Papier-Mâché Centerpiece Bowl

What You Need:

• Medium-sized mixing bowl
• Plastic grocery bag
• Strips of newspaper
• Flour
• Water
• Large garbage bag
• Wax paper
• Acrylic paint
• Paintbrushes
• Glitter

What You Do:

1. Invite your child to select a medium-sized mixing bowl from the kitchen along with locating a plastic grocery bag. Have her place the bowl in the plastic bag; press the opening of the bag into the inside of the bowl and smooth the plastic evenly around the outside.
2. In a different bowl, help her create the paste for the papier-mâché by slowly mixing together equal parts warm water and flour until it forms a thick paste. She can help measure the flour and water, tapping into her math skills.
3. Before working with the paste, place the plastic-covered mixing bowl upside down on a work surface that's covered with a large plastic bag. This will prevent your table from getting all sticky!
4. Now she can begin tearing 1-inch strips from an old newspapers and coating them in the paste mixture. Once a strip is coated your child can press it around the outside of the mixing bowl covered in the plastic bag.
5. Encourage your child to continue coating strips and pressing them onto the bowl until the entire thing is covered. This part gets messy—but it's also lots of fun!
6. Have your kid continue to layer strips of paper coated in paste until the bowl has several good layers.
7. Now she can leave the bowl coated in papier-mâché overnight to dry. You can help her place the bowl on a piece of waxed paper while it dries.
8. Once the papier-mâché bowl has dried and you carefully removed the bowl used as a mold, your child can gently peel the plastic bag away from the inside of ther bowl. Now it's time to paint!
9. Encourage your child to create a sketch for her holiday design. She can use colors, symbols or shapes that highlight the season.
10. Finally, encourage her to paint the festive bowl with acrylic paints, following her sketch. Once it’s dry, it can proudly be displayed during the next holiday dinner as a beautiful centerpiece.

Add some simple shiny holiday ornaments to fill the bowl for a finishing touch or use it in an entryway with potpourri to add some festive cheer to your home!