02:45
Faizan
Thanksgiving offers plenty of creative inspiration for craft projects for kids. Offer fourth graders the opportunity to craft holiday creations they'll actually appreciate and enjoy on their own, long after they've finished the projects.
Indian Corn Necklace
Celebrate the season -- and Native Americans -- by making Indian corn necklaces. Colorful, dried Indian corn kernels serve as the beads for the kids' creations. Let the kids pull the kernels off the cobs; then soak the kernels in warm water for several hours until they are soft enough to poke a tapestry needle through. Use twine, dental floss or sturdy thread to hold the beads together. Instruct the children to tie a knot in one end of their string, then loop the free end of the string through a tapestry needle, pulling the string at least several inches through the needle's eye. Push the needle through the side of a piece of Indian corn, stringing numerous pieces onto each strand; then tie the ends of the string together for a completed necklace. For a more realistic look, tie each end of the string to the ends of a thin piece of faux leather or suede; the faux material rests upon the back of the neck and hangs down the front of the necklace a bit. Encourage the kids to make patterns with the kernels, alternating kernel colors for a custom look. For a smaller project, use stretchy beading elastic and have the kids make bracelets or napkin rings instead.
Thanksgiving Scratch Art
Scratch art -- drawings colored over with black crayon or oil pastel, then revealed by scratching through the black -- offers the kids a chance for artistic expression in a manner that may be new to them, while still sticking to a Thanksgiving theme. Ask each child to draw a Thanksgiving-themed image on paper using crayons or oil pastels, coloring in the entire paper so no plain paper shows through. Design options include turkeys, a cornucopia or a harvest of autumn gourds. After the drawings are complete, each child covers his entire creation with a thick layer of black crayon or black oil pastel, then uses a dull skewer or cap from a pen to scratch away some of the black, resulting in a design slightly reminiscent of a color version of a linoleum block print.
Thanksgiving Table Runners
A table runner adds a decorative touch to the Thanksgiving mealtime table, or it can be used on a console table to keep it from getting covered with food. Offer each child a long piece of canvas in orange or gold, as well as fusible webbing. Show each child how to fold the corners into points, using strips of fusible webbing, ironed down, to give the runners their shape without sewing. Let the kids decorate their own runners using large Thanksgiving-themed craft stamps, fabric paints or fabric cutouts of leaves, turkeys and the like, glued or fused to the runner. For a smaller project, have the kids make Thanksgiving place mats instead.
Native-Style Pottery Vase
Use air-drying clay or even homemade dough to craft tall vessels wide enough to hold a small glass vase inside. Show the children pictures of genuine Native American pottery, encouraging them to create similar pieces. Each finished piece should be smooth enough to paint with Native American designs. Once the clay dries completely, help the children decorate their vessels with Native-inspired symbols, using Thanksgiving colors to give the pieces a holiday theme. If using the finished vessels to hold cut flowers, place glass vases or jars inside to hold the water.
Indian Corn Necklace
Celebrate the season -- and Native Americans -- by making Indian corn necklaces. Colorful, dried Indian corn kernels serve as the beads for the kids' creations. Let the kids pull the kernels off the cobs; then soak the kernels in warm water for several hours until they are soft enough to poke a tapestry needle through. Use twine, dental floss or sturdy thread to hold the beads together. Instruct the children to tie a knot in one end of their string, then loop the free end of the string through a tapestry needle, pulling the string at least several inches through the needle's eye. Push the needle through the side of a piece of Indian corn, stringing numerous pieces onto each strand; then tie the ends of the string together for a completed necklace. For a more realistic look, tie each end of the string to the ends of a thin piece of faux leather or suede; the faux material rests upon the back of the neck and hangs down the front of the necklace a bit. Encourage the kids to make patterns with the kernels, alternating kernel colors for a custom look. For a smaller project, use stretchy beading elastic and have the kids make bracelets or napkin rings instead.
Thanksgiving Scratch Art
Scratch art -- drawings colored over with black crayon or oil pastel, then revealed by scratching through the black -- offers the kids a chance for artistic expression in a manner that may be new to them, while still sticking to a Thanksgiving theme. Ask each child to draw a Thanksgiving-themed image on paper using crayons or oil pastels, coloring in the entire paper so no plain paper shows through. Design options include turkeys, a cornucopia or a harvest of autumn gourds. After the drawings are complete, each child covers his entire creation with a thick layer of black crayon or black oil pastel, then uses a dull skewer or cap from a pen to scratch away some of the black, resulting in a design slightly reminiscent of a color version of a linoleum block print.
Thanksgiving Table Runners
A table runner adds a decorative touch to the Thanksgiving mealtime table, or it can be used on a console table to keep it from getting covered with food. Offer each child a long piece of canvas in orange or gold, as well as fusible webbing. Show each child how to fold the corners into points, using strips of fusible webbing, ironed down, to give the runners their shape without sewing. Let the kids decorate their own runners using large Thanksgiving-themed craft stamps, fabric paints or fabric cutouts of leaves, turkeys and the like, glued or fused to the runner. For a smaller project, have the kids make Thanksgiving place mats instead.
Native-Style Pottery Vase
Use air-drying clay or even homemade dough to craft tall vessels wide enough to hold a small glass vase inside. Show the children pictures of genuine Native American pottery, encouraging them to create similar pieces. Each finished piece should be smooth enough to paint with Native American designs. Once the clay dries completely, help the children decorate their vessels with Native-inspired symbols, using Thanksgiving colors to give the pieces a holiday theme. If using the finished vessels to hold cut flowers, place glass vases or jars inside to hold the water.
Posted in: arts
