Maker Monday: Kids will love creating yarn art

This week’s Maker Monday project lets kids discover the fun of 3D artmaking. Instead of using crayons or paint, they can fill in their drawings with colorful yarn.

Yarn art is a fun way to learn about colors, develop fine motor skills and explore creativity. The artwork can be as basic as stick figures or more involved, depending on the skill level and age of kids.

Kids can do this fun and easy Maker Monday project with items you may have around the house or can buy inexpensively. A note to kid makers: Please work with a parent or caregiver on this Maker Monday project and always be very careful when using tools of any kind.

Maker Monday materials you’ll need:

• pieces of yarn in multiple colors (you can use scraps you have around the house, ask friends who knit if they have scraps you can use, or you can get yarn at big box stores, craft stores or some dollar stores)
• paper or posterboard
• scissors
• glue
• markers or pencils

Maker Monday instructions:

STEP 1: Begin by making a drawing on a piece of paper. Once you’ve finished your drawing, choose the colors of yarn you’ll want to use to fill in the pieces of your drawing and/or outline things you’ve drawn.

STEP 2: Trim the pieces of yarn to the length you’ll need. Once your yarn is ready, apply glue to one color area at a time. Gently set the yarn into that space, slowly filling the space with color. Let the glue dry. Then move on to another part of the picture and continue with other colors.

The result is a textured image with 3-D, Van Gogh-like swirls of color. Older kids can make elaborate pictures, filling an entire page with yarn. They can even sign their name at the bottom and cover that in glue and yarn.

But even stick figure images can be fun for smaller kids!

Want more at-home fun making beautiful things? Check out more Maker Monday projects right here.

Do you have an idea for a Maker Monday craft project? If so, please share it with Kidsburgh! Send your maker activities to info@kidsburgh.org.