Tag: Sandpaper

Sandpaper Shamrocks

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Shamrock Threading (4)

I happened to have a sheet of green sandpaper, and realized it would be perfect for a few Irish shamrock crafts as we gear up for St. Patrick’s Day!

For the first project, I cut small shamrock shapes from the green sandpaper, and then used a hole punch to add a hole near the top of each. A piece of green lacing cord would be perfect for threading!

Shamrock Threading (1)

I encouraged Veronika to thread the lace through the hole of each clover. After a few tries, she seemed to tire of the task so I finished up her necklace.

Shamrock Threading (3)

She sure loved wearing this adornment, though! I realized it will make a great homemade alternative to the light-up shamrock bling the kids usually get at the St. Patrick’s Day parade (cancelled of course this year).

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Note: If you don’t have green sandpaper, you can also cut the shamrocks for this necklace from green construction paper. A shoelace would work well for the thread!

For the second project, I cut several sizes of shamrock from green and orange sandpaper.

Shamrock Rubbings (1)

I placed these under regular white paper and showed Veronika how to rub over them with the side of a green crayon. The shamrocks are magically revealed!

Shamrock Rubbings (4)

She needed a little help for this step, especially rubbing the crayon with enough force, but she also proudly wanted to try it solo.

Shamrock Rubbings (5)

It was particularly neat to see how different textures of sandpaper came through; the rougher green sandpaper resulted in a darker and more pronounced rubbing than the fine-grained orange sandpaper.

Shamrock Rubbings (6)

“It’s a shamrock!” she said with delight each time. Both of these crafts are a great way to introduce toddlers to the symbolism and colors of St. Patrick’s Day.

Shamrock Rubbings (8)

Sandpaper Line Designs

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Sandpaper Lines (3)

This classic toddler activity can be a lifesaver whether you need to keep little hands busy at home or if you’re on the go. To make it portable, simply cut the sandpaper square smaller and tuck the strands of yarn into a zip-top bag.

For an at-home version, I just sat Veronika down in front of a few squares of rough sandpaper and added strands of yarn in various colors and lengths.

Sandpaper Lines (1)

I showed her how to make a few depictions of real things, like a little “fish” swimming in water. Older toddlers can have lots of fun trying to fashion real pictures!

Sandpaper Lines (5)

But the enjoyment here for a young toddler like Veronika was the way the yarn sticks to the sandpaper. I demonstrated by holding it up for her so she could marvel at how the yarn seems to “stick”.

Sandpaper Lines (2)

She also loved scratching her fingers against the rough surface.

Sandpaper Lines (4)

Or just picking up handfuls of yarn and dropping them down again.

Sandpaper Lines (6)

Truth be told, her favorite version seemed to be draping strands of yarn around herself like a scarf!

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One way or another, this is a great activity when you need to entertain your toddler in a pinch.

 

Sandpaper Leaves

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Sandpaper Leaves (7).JPG

We often think of leaf crafts as projects for the autumn, but here’s one that can be done in nearly every season (except winter!). It combines a little bit of nature, a little bit of sensory art, and a little bit of coloring all in one.

After a full family day at the park, we returned home with a collection of leaves. All of them were green this time of year (late summer), but we found leaves in as many different shapes as possible, everything from nearly oval, to trefoil, to pointy.

Sandpaper Leaves (1)

Once home, I traced the leaves in permanent marker on sandpaper, making sure to include lines for the veins (a quick little science lesson on how leaves drink their water!)

Sandpaper Leaves (4)

Travis loved selecting colors and filling in each leaf, with the sandpaper adding extra tactile fun.

Sandpaper Leaves (2)

He made some leaves true to life (oranges, greens), and went beyond nature with a few others in vibrant pinks.

Sandpaper Leaves (3)

Best of all was when he grabbed a handful of crayons for a rainbow leaf – his own invention.

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Cut out the leaves and paste up on the walls or use as pretty gift cards the next time you send a loved one something special.

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We loved this variation on leaf art!

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