crafts

Jellyfish Theme Activities

August 29, 2023 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

Jellyfish theme with art, math, scissor skill, water play, and light table activities. Interestng jellyfish facts and free printables included.

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It was clear jellyfish that got me interested in this unique sea creature, and are the inspiration behind this jellyfish theme post. Three transparent jellyfish crafts are included in the theme, along with scissor skills, math, and water play ideas.

Sea jelly is the proper name for jellyfish since these creatures are not fish. Fish have a face, brains, tails, fins, and backbone, which sea jellies don’t have. But since most people still use the term jellyfish and find activities by searching this name, I’m using both words in my facts and activities.

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Follow me on Pinterest for more early learning ideas.

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Fascinating Jellyfish Facts

Here are ten interesting facts about jellyfish:

Sea jellies are found in waters all over the world: cold or warm, shallow or deep, near shore or deep in the ocean.
These graceful creatures have a bell-shaped body, with oral arms and tentacles that look like streamers.
Jellyfish come in many colors and are often luminescent.
The tiny stinging cells on their tentacles capture prey. The tentacles can also sting people.
Inside the bell, sea jellies have a mouth to eat food with.

Make this sparkly iridescent jellyfish craft that doubles as an ocean drum and movement prop, It displays beautifully indoors or outdoors.

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These floaty creatures eat fish, crabs, shrimp, tiny plants, and zooplankton.
Their predators are large fish, sea turtles, and sometimes other jellyfish.
Sea Jellies are slow swimmers, pulsing along. They often get overpowered by strong currents that carry them along.
From small to humungous, sea jellies come in many different sizes and shapes.
The Portuguese Man Of War is the biggest sea jelly. Nomeus fish live in their deadly tentacles and do not get eaten. The tiny fish help attract large prey that this massive sea jelly ends up eating.
Jellyfish live for just under two days to under a year.

For more facts about sea jellies, view the blog post “Jellies” on montereybayaquarium.org.

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Iridescent Jellyfish Crafts

These three jellyfish crafts are inspired by the moon jelly, which has a transparent, umbrella-shaped bell. Iridescent craft supplies shine in the stringy crafts.

Supplies To Collect

Simple supplies to create three different transparent jellyfish crafts. Iridescent craft supplies take center stage in the projects.

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Gather the following supplies for the transparent sea jelly crafts:

two clear disposable dinner plates
opaque or clear transparent disposable drinking cup
clear dessert bowl
iridescent beads
two kinds of sparkly, textured, thin yarn
iridescent curly ribbon
iridescent metallic shreds
glue gun
wiggly eyes

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Clear Plate Jellyfish

Create this stunning iridescent jellyfish craft using clear disposable plates and iridescent craft supplies. Great for music, movement, and language arts activities.

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To make this large jellyfish, start by positioning one clear dinner plate right side up, and laying metallic shreds and a small handful of iridescent beads on it.

Next, cut strips of sparkly and /or iridescent yarn and curly ribbon and glue them in a row at the bottom of the plate using the glue gun.

Then glue the second dinner plate upside down on top of the first one by applying hot glue to the edge of one or both plates.

Lastly, glue two large wiggly eyes to one of the plates, and affix a yarn strip to hang the jellyfish on the other side.

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This jellyfish looks beautiful displayed in the classroom in a sunny spot, or outside on a tree. The crafted jellyfish also makes an ocean drum musical instrument and can be a unique accessory for language arts. music, and movement activities.

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Dessert Bowl Jellyfish

Design this simple hanging jellyfish craft using gorgeous, iridescent supplies. Display it is a sunny location for maximum shine.

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This second jellyfish craft most replicates the moon jelly shape and is so easy to make. Just glue one end of the yarn and curly ribbon strips to the inside of the bowl so that they hang down like jellyfish arms and tentacles. Affix a loop to hang on the bottom of the bowl, and this sea jelly is ready to be displayed.

Hanging outside at night, it looks like a sea jelly floating deep in the ocean.

Design this hanging jellyfish craft using gorgeous, iridescent supplies. Displayed at night, it looks like a sea jelly floating in deep ocean waters.

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Disposable Cup Jellyfish

Design this cute jellyfish cup craft using iridescent supplies. Display it indoors or outdoors to add ambiance to an ocean creature theme.

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Make this craft just like the one above using a clear or opaque disposable cup instead of the dessert bowl. Add wiggly eyes for the finishing touch.

Design this simple jellyfish cup craft using gorgeous, iridescent supplies. Display it is a sunny location for maximum shine.

