Elementary Art Projects (kids and glitter)

Paper Cut Owl

a sixth grade project

This was such a fun project that I was anxious to share it with you. When I was on vacation this fall, I found this owl decoration in one of the stores and thought it would make a nice art project for the kids. I took a picture of the decoration to show the students and gave them an owl shape, construction paper, tissue paper and buttons and told them to make an owl using the supplies I provided and the owl shape. If you would like to see the great decorations that they made and the directions for this Paper Cut Owl project, click on the photo image to the right.

Reptile Relief

do you see it?

Look carefully and you'll see the hidden reptile. Kids and teachers alike love this project. I printed off pictures of reptiles for the kids to look at to help them decide which, and how, to draw a reptile of their choice. If you want to do this Reptile Relief project, you can find pictures of the kids in class working on their art, and directions for the project by clicking on the image at the right.

Black Flower Simplicity

using black tissue paper

So we've been having a lot of fun with colored tissue paper painting, and now we have sheets of black tissue left and need a project to use them in. Looking at Google images, I can across a number of images of black flowers on a white background and thought it would be worth a try. Here's the result and I think they look quite elegant. Flower pedals are cut from the black tissue, folded and glued to the white background. Click on the image for the directions for this "Black Flower Simplicity" project.

Japanese Kokeshi Doll

painting with tissue paper

Kokeshi dolls are characterized by their lack of arms and legs, as well as their brightly painted kimono in floral designs and geometric patterns. We prepared the background, and the paper the flowers were cut from, before coloring and cutting out the doll. The background paper was painted by using two inch squares of colored tissue paper (tissue painting). The paper for the flowers was painted with torn tissue paper. For the directions and a list of supplies, click on the image to the right.

Great Squidoo Craft Articles

check these out

Make Egg Carton Flower Lights Teachers: This would be an inexpensive way to decorate your classroom for all the different seasons and holidays.
Decoupaged Flameless Candle Great school project or make for gifts--think Mother's Day.
Popsicle Christmas Crafts An quick and easy ornament made from popsicle sticks.
Ed Emberley Thumbprint Art A variety of pictures made with thumbprints.
Fingerprint Snowman Cute snowman Christmas card ideas.

Mexican Folk Art

Many schools are without art teachers in an attempt to keep costs down. Therefore classroom teachers will need to include art in their weekly schedule. Many of these teachers will want to find art projects that are more or less planned for them. There are many terrific elementary art blogs to help these teachers with fast, easy projects. It certainly helps if these projects include supply lists, directions and full sized patterns.
With this in mind, this lens will be offering ideas and descriptions of projects for the teacher and home school teacher. Click on the image to the right and it takes you to the directions, supplies list, etc. for the project called, "Mexican Folk Art"

Tissue Paper Painted Flowers

A great thing about many of the projects on the elementary blog sites is that much of the information is FREE. And lets not forget the importance of the cost of supplies. Really interesting and beautiful projects can be made with colored tissue paper. You need to use the cheap kind ---the kind that bleeds. Of course using watercolor paper works the best, but if you don't have it you can use construction paper. For the directions, etc. for this project, called, "Tissue Paper Painted Flowers," click on the image.

Hunny Bunny

a wire coat hanger project

We have a few wire coat hanger projects to share with you. This little bunny can be made to hang in the classroom, but also he would be right at home in a baby's roon. Hunny Bunny is easy to make with all pattern pieces, full-sized, included in the directions. If you want to try your hand at making our little bunny, click on the image at the right to take you to the directions.

"I'm late, I'm late, I'm late, for a very important date!"
White Rabbit sings this song in the Disney film.

Wire Coathanger Puppy

Teachers are frugal people. They believe in recycling what they can and art teachers are exceptionally good at doing that. Wire coat hangers are a perfect example of that. It usually is pretty easy to gather a huge amount of wire coat hangers---just send a note home with the kids and see what happens. A wire coat hanger, some colored construction paper and a pattern are all you need to make an outstanding home or classroom decoration. Click on the image to the right to get the directions, etc. for this project called, "Wire Coathanger Puppy."

Butterfly Sparkle

using nail polish and glitter

I have to admit that I'm a real kid when it comes to adding glitter to art projects. Most, if not all, of the lower elementary students feel the same way. But, as the teacher, there are times when white glue and glitter is just too messy or doesn't dry fast enough. And the same can be said about glitter glue. Did you know that a good alternative for the white glue is clear nail polish? It dries very quickly and glitter sticks to it. For the directions, etc. for this project, "Butterfly Sparkle," click on the image above.

