Project for Kids: Friendly Foam Decor

What things inhabit your storybook world? Bring them to life in foamy form.

Materials and Tools:
pre-cut arts and crafts foam shapes
smock or old T-shirt
newspaper
glue
tissue paper
paint, glitter glue, buttons
fishing line
decorating wire
hole punch
paper cups
screw hooks

Steps:

1. When you're buying craft foam, choose whatever shapes make you happy.


2. This project is messy, so be sure to wear a smock or old T-shirt (one that your parents won't mind you getting paint on).


3. Protect your work surface with newspaper.


4. Make a diluted glue solution, approximately 75 percent glue to 25 percent water. Put that in the paper cups.


5. Paint the glue on one side of the craft foam object.


6. Place torn tissue paper on the wet surface of the foam. You can either leave the tissue paper flat, or scrunch it up with your fingers to give it texture. Add paint, glitter, buttons and any other fun things.


7. If the surface is too dry, paint over tissue paper with glue. Let dry.


8. Repeat on the other side of the foam. Let dry.


9. Do you want to hang your creations? Have mom or dad string the fishing line from two hooks in the ceiling.


10. Puncture a hole in each shape. Next, ask mom or dad to cut a length of wire approximately 5-inches long.


11. String wire through the hole and make a hook at the top, like a hanger.


12. Hang the object on the hook. Voila. You have your own storybook environment.