star windows~

another fun creative activity i found to to do with little ones~

Imbolc Kids Activity Star Windows
http://avalonoftheheart.yuku.com/topic/2907/t/Candlemas-Imbolc-Crafts-and-Activities.html


From the book Earthways (To order visit http://www.ghbooks.com/activity/10024.html)

These little windows of colored light are a special addition to a window near your Season's Garden. They also create a seasonal mood, depending on the colors and forms you choose. To the children, they are magical when placed on the window so that the sunlight shines through.

You will need:

Construction paper (Deep red and blue)

Scissors

Colored tissue paper (Gold, yellow and white)

Basket or tray

Pen

White glue using small saucers and cotton swabs (or pencils with new erasers) or glue sticks

Cut the construction paper into frames in the shape of your choice. A plain rectangle with rounded edges to soften the shape is fine; a star would be extra special, but will take longer to do. The total size is up to you, but make it no smaller than 6 inches long and 4 inches wide. The frame edge itself should be approximately 3/4 to one inch thick. Run a bead of glue all around the back of the frame near the outer edge and press a large piece of white tissue paper over it. Trim the tissue paper. Cut the yellow and gold tissue paper into star shapes, in varying sizes if you like. By folding the tissue accordion style, you can cut many stars at the same time. Place the stars in a basket or on a tray. Write the children's names on the backs of the frames (the side with the tissue paper glued on). This is the side on which they work.

Give children a glue stick or have them share a small dish or saucer of glue (just put a little on the dish). They could use a cotton swab to apply the glue, but use these sparingly as they cannot be reused. You can also use erasers on new pencils to dip in the glue and dab onto the stars. The erasers can be rinsed off and reused. Using a tiny drop of glue for each star, the children cover the white tissue with stars.
Encourage them to fill the surface, although the younger ones may just place a few stars on the tissue paper. It is fine to overlap the stars, as this creates interesting shapes and beautiful and surprising new colors. When they have finished, add an extra covering of white tissue as you did in step two. While not completely necessary, it provides a nice protective backing and gives the transparency a more finished look. Let the children hold them up to the light. The children are always captivated by the results.

Cover your classroom windows with star windows, or send each one home so the stars shine there. This technique for making tissue paper transparencies is endlessly variable. The frames can be cut into any shape, from pumpkins (fall) to eggs (spring). Just choose the tissue paper in seasonal colors and cut the construction paper into appropriate shapes. Generally, white tissue paper is used for backing in all cases.