Spring is the season for the bright blooms of daffodils and Earth Day. Celebrate both with this three-dimensional art project using recycled materials. Your preschooler will work on color and shape recognition while crafting a lovely piece of seasonal art. So dig an egg carton out of the recycling bin and start creating!
What You Do:
- Cut one cup from an empty egg carton. Have your child paint the entire cup, inside and out, with yellow paint. Set aside to dry.
- Have your preschooler cut a three- to four-inch piece of green construction paper to fit across the bottom of the picture. Help her snip her scissors along the top of the green paper every ½ inch or so, cutting about halfway down. This will be the grass. Your child can glue the bottom of the grass to the piece of paper.
- Cut the green pipe cleaner to fit your picture. This will be the stem of the daffodil. Have your child glue it to the paper. If necessary, use a little piece of tape to secure it as the glue dries.
- Assist your preschooler as she cuts a three-inch circle from the leftover green paper. She can cut the circle in half to create two leaves for the stem. Talk about the shapes as you cut them out — how amazing that she can turn a circle into two half circles with a few snips of the scissors! Let her glue the leaves to the stem.
- Help your child cut a four-inch circle from a piece of yellow construction paper. Cut shallow crescent shapes along the edge of the circle for an additional touch of realism. This will be the back of the daffodil blossom. Let your preschooler glue it to the top of the stem.
- Then give her the painted egg carton cup to glue to the center of the yellow blossom. Your final product is a bright and cheerful daffodil picture with dimension!
- Encourage your child to add personal touches to the picture. She could color in a sun, birds, or whatever her imagination dictates.
Take your little one for a walk while daffodils are in bloom. Talk about their interesting shapes and beautiful colors. Work on your child’s number sense by counting all of the daffodils you see.