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Crafts For Kids - Cinna-Shapes (Fun With Cinnamon and
Sandpaper)
By Aja Klenna
This craft project is easy and is a great way for small children to join
in the decorating fun. Cinnamon sticks are a delicious way to make the
transition from summer to autumn, and this is a craft that is simple to
do and smells great.
Age Group: 3-6 with help, older with supervision
Time: Less than an hour
Materials needed
o 1 sheet of sandpaper per child. While finer grit sandpaper would be
best for this project, whatever grits of sandpaper you have on hand will
work just fine. Sandpaper can be purchased at your local hardware store
and the higher the number the finer the grit.
o 1 cinnamon stick per child. You can find inexpensive cinnamon sticks
in your nearby craft store. These cinnamon sticks will not be used for
cooking, so you do NOT want to buy the expensive cinnamon sticks sold at
your grocers in the spice aisle.
o Sturdy scissors. Cutting sandpaper is not easy, though finer grit is
easier to cut than the coarser varieties. Tin snips or heavy-duty shears
work best for this project, but may not be appropriate for young
children. Use your judgement, and you may opt to have children use a
good pair of craft scissors instead. As a reward for all of the hard
work, cutting through sandpaper will sharpen your scissors.
o Pencil. You will need a pencil to draw the pattern of the shape that
you want to cut out.
o Hole Punch
o Ribbon
o Permanent marker
Preparation
1. To keep messes to a minimum cover your work area with a newspaper,
drop cloth or old sheet.
2. If you have some small children doing this craft, it is a good idea
to have some pre-cut shapes available for them to use.
Process
1. Give each child a sheet of sandpaper (or a pre-cut shape), a pencil
and a cinnamon stick
2. Have each child draw a simple shape on the backside of a sheet of
sandpaper.
3. Instruct them to cut out their shape.
4. Then rub the cinnamon stick across the rough side of the sandpaper
demonstrating for the children.
5. Have the children do the same thing with their cinnamon sticks making
sure to cover the whole sandpaper shape.
6. Use a hole punch to make a hole in the top of each shape.
7. Slip a loop of ribbon through the hole.
8. Write the child's name on the paper side of the shape with a
permanent marker.
Variations
o Cut out several sandpaper leaf shapes, rub them with cinnamon, and use
them as decoration for a door wreath in September and October.
o Make scary Halloween shapes to decorate a classroom or the front door.
o Sandpaper Cinnamon Shapes make great Christmas ornaments when cut in
classic holiday shapes like an ornament, bell, snowman or wreath.
Make it a Learning Experience
o Have the children describe what happens as they rub the cinnamon stick
on the sandpaper shape. Compare the bits of cinnamon on the sandpaper to
ground cinnamon. Are they the same or different? How?
o Learn where cinnamon comes from and how it grows. What does a cinnamon
plant look like? Older children can apply it to geography and learn
about spices and the spice trade.
o Find out why sandpaper sharpens scissors.
o For very young children who are learning classroom readiness skills,
have the children identify pre-cut shapes and have them match a pair of
shapes.
o Most children find the texture of the sandpaper intriguing so making a
set of sandpaper flash cards by gluing the shapes onto cardstock offers
further practice.
Clean Up
o There is not much to clean up. Simply fold up the newspaper or cloth
and check the floor for any sandpaper scraps or cinnamon bits.
o Take a deep breath and enjoy the aromatic scent of the freshly ground
cinnamon which will linger for several hours.
About the Author:
Home decor specialist Aja Klenna is the top writer for
Metal-Wall-Art.com, a wall decorating store offering unique
unique wall art and
musical
notes wall decor. |
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