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More Jellyfish Activities

Scissor Skill Jellyfish

Here’s an easy jellyfish scissor skills project to download for your little learners. Invite participants to cut out along the lines to create sea jelly tentacles, and then cut out the bell-shaped body.

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Free Jellyfish PrintableDownload

(This printable is for individual or one classroom use only.)

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In this next activity, trace and cut out jellyfish bells from colored cardstock paper, and then print and snip apart the numbered tentacles. Invite little learners to glue tentacles to their jellyfish bell in order from one to five. Use this second printable for the project.

Download this free jellyfish math template for little learners to create a paper craft, practice scissor skills, and order numbers form one to five.

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Free Jellyfish Math PrintableDownload

(This printable is for individual or one classroom use only.)

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Invite little learners to practice scissor skills and math concepts by completing a paper craft jellyfish with numbered tentacles.

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Or simply photocopy the jellyfish printable on pastel-colored paper or cardstock to add pops of color to the activity.

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More Jellyfish Math

Use paper jellyfish or jellyfish figurines in counting rhymes and songs.

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Light Table Jellyfish

Invitation to create jellyfish on a light table with transparent stir sticks and page divider cut outs. Wiggly eyes are the finishing touch.

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Invite little learners to create jellyfish on a light table with transparent page divider cutouts and stir sticks.

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Jellyfish Water Play

Include jellyfish dive toys, fishing nets, strainers, and foam numbers in a water table, tuff tray, or bus tub. Little learners can count, sort, and scoop the colored jellyfish in the bin.

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Sea Turtle Theme Activities

Octopus Theme Activities

Sea Star Theme Activities

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[Read more…]

Gorgeous Eye Dropper Art

August 27, 2023 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

Baeutiful paper towel eye dropper art . Do the process art activity on its own or turn the art into dragonfly, butterfly, and flower designs.

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What do dragonflies, butterflies, and flowers have in common? Aside from appearing during the summer season, they all look spectacular in eye dropper art. This easy-to-do, oh-so-satisfying process art technique is one of children’s favorite ways to paint.

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Follow me on Pinterest for more early learning ideas.

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Supplies To Collect

For this stunning art activity, gather the following:

liquid watercolors or food coloring
roll of absorbent paper towels
pipette eye droppers
paint containers
waterproof tablecloth

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The Eye Dropper Art Process

Create gorgeous eye dropper art with liquid watercolors on paper towle sheets. An all-ages process art activity.

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Things might get very wet with this art technique, so the first thing to do is cover the working surface with a waterproof tablecloth.

Next, tear off sheets from a paper towel roll. If you have a choice, pick a thicker brand, as it will be more absorbent. But any kind of paper towel will work fine.

Then pour water into paint pots, and mix a few drops of liquid watercolors or food coloring in each one.

Set up an art station with a paper towel sheet and paint pots with eyedropper pipettes for each participant.

Invite children to squeeze paint on their paper towel canvas with the droppers.

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When the arty paper towel sheets are thoroughly covered in paint, set them aside to dry.

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Eye Dropper Paint Crafts

Eye dropper painting is a well-loved process art activity, and participating artists will likely want to decorate a few paper towels. In this case, send some of the paper towel art home, and save a few sheets for crafts or other activities. The paper towel art looks beautiful in the following three crafts.

Paper Towel Dragonflies

Create a gorgeous dragonfly with a super fun eye dropper painting technique. A paper craft that looks stunning displayed.

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The large wings of mosquito-munching dragonflies have a moment with the eye dropper art technique. To craft the dragonflies, cut two pairs of long wings out of painted paper towel sheets, and a one-piece head, thorax, and abdomen from complementary-toned regular or glitter cardstock. Use a glue stick to affix the dragonfly wings to the back of the cardstock shapes. Finally, use a glue gun to add folded pipe cleaner antennae and wiggly eyes to the heads.

Tip: Paper towel rolls are often two-ply. If the layers in your cutouts separate while you are working, dab a little glue in a few spots between them so they stay in place.

Create gorgeous dragonflies with a super fun eye dropper painting technique. A paper craft that looks stunning displayed.

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Download this free dragonfly template to make the craft.

Download this free dragonfly template for art or craft activities.

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Dragonfly PrintableDownload

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This printable is for individual or one classroom use only.

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Paper Towel Butterflies

Create a gorgeous, dainty butterfly with a super fun eye dropper painting technique. A paper craft that looks stunning displayed.

