This is the time of year when we tend to have lots (and lots) of egg cartons just hanging around. Why? After making all of those Easter eggs, the cartons just tend to pile up. Instead of tossing them, reuse the cardboard kind and turn them into pretty painted spring flowers.
This kids’ art activity helps children to learn about recycling/reusing, the season of spring, flowers, colors and even a famous artist. On top of all of that your child is also working out her fine motor skills and developing critical-thinking abilities.
Before beginning, take a look at some famous art. More specifically, the art of Jackson Pollock. Instead of painting the flowers in a realistic way, your child is going to paint splatter them! If you aren’t lucky enough to have a real Pollock nearby (at a museum), show your child the artist’s work online or in a book. Ask your child how she thinks he created his artwork and what she sees when she looks at it.
Flower Craft
Here’s what you’ll need for the art activity:
- Egg cartons (the cardboard type)
- Scissors
- Clear-drying school glue
- Green craft felt
- Card stock or thick paper
- Water color paint
- A thin paint brush
Cut the egg carton into sections. Each section will become one flower head.
Position the egg carton section with the bottom facing down. Cut slits from the top going downwards. Have your child stop before she gets to the bottom of the carton. The more slits she makes, the more petals she’ll have on her flower. Bend the cardboard to separate the sections (the
Prepare the painting surface. Cover it with a garbage
Soak a paint brush.Then dip it into the paint. Why use water colors? Think about the last time your
little artist used them. Chances are she splattered everything. As your child is
painting, ask her to experiment with using different amounts of paint and water.
Have her predict what will splatter better – more water and less paint or more
paint and less water. After she tries out the splattering and makes observations
she can try to explain which one worked better and why. If it’s not splattering
enough, your child can hold the brush horizontally over the cardboard and gently
tap the top.
Glue the egg carton to the card stock paper – after the
Cut the craft felt into a stem and leaves. Cut the craft felt into a stem and leaves. Ask your child to tell you what she
thinks these look like (a long, thin rectangle and ovals). Glue the stem and leaves to the paper, just under the egg carton.
Keep going. Your child can make an entire field of paint
Famous Artist Projects for Kids
- Kadinsky Inspired Fall Leaf Project
- Matisse Collage Art Project for Kids
- Seurat Style 4 Season Pointilism Project
- Monet
- Picasso
- Paul Klee Kids Art
- Polluck
- Math Mosaic Art
- Matisse Valentine's Day Art Project
- Hidden Mickey Inspired Pointilism Melted Crayon Art
- Van Gogh Starry Night Project
Erica Loop is a mom, parenting writer and educator with an MS in child development. When she's not teaching, she's busy writing kids' activities for her blog Mini Monets and Mommies. You can find her on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, Google+, and Instagram.
