Weekly Activity

Our activities section suggests things for you to do with your children. Most of these will have educational value, which we'll point out. However, the main idea is just to have fun with them. We'll also suggest ways you can extend them.

Making Paper Flowers

What better way to cheer up these overcast January days than with a big bouquet of bright paper flowers? This activity isn't just fun to do - it will also teach your child about symmetry, and help their fine motor skills and ability to use a pair of scissors.

What You Need:

For the flower heads and leaves:

  • Lots of brightly coloured tissue paper
  • Some black tissue paper
  • Green tissue paper
  • Sticky tape (preferably double-sided)
  • Scissors

For The Stems:

  • Thin garden canes (preferably green)
    or
  • Long straws (the kind sold for construction projects)
  • Green tissue paper

What To Do:

  • Take several sheets of tissue paper - all the same colour, or mixed - and lay them on top of each other.

  • Fold them into quarters (later, you can experiment by folding them into eighths).

  • Cut out petal shapes - try zigzag cuts as well as curvy ones - ensuring that you don't cut through the join at the corner.

  • Open out the petals.

  • Turn them round on top of each other, so the cut parts alternate and you can see all the petals.

  • Pull the tops of the petals together, so that the centre is bunched up.

  • Carefully push a cane or straw through the centre (you may need to make a hole first), to make a stem.

  • Bind the petals to the stem using the sticky tape.

  • Cut a strip of green tissue paper. Wind this round the join to disguise it. Secure it with tape (double sided tape will make this much easier). If you haven't used a green cane, you may want to wrap the stem with green paper, spiraling from top to bottom.

  • Make stamens. Cut a strip of black tissue paper about four centimetres by one-and-a-half centimetres. Roll it round one of the spare canes, then remove it. Cut fringes into it. Push this over the cane in the centre of the flower and secure it with tape.

  • Make leaves out of green tissue. Remember to give them stalks! Stick them to the stems of your flower.

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