Maker Monday: Coffee Filter Ballerinas
This week, Maker Monday veers toward the cultural scene with graceful dancers made from the simplest supplies. These Coffee Filter Ballerinas are a fun exercise in crafting, mixing colors and working those fine motor skills.
Supplies:
Coffee filters
Washable markers
Pipe cleaners
Spray bottle
Ribbon
Scissors
Layer three coffee filters and flatten. Keeping the layers together, color your design with washable markers. The color will seep through the layers, so use a protective surface underneath to protect your table. An art tray, cookie sheet or placemat will work nicely.
Spritz the coffee filters with water, keeping the layers together. The colors will blend together and seep through the layers in a beautiful way. Set aside for a couple of hours to dry.
Once dry, choose the pipe cleaner color for your dancer and twist it into shape. We used two pipe cleaners for each dancer.
Fold the layered coffee filters in half, then half again, until you have a nice point. Clip the point with the scissors.
Open the coffee filter back up and slide the dance in, feet first. Gather the “skirt” together at the dancer’s waist and tie tightly with a length of ribbon, finishing with a bow.
Separate each layer of the coffee filters to make the flouncy skirt. And there you have it — a graceful ballerina!
For more Maker Monday projects and other fun stuff for kids, visit the Kidsburgh Activities page.
