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| By Donna Erickson Join your kids in creating art in 3-D with this easy and fun activity using household basics: corrugated cardboard from an empty box, scissors, paint and markers. That's it. Watch your kids enjoy hours of fun with this clever construction technique. Once they get the hang of assembling the two interlocking pieces they've designed themselves, they'll discover that a three-dimensional mobile will look just right hanging over their homework desk. It's so much fun, preschoolers will want you to join in and help them make an entire town or country scene of buildings, trees and flowers. They can set up the miniature play world, then add their trucks and other toys from their toy box. Or, if there's a birthday in the house, make a card to greet the recipient from all angles for a 3-D day. Let's get started by making a 3-D potted cactus in three easy steps. Use the same steps to make other objects. 1. On a piece of cardboard approximately 7 inches by 10 inches, draw a simple cactus shape in a clay pot. For extra fun in making the cactus design, have your child wear a mitten and place her hand on the cardboard. Trace around the mitten to create the cactus shape. Add the clay pot freehand. Cut out the drawing. (An adult may need to help with this.) 2. Trace the original potted cactus onto another piece of cardboard and cut out the second shape. Color or paint both sides of each cutout, making them look as similar as possible. 3. Mark the center point on the top of each cutout. On one piece, cut a slit starting at the top of the cactus and going down to that mark. On the other, cut a slit from the bottom of the flowerpot going up. The slits should be as wide as the thickness of the cardboard. 4. Slide one piece into the other. Extra idea: To hang a 3-D object, poke a hole at the top and string fishing line or lightweight wire through the hole. Hang from a hook in the ceiling or from a windowsill. Donna Erickson's award-winning television series "Donna's Day" airs on public television nationwide. Visit www.donnasday.com to find out when it airs on your local PBS station and to sign up for Donna's e-newsletter. (c) 2007 Donna Erickson Distributed by King Features Synd. |