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Butterflies look fantastical in any kind of art technique, and the wings look especially dainty when crafted from painted paper towels. To create the butterflies, snip two pairs of butterfly wings from a colored paper towel. Then cut a one-piece head, thorax, and abdomen from cardstock. As with the dragonflies, affix the wings to the back of the cardstock bodies. With a glue gun, attach a folded pipe cleaner antennae and two small wiggly eyes to the heads.

Create gorgeous, dainty butterflies with a super fun eye dropper painting technique. A paper craft that looks stunning displayed.

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Download this free butterfly template to make the craft.

Download this free butterfly template for art or craft activities.

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Butterfly TemplateDownload

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This printable is for individual or one-classroom use only.

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Paper Towel Flowers

Create a beautiful flower with a super fun eye dropper painting technique. A paper craft that looks stunning displayed.

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A third art project is to create paper towel flowers. Cut the flowers and circular centers from painted paper towel sheets, and add cardstock or construction paper stems and leaves.

Create beautiful flowers with a super fun eye dropper painting technique. A paper craft that looks stunning displayed.

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Download this free flower template to make the craft.

Download this free flower template for art or craft activities.

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Flower PrintableDownload

This printable is for individual or one-classroom use only.

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Light Table Play

The eye dropper paper towel dragonflies, butterflies, and flowers look especially beautiful displayed on a light table.

Eyedropper art dragonfly, butterfly, and flowers display beautifully on a light table.

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As an alternative, eye dropper-painted geometric shapes cut from paper towel sheets also illuminate wonderfully and offer opportunities to create original designs.

Eye dropper art on geomtric shapes look beautiful on a light table and provide an invitation to create interesting new designs.

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Earth Day Heart Art

Eye Dropper Leaf Art

Spider Theme Activities

Ladybug Wand Craft

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[Read more…]

Paint Chip Watermelon Art

August 17, 2023 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

Create beautiful watermelon art with paint chip samples. The colorful watermelon slices can be used in many different activities.

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Paint chip color samples with their gorgeous lined-up hues are truly something special. They come in every glorious color scheme you can imagine and make any kind of art activity extra beautiful. In this post, they shine in paint chip watermelon art that lends itself to a variety of fun activities for children.

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Not Just Red

The only color of watermelon I experienced as a child is red, but did you know that there are also yellow, orange, pink, and white watermelon varieties? All these hues are featured in this fruity art activity.

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Follow me on Pinterest for more early learning ideas.

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Supplies To Collect

Gather the following supplies to make paint chip watermelon art:

paint chip samples in hues of red, pink, orange, yellow, and green
black cardstock
hole punch
glue stick
scissors and pencil

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Paint Chip Watermelon Art Process

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To create this juicy art activity, trace and cut out half-circle shapes from paint chip swatches donated from hardware stores.

Note: Watermelon comes in at least five different hues, so multi-shade paint chip strips in yellow, orange, pink, red, and white all apply.

Next, trace and cut out thin half-circle watermelon rinds from green paint color samples.

Afterward, use a glue stick to affix the green rinds to the curved edge of the half circles to create watermelon slices.

Just add seeds to these fruity slices to create watermelon art. The juicy slices can be used in many differnt activities for litlle learners.

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Then punch dots from black construction paper for watermelon seeds, and glue a few onto each watermelon slice.

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Paint Chip Watermelon Activities

The created paint chip watermelon slices can be used in several ways with little learners:

Watermelon Slice Collage

Invite little learners to glue watermelon slices to a large sheet of paper for a pretty watermelon collage.

Craft watermelon slices with paint chip samples and use them in a pretty watermelon collage. A beautiful. all-ages art activity.

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Counting and Color Recognition Activities

Use the juicy slices as props for counting and color-recognition rhymes, songs, and charting activities.

Paint chip watermelon slices shine in this fruity math chart where little learners can count the seeds and add the corresponding number.

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Paint chip watermelon art used in a fruity color chart where little learners can practice matching color words to watermelon slices.

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Pretend Play Food

The crafted fruit slices make attractive pretend food for a play kitchen.

Paint chip watermelon slices make attractive play food for a pretend play kitchen.

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Watermelon Necklace

With a hot glue gun, affix small paper clips to the back top of three watermelon slices. String pony beads and paper watermelon slices onto a 24-inch piece of thin lacing cord and tie it off.

Supplies to make a beaded necklace with paint chip watermelon slices and green, red, pink, and clear pony beads.

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How to make a beaded necklace with paint chip watermelon slices and green, red, pink, and clear pony beads.

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Color Discussions

After little learners can recognize the basic colors, use the paint chip watermelon slices to discuss lighter and darker shades of color.

