of pieces about half that size. You also need some ribbon and wool – and don’t forget the lollypop.
	Drape the large tissue paper over the lollypop and then the small piece over that, tie a ribbon where the lolly connects to the stick to create the neck.
	Make some wings by tying a piece of tissue in the middle.
	Attach the wings, draw on a face and add some wool for hair. Now see how long the tug of war between retrieving the lollypop and preserving the creation takes!

This craft also doubles as two party games, one of them is to make it, the other is to destroy it.

	Whenever you get hold of a plain paper bag – keep it for that craft that is sure to come along. Although for this one you can use any paper bag, it does not matter if it is printed.
	Cut pieces of tissue paper long enough to go around the bag and then fringe the strips by cutting half way into them along the long edge.
	Starting at the bottom, glue the stip onto the bag, leaving the fringing hanging. Repeat with more strips, overlapping them, until the bag is covered. Fill the bag with treats and also paper scrunched up to pad it. Add string to hang it with, if it does not already have handles.
	Hang up high and see if it takes longer to destroy than it did to make it. Ours took a while to destroy as the children had to throw balls to break it instead of using a stick.

To be completely honest, this should be called ‘Dip Dye Paper’ as there is not a single bit of tied paper involved – but it sort of follows the tie dye fabric look that we are familiar with – so I will run with it!

You will need a sheet of tissue or similar paper and 3 colors of food coloring

Fold the sheet of tissue in a concertina.

Fold a triangle at one edge.

Continue folding triangles until you are left with a small triangle parcel.

Dip each point into a different colour dye and let it soak in so there is no more white visible.

Give the parcel a gentle squeeze to get rid of the excess dye – do this between sheets of newsprint and keep the parcel flat. Leave overnight to dry.

Be very careful when you unwrap the sheet as it will tear easily if it is still damp.