'Tis the season to teach your child about Thanksgiving! With the celebratory harvest holiday right around the corner, your little one may be wondering why exactly he has the day off school. Take the opportunity to enlighten your child with some historical knowledge about the celebration, by getting him into character. This craft will prompt your child's creativity and develop important fine motor skills. Combine these vests with some Pilgrim regalia, and Thanksgiving legends will be infused with new life!
What You Need:
- Large rectangle of brown construction paper
- Scissors
- Watercolors
- Paint brush
- Black crayon
- Yellow yarn (two pieces, 1' each)
- Tape
What You Do:
- Fold the brown construction paper in half "hamburger-style," so that the fold is parallel to the short sides of the rectangle.
- Unfold it, and cut down the center of one of the short sides, almost to the crease. Cut a circle in the center of the paper big enough to fit comfortably around your child's neck.
- With safety scissors, ask your child to cut fringes on both of the short sides of the construction paper.
- Now it's time to have your child decorate the front of the vest! This will be side of the paper that is not cut through. Encourage him to use watercolors to paint shapes such as trees, suns, moons, water, and animals. Try looking up traditional Native American symbols online for inspiration!
- When the watercolor paintings dry, have him outline the shapes with black crayon to make them more distinct.
- Tape the two pieces of yarn behind the back of the vest (the cut side of the paper). It should be attached near the neck hole, so that it hangs down below the bottom of the vest for a little extra touch!
Now he's ready to wear his creation! Put the vest on your child so that the decorated side is on his front, and the side with the yarn rests on his back. Tie the yarn in a knot so that the vest is secure as he runs, plays, and performs while wearing his nifty new garment.
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