Let Your Little Lion Roar - Toddler Art Project

Let Your Little Lion Roar - Paper Plate Puppets

Age: 18 Months - 5 Years (younger ones need more supervision)

Time: 10 min (+ Prep)

Theme: Lions

Books: Do Lions Live on Lily Pads by Melanie Walsh, A Beach Tail by Karen Williams, Dandelion by Don Freeman

Materials:

Orange, Yellow & Red Tissue Paper
Red & Black Construction Paper (you can use scraps)
Small (desert size) paper plates
Glue sticks
Masking tape (if you are making them into hand puppets)
Adults get to use Scissors

Prep: Cut small triangle shapes from the construction paper to be used for eyes and noses. Rip tissue paper into workable size pieces. To make the handle, cut a ½” strip at the widest point of a second paper plate (exact length is not essential, so you can get 3 handles per plate).

Activity: Each child gets a plate, assorted tissue paper, eyes, nose & glue stick. Rip, crumple and twist bits of tissue paper, then glue them to the outer part of the plate for the loin’s mane. Don’t forget to glue on the eyes and nose. With some adult help, attach the handle to the back with masking tape. Give your lion a name then let everyone hear your best lion roar!

Notes/Tips: If you fold the handles in 1/3rds then fold the two ends in half again it will create a tab on each side that can be taped down easily (see pic in this post). Crayons can be used instead of construction paper to create the face. Challenge older kids to create a pattern in their lion's mane.

Sunshine Growth and Pride (Card) – Toddler Art Project

Sunshine Growth and Pride - Tri-fold Card

Age: 18 Months - 5 Years (younger ones need more supervision)

Time: 15 min (+ Prep)

Theme: Greeting Card, Sun, Flower, Lion

Materials:

12 x 18 Construction Paper of any color other than green, orange or yellow (I used brown)
Yellow, Green & Orange Construction Paper
Glue Sticks
Coloring and/or writing materials
Adults get to use Scissors and Pinking Sheers

Prep: The card: Cut the 12 x 18 paper in the 18” direction at an angle from 4” from the top to 6” from the top. This will make 2 cards 18” long. Fold into thirds at the 6” and 12” points.
The pieces: Fold a full sheet of Orange paper into ¼’s on the 9” side (folded like M a sheet should yield 6). Using Pinking Sheers cut out circles leaving the folded edges intact. With normal scissors cut flower stems (1/card) and yellow circles slightly smaller than the orange ones (2/card). Finally cut lion bodies out of yellow paper (1/card).

 Activity: Each child gets a card, an orange 2ply circle, 2 yellow circles, a stem and a body.

Open the card and glue the Orange circle overlapping the center edge of the center card panel. Glue a yellow circle onto each side. Add a stem to one side and the lion body to the other. Refold the card and see how one thing became three! Color or write a personalized note on the card.

Notes/Tips: Don’t be afraid to freehand the lion pieces – Bumps for paws and a strip for a tail and you’re fine! There is no need to glue the body or the stem on first – Kids rarely glue edge-tight so they slip easily under the flower/lion head. This can easily be a big kid project by prepping only the card blanks and letting them do the rest themselves.