DIY Craft for Kids at Home

This is a special time of year when you get to tell the Easter Bunny about all the wonderful things you've done in school and in your community.

Writing a letter will give you a chance to share your good deeds... and oh, let's not forget the most important part; the sweet treats! The Easter Bunny will want to know about your favorite candies and toys so your basket can be filled with goodies you love.

To make your letter extra special, craft your very own 'Mosaic Egg Note Card' to pen your message. What is Mosaic?

A LITTLE HISTORY ABOUT MOSAIC ART

Mosaic is an ancient art form using small pieces of tile or glass to create a picture. This art technique arranges and seals oddly shaped pieces to a surface or wall using a cement like adhesive, called grout. Artists have also used paper, small pebbles or decorative stones to create interesting mosaic patterns as well. Once the small pieces are laid and glued into place, artists use grout to fill the spaces in between the pieces. The masterpiece is then set and allowed time to dry.

MAKING YOUR 'MOSAIC EGG NOTE CARD': THE LESSON

You are now the author and the artist. Using paper as your material to complete this mosaic project, you will 1. Learn how to space and place odd shapes together to create a mosaic design. 2. Carefully, apply glue to small paper pieces and place on front cover of the card. 3. Write your message inside.

VOCABULARY

Mosaic - small pieces of tile or glass placed to form pictures.

Grout - cement like material used to fill in spaces and apply pieces to a surface.

Technique - a way of completing a task or project.

Murals - a painted or mosaic wall design.

Adhesive - another name for glue or cement.

LET'S GET STARTED (What you need)

1 Sheet Heavy Card Stock Paper (white or color)

1 Oval Shaped Item (small oval painting canvas or plaque works well)

Elmer's Glue or Elmer's Rubber Cement (adhesive)

Pencil (to trace oval shape)

Small Paint Brush (use to apply glue)

2-4 Scrapbook Craft Sheets (mix and match patterns work well)

Small Box Crayola Crayons, Colored Pencils or Markers

Scissors

CRAFTING INSTRUCTIONS

1. Using your scissors, cut scrapbook craft sheets into small and medium size pieces. Place aside.

2. Fold heavy card stock paper in half.

3. Place oval shape, slightly over the fold side of the card stock.

4. Using a pencil, trace around the oval shape until you reach the fold on both sides. Following the traced line, cut out the card (avoid cutting the fold).

5. If you used white card stock paper, color the face of your card with a crayon,color pencil or marker (coloring the background will serve as your grout color showing through your cut paper pieces).

Tip: Colored card stock paper can serve as background grout color, making crayon or markers optional.

6. Now you are ready to arrange your small-medium sized pieces to create your mosaic design.

7. Once your design is ideal, use the paint brush and gently apply glue to the back of each piece (remember to leave a little space between each piece).

8. Let your paper pieces run off the card to avoid empty spacing along the edges. Trim along edge of egg for a complete finish.

Care more about the product than the process. Many parents get too caught up with making the perfect craft project that they forget to let the kids be kids. Very often, kids will make things that bear no resemblance to the craft project instructions. As long as they had fun and enjoyed the process, parents should give kids a lot of freedom in their craft activities.
Take over the process. Many parents do not like to see their kids struggle. When their kids get stuck on a particular task, instead of suggesting and prompting the kids to work it out on their own, they feel the need to complete the task for them. And before they realize it, they would take over the entire process. Kids learn better if you let them work out a solution on their own.