Crafting

Do you enjoy arts and crafts? Well if so these activities are for you!

Crafting is available to everyone and we all have things which we can use in our homes to craft with. The activities here are starting points from which to develop and experiment with materials, processes and designs. Have fun and be experimental.

There are various different craft activities here, try them out and then submit the finished activity for us to see!

Activity 1: Doodle Cube

The Power of Doodling

Do you doodle?

While doodling may seem like just a way to pass the time, I believe in the power of doodling to engage the brain.

Several research studies have been done that suggest that doodling actually helps people commit to memory the ideas that they are listening to while drawing. Doodling is said to help people retain information, foster creative thinking, and believe or not, HELP people focus. I also find doodling incredibly relaxing.

Instructions:

  1. Print the doodle cube template (click here)

  2. Create the cube

  3. Doodle on the cube

  4. Create a stack of doodle cubes

Activity 2: Magic Wands

Fashion straws into 3D shapes for an activity that's one part science, one part silly fun with bubbles. With practice, you can make square and triangular bubbles!

Instructions:

  1. Find some straws.

  2. Follow the document in the guidance below to make a wand

  3. Using washing up liquid mixed with water to make the bubble mixture

Magic Wand .pdf

Activity 3: Paper Bracelets

You could use paint to decorate the paper with abstract shapes or use coloured or white paper. Cut the paper into strips and fold them into wearable art.

Instructions:

  1. To make a folded paper bracelet you need 16-22 strips of paper.

  2. The strips of paper need to be 12cms x 3cms, bigger or smaller is fine, as long as the size ratio is 1:4.

  3. Follow the guidance document below on how to make the paper bracelets.

Paper Bracelets.pdf

Activity 4: Paper Weaving

Paper weaving is a craft in which thin strips or sheets of paper are woven together to create textured, durable, and colorful new creations.

The basic tenet behind paper weaving is the interplay of paper strips. Strips are woven, one over the other, into some new whole.

Instructions:

  1. Adults should prepare the base/template by cutting slots with an Exacto knife in the paper base according to one of our templates. Be sure to stop cutting 1” from the top and bottom of the paper.

  2. Cut paper strips that are at a minimum the width of the paper base. I recommend longer strips and trimming them later.

  3. Time for the kids! Give your child the base and put out a collection of paper scraps. If this is their first time weaving you will need to walk them through the steps of pulling the paper over and under the slots. Make sure to pull the paper over and under alternate slots with each new layer to create a woven texture.

  4. Continue until the slots are filled.

  5. If desired trim edges of paper strips to match the paper base.

Tell us about it!

How you can support your child

Once you have completed your crafting activity, take some photos. If you want to share a picture of what you have produced, you can submit it using the form found in the navigation bar titled "Tell us about it." You can also tweet us and tag @OGATrust on twitter, don't forget tagging your academy twitter account as well!


You can help too! How?

  • Help gather the different things needed to do the crafting

  • Be an extra pair of hands to help