Quilling for Kids

Earth Day is April 22, but we’re turning it into Earth Week! Our blog will be filled with projects using recycled materials, science projects demonstrating pollution and more videos from our entertaining staff! Third in our series turns scrap paper into works of art using a technique called quilling (sometimes called paper filigree). This art form has been around for hundreds of years and helps  young children practice their fine motor skills.

Messy level: 2 
(5 = Super messy. 1 = Not messy at all.)

Materials

• Construction paper or scrap paper long enough to cut into strips
• Paper cutter or scissors
• Glue
• Pencil or paint brush (something thin to wrap paper around)

Instructions

1. Cut paper into thin strips. For young children we recommend 1/2 inch, but you can go thinner depending on your child’s skill set.

2. Wrap paper around pencil or paint brush handle to form a coil. Slide to remove. The tighter you wrap the smaller coil. For larger coils, wrap tightly and then let loosen in your hand once you remove it from your pencil. For a teardrop shape, pinch one of the ends of your coil. For an eye shape, pinch both ends of your coil.

3. Apply a dot of glue to the end of your coil and press it down until it dries.

4. Prepare as many coils as needed for your art piece. Once assembled, glue down to a sheet of paper. Let your imagination go wild!

– from the creative mind of Miss Heather