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Paint Chip Fruit Drink Art

It is easy to transition this paint chip watermelon art activity into a fruit drink craft. To do this, cut paper glasses from construction paper colors of choice. Then cut half circles from paint chip swatches in fruity hues. Offer each participant a paper glass, glue stick, and six or seven half-circle fruit wedges to create a lemon, lime, or orange paper drink. Add an additional fruit slice to the top of each glass.

Create a cute paper drink craft with orange, yellow, and green paint chip fruit slices glued onto drinking glass shapes.

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Watermelon Facts

Interested in finding out more about different kinds and colors of watermelon? Check out the post “Here’s the Difference Between Pink, Orange, and Yellow Watermelon” by myrecipes.com.

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Ideas to include paint chip watermelon slices in math, color recognition, art, dramatic play, and manipulative activities for early learners.

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Paint Chip Apple Craft

Watermelon Dramatic Play Center

Fun Ways To Serve Watermelon

Watermelon-Inspired Banner Craft

Watermelon Playdough Tray

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[Read more…]

Contact Paper Flower Art

August 4, 2023 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

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For at least two years I have been wanting to try a floral window art project with contact paper. And I was hoping to use flowers and foliage growing in the wild in my first attempt, just to give them a moment. Although this summer I purchased more flowering annuals than usual and the blooms are taking over my yard, this contact paper flower art project is made with wildflowers and greenery found in our city. It is surprisingly effortless to do, and little learners can easily join in.

Use flowers and foliage found in the wild to create beautiful transient window art on contact paper. An all-ages nature art activity.

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Follow me on Pinterest for more early learning ideas.

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Creating Contact Paper Flower Art

To create this transient nature art project, start by gathering flowers and greenery to use. A natural wildflower patch at a local dog park provided all I needed for this design.

Create oh-so-pretty contact paper flower art using flowers and foliage found in the wild. A beautiful, transient nature art project.

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Note: It is a good idea to check if the plants you find are toxic to humans before you decide to include them. If so, do not offer them to little learners to use in the project.

Next, cut a shape from contact paper. You can simply snip off a rectangular strip, or create a special shape such as a heart or star.

Then slowly and carefully peel off the backing so it comes off smoothly without wrinkling the sticky contact paper.

Steps to create oh-so-pretty contact paper flower art using flowers and foliage found in the wild. A beautiful, transient nature art project.

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If you have a specific design in mind, use the peeled-off paper as a dummy to plan the arrangement of the flowers.

Afterward, transfer the flowers and foliage to the contact paper, and gently press them down. It works well to start with greenery and then add flowers.

In my design, the daisies are plump in the middle but tolerate a good finger press and adhere well. And the four-petalled purple flowers work perfectly as butterflies.

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This contact paper art project with wildflowers looks beautiful displayed in a window. Just use a glue stick to add adhesive to the window of choice, and gently press the flower art over it. The glue washes off easily without leaving any marks after the project is taken down.

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More Contact Paper Flower Art Ideas

Here are more ways to create or display contact paper flower art:

Instead of setting this art project on a table, tack the contact paper to a window first and offer the art activity there. Besides providing a novel way to create art, it improves little learners’ core body strength and eye-hand coordination.

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To provide a unique invitation to create, set the contact paper on a table and place a frame around it. Add a tray of flowers and foliage for little learners to use to decorate the sticky surface.

An Invitation to create oh-so-pretty contact paper flower art using flowers and foliage found in the wild. A beautiful, transient nature art project.

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To make this tacky art project more durable, add a cardboard frame.

Another way to display the art is to use a glue gun to adhere a strip of yarn to the top of the completed project and hang it on a tree.

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[Read more…]

Shiny Paint Cactus Art

August 3, 2023 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

Four easy to make shiny cactus art projects that look beautifully displayed. Kitchen supplies gleam in this all-ages art activity.

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This all-ages shiny paint cactus art can be made in a few different ways. Try one of the versions or try them all, and share a few cactus facts along the way. Saguaro and prickly pear cactus trees are featured in the activities, and two free cactus templates are available to download to make your art activity preparation easier.

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Follow me on Pinterest for more early learning ideas.

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Supplies To Collect

Make this shiny saguaro cactus tree art project using only a few supplies. An all-ages easy-to-do desert art activity.

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Gather the following basic supplies for the cactus art projects in this post:

white corn syrup
neon purple and green food coloring
green food coloring
paint pots
paintbrushes
glue paddle
small bowls
spoons
white glue
scissors
large circle punch
8 ½ inch x 11-inch white cardstock paper
12 x 12-inch colored cardstock
flower confetti
cactus templates
newsprint or tablecloth

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Cactus Art Paint

Three of the four projects featured employ a shiny paint made by adding a food coloring hue to white corn syrup. Little learners find this paint soooo satisfying to use. It is super sticky and can work as an adhesive. It dries with a glossy, smooth finish.

