Looking for a fun and creative activity to do with the little ones? Join me in making this beautiful Paper Mushroom House in 6 easy steps.
Hi, I'm Jayne, the illustrator and co-author of The Sleepy Wizard, The Dream fairy and The Magic Door Pillow. Since I was a small child, I have loved art, and nothing brings me greater joy than creating, whether it's drawing, painting, designing or writing stories.
This blog post will be the first of many to come. I will share arts and crafts activities and ideas with our wonderful Magic Door Pillows Community. My aim is to make the activities simple and fun so that children of all ages can enjoy them, along with the grown-ups, of course. Arts and crafts are perfect for exploring our creativity and learning new skills through play.
Here's what you'll need to make your mushroom house:
- My free printable 'Paper Mushroom House Activity' PDF
- An A4 printer
- Two pieces of A4 paper
- Scissors - Although I am using regular scissors, I would recommend using children's safety scissors such as the Crayola Safety Scissors that you can pick up from Target here for about $6.
- Sticky tape
- Coloured pencils, pens, crayons or whatever else you like to use!
- Cute Labradoodle optional. Paddington loves to be a part of everything, so he will be overseeing today's activity.
Step 1: Download & print out the 'Paper Mushroom House Activity' PDF here to get started.
Step 2: Colour the pages using your chosen art supplies.
Colouring can be a relaxing activity for kids and adults alike to wind down and calm an overactive mind. Many people use art as a form of therapy to improve physical, mental and emotional well-being. Sometimes I like to put on some nice soothing music to listen to while I do my arts and crafts, and other times I enjoy the stillness and tranquillity of silence. Do whatever works for you.
Step 3: Carefully cut out the mushroom cap and path. Then, cut along the dotted line on the mushroom cap to make a slit.
Cutting with scissors helps kids to independently move each of their fingers and strengthens their hand muscles. Bilateral coordination also comes into play when they have to hold the scissors in one hand and the paper in the other.
Step 4: Where you have made a slit, overlap the paper slightly to make a cone and secure it in place with sticky tape.
Step 5: Bend the other piece of paper around to make a tube and secure it in place with sticky tape. This will create the stalk of the mushroom.
Step 6: Place the mushroom cap on top of the stalk and tuck the path underneath it. Voila! You have made a beautiful Paper Mushroom House fit for a Dream Fairy!
I hope you have enjoyed this fun and simple activity and feel calm, relaxed and ready for the next part of your day. Meet me back here for more arts and crafts. See you next time!
