Make a Mural
Most craft ideas are geared to individuals, whether kids
or adults. Sometimes you'd like to have a craft idea that
works for a group of kids working together. Making a mural
together is an idea that works for a group. By working
together, you are creating something to decorate a shared
area. Individual crafts can be displayed, but one unique
item is often more effective than a group of items that are
almost identical. In addition, sometimes kids' crafts, like
it or not, just become clutter when they are taken home, and
it isn't long before Mom throws it out. This craft idea of
making a group mural can be displayed for several weeks and
will not become clutter in anyone's home.
The basic materials for a kids' group mural is freezer
paper. Freezer paper is about 18 inches wide, and it is very
tough. One side is plastic coated. That is the side that is
designed to be placed against the food. You will have better
luck drawing on and gluing things onto the other side. Class
or group murals can feature a number of different design
elements. You can mix up some finger paint and let the
children make hand prints (or even foot prints!) on the
paper. You can let them scour old cast-off magazines and
color catalogs for pictures they like and let them cut the
pictures out and glue them on. They can add scribbles,
designs, signatures, slogans, or pictures using markers,
crayons, or gel pens. They can attach stickers to the mural
as well. This craft idea is very flexible!
For making the mural, choose a topic that relates to the
group in some way. If the group are girl scouts, for
instance, and have been learning to camp, the mural can
feature pictures of items related to camping. If you've been
learning about dinosaurs, you can use them as a theme. If
you want a really messy project that makes a cute mural for
fall, mix up finger paint in fall colors. The children can
each make a tree by first laying their forearm in brown
paint. Then they lay their arm on the paper to make the
trunk of the tree. They should spread out their fingers so
their arm print has five short branches at the top. To make
the leaves, the children make fingerprints all around the
top of the tree using paints in other fall colors. If you
add a few drops of dishwashing detergent to finger paint
when mixing it up, it will be easier to clean off the
children's arms. Do make sure they have old clothes or
smocks for this craft idea.
Little preschoolers will like making a mural with an animal
theme. You should probably find and cut out animal magazine
pictures to start with, and then let the children choose the
ones they like for gluing down. Glue sticks are neat to use
with small children. They will paste some of the pictures
upside down. Expect it and do not scold them. It is the
process that is important in this craft idea. The children
can also use animal cookie cutters dipped in finger paint to
stamp animals on the mural, too. You may need to tape the
paper to the table so it doesn't slide around while the
children work.
An elaborate form of this craft idea that adults often make
is a quilt around a theme. Each person in the group creates
a quilt square to represent some aspect of what the group
stands for. These quilt squares can be colored with fabric
pens or crafted of patchwork or appliqué. Again, the craft
idea is to build group solidarity and not to highlight one
artist's skills over another. When the quilt top is
completed, it can be a group project to tie it or quilt it.
It can be hung in a special central location or given to an
appreciated leader or member.
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