Can You Just Imagine a Lifesized Cutout

of a favorite sports player, movie star or yourself

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Hanging CD Turtle

Using old CDs

Do you have a bunch of out of date CDs that you hate to just trash? If you don't, sending a note home with the kids and asking for old CDs will usually net you plenty. Recycling is teaching students an important lesson, and there's no reason that that lesson shouldn't be fun. These little turtles are very cute, easy to fashion and make an outstanding decoration that isn't holiday themed. Click the image on the right for the supplies list, directions, etc. for this project called, "Hanging CD Turtle."

Coffee Filter Candle Bowls

using coffee filters

Coffee filters are very inexpensive and yet they can be used to make a number of different art projects. The main supplies needed for the project shown is a coffee filter, colored tissue paper and spray starch. You'll want to make more than just one, so you might as well start with at least three. The candles are the little battery operated ones. Click on the image to the right for the directions, etc. for "Coffee Filter Candle Bowls."

Angry Birds

Everyone has assorted sized boxes (milk cartons, asprin boxes, tea bag boxes, etc.) that can be used for craft projects. A box can be decorated and used as a bank, treasure box or the base for a paper mache project. Frugal folks (teachers) believe in the saying, "Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without." Recycle and have fun doing it. Click on the image to go to the project directions, etc. for, "Angry Birds."

Frogs on Lily Pads

using online assists

Elementary kids love drawing animals but, some of them, feel the need of a little guidance. That's when it's nice to do an example, step-by-step, drawing for them. For teachers that don't feel comfortable with drawing examples for art projects, there are a number of great websites to give them the assistance they need. One of the sites that I have used can be seen by clicking on the address shone in this art project. Click on the image at the right for directions, etc. for this project, "Frogs on Lily Pads."

Gaston Chaissan on Glass

painting on jars and bottles

Glass bottles and jars can have a new life just by painting them. Only your imagination will limit you in what can be painted on the bottles. Large jars could be used as canisters on your countertop. An outstanding accessory if themed to your kitchen decor. Different sized and shaped bottles can be used in the bathroom to hold bath oils, cotton swabs, cotton balls, etc. In the bedroom make a fancy looking jar to hold change or other treasures. Paint tall bottles for deorator items in the living room or dining room. For simple directions for this project called, "Gaston Chaissan on Glass," click on the image above.

American Indian Parfleche

using brown grocery bag

Using brown grocery bags in art class is also a lesson in recycling. This is an interesting project because of the history of the parfleche which was used by the plains Indians as they moved from place to place. They carried their clothing, valuables, tools, etc. in a parfleche, which was made from dried buffalo hide and decorated with brightly colored geometric designs. The parfleche was used by the Indian as we would use a suitcase.
For this project we used a brown grocery bag paper as the rawhide and then colored our geometric designs with markers. For directions for the, "American Indian Parfleche," click on the image.

Sunset Silhouettes

Oil pastels are used to make the background of this picture. Then the silhouette is cut from black paper using a magazine image for a pattern. Art that looks much more time intensive than it is, but with beautiful results. Some of the things we noted about silhouettes: 1. you need to think of the light source as being from the back rather than from the front; 2. if there is more than one object or person in silhouette, there must be distance between them or they merge; 3. you want silhouetted people in profile, rather than straight on, so that features like a nose or mouth are outlined and are more recognizable. Click on the image to the right for the directions for the Sunset Silhouettes.

Fall Leaves

a Cricut friendly project

On a crisp, fall morning you see frost covered leaves floating gently to the ground. We don't have frost, but we have glitter to reproduce the sparkly, colorful shower of leaves.
The pattern included in this project is Cricut friendly. The program used is Sure Cuts A Lot (Lot 2). The Cricut will cut the pattern pieces for you or you can make copies of the pattern on cardstock and cut them. Click on the image to the right for directions to the project called "Fall Leaves."

"Love You To Pieces" Picture Frame

picture frame made with puzzle pieces

This makes a nice gift for the kids to give to mom or dad anytime of year. Grandma and Grandpa would like it too. Just about everyone has picture puzzles with missing pieces. Here is a cute project that uses up some of the remaining pieces. Cut a hole in the center of a paper plate for a snapshop, leave some space around the picture for writing, "Love you to Pieces," and glue lots of puzzle pieces around the edge. Click on the picture at the right to take you to the directions.

This Lens Has Been Blessed

by these SquidAngels

Craft Supplies from Stuff4

a huge collection of supplies