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Coconut Embellished Saguaro Cactus

Saguaro cactus trees grow naturally in southern Arizona and in the Mexican state of Sonora. The desert dwellers are covered in prickly spines.

Saguaros often bloom in late May to late June, but the blooms can be spotted earlier or later in the year. The stunning white flowers with yellow centers mature into edible ruby red fruits.

Steps to make a shiny saguaro cactus art project using only a few supplies. An all-ages easy-to-do art project.

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For this first saguaro cactus art project, start by squeezing a little white corn syrup into a paint pot. A baby food jar works well as a paint holder.

Next, add a few drops of neon green food coloring into the corn syrup and stir it in.

Then cut a saguaro cactus tree from white cardstock paper. Feel free to download this template for the project.

A free saguaro cactus template to use for art and craft projects. Paint, glue, and create with using unique cactus design.

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Saguaro Cactus PrintableDownload

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Afterward, set the cactus cutout on an art table along with the sticky green paint, a paintbrush, a small bowl with shredded coconut, and a spoon.

Cover the cactus with shiny paint, and then sprinkle on coconut bits to represent pokey spines. Press in confetti flowers to depict a cactus in the blooming season.

To complete the cactus art project, add a strip of golden or yellow ochre sturdy paper to the bottom of a 12-inch x 12-inch piece of cardstock that is a pastel shade. Using white glue or a glue gun, carefully adhere the painted cactus to the cardstock background. Punch or cut out a large cardstock circle and glue it on to represent a sun in the picture.

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Note: This paint takes a generous amount of time to dry. After at least a few days of drying time, the art is ready to be displayed.

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Chive Embellished Saguaro Cactus

This easy to create saguarro cactus tree art uses chives as one of the supplies. An all-ages art project that is rewarding to do.

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This second cactus tree art project uses green glue instead of corn syrup paint. For this art activity:

Mix a little neon green food coloring into white glue to make a light green hue. Use a glue paddle to apply the glue all over a cactus template. A light coat of glue works best, as it helps prevent the paper cactus from curling as it dries.
Sprinkle on freeze-dried chives to look like cactus spines, and add pink confetti blooms.
Finish the project the same way the first one was done.

Note: Corn syrup paint works beautifully for this cactus art design just as well.

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Purple Prickly Pear Cactus Art

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As I am always drawn to unique colors in nature, I was excited to find out that there is such a thing as purple cacti. Some prickly pear cacti are purple, so this next project celebrates this pretty, vibrant hue and highlights the unique prickly pear cactus shape. Feel free to download the template below for the art activity.

A free prickly pear cactus template to use for art and craft projects. Paint, glue, and create using this unique cactus design.

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Prickly Pear Cactus PrintableDownload

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To complete this art project:

Mix a little neon purple food coloring in a pot of white corn syrup.
Paint the prickly pear cactus with the purple sticky paint.
Sprinkle on uncooked rice grains to represent spines.
Press in purple confetti flowers. Or use yellow confetti flowers…the natural color of purple prickly pear blooms.
Finish the project the same way the first two cactus versions were done.

This prickly pear cactus art project requires simple supplies you can find in your kitchen. It's an easy-to-do all-ages art activity.

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Cactus Christmas Tree Art

This last cactus project is elevated by using cake sprinkles for the spines. The balls in the sprinkle mix inspired me to turn the cactus into a decorated Christmas tree.

Use supplies you have in your kitchen to decorate a saguaro cactus as a Christmas tree. An all-ages art activity everyone will love.

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To make this art project:

Mix a hue of green corn syrup paint and brush it onto a saguaro cactus.
Drop on cake sprinkles with your fingers or a spoon, and press them in gently. Space out the sprinkle balls to look like ornaments on the tree.
Glue a cut or punched metallic paper star at the top for a tree topper.
Complete the art project the same way as all the others.

Note: The corn syrup paint and glue paint have adhesive qualities. If any of the embellishments do not adhere, use white glue or a glue gun to affix the shapes.

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These shiny paint cactus art activities are suitable for people of every age. Each project can be a cooperative one for little learners, with an older child or adult helping a little one with the cactus art.

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Related:

Octopus Art

Sea Turtle Art

Sea Star Art

Lizard And Turtle Art

Corn Syrup Paint Sunflowers

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[Read more…]