Art Project for Kids: Recycled Flower Stencils

We've got spring on the mind so we're celebrating with flowers. My son (age 3 1/2) and I recently made some beautiful flower artwork using our own DIY stencil. It was a fun process with a gorgeous result!

Making a flower stencil is quick and easy. You probably already have everything you need. No fancy craft tools necessary!

What You'll Need

• carboard (we used a pasta box)
• pencil
• scissors
• paper or cardstock
• paint

How It's Made

1. Draw a flower (any size) on a piece of cardboard. I drew mine free-hand but if you'd prefer to use a template there are lots to be found via Google Images. As for what type of cardboard to use, you'll want to choose one that is thin enough to easily cut through. I used a pasta box, a cereal or cracker box would also work well.

2. Cut out your flower making sure NOT to cut through from the edges of your piece of cardboard. It is important that the cardboard around the flower stays intact. I made my first cut in the centre of the flower and went from there.

3. Place the cardboard, with the flower now removed, on a piece of paper or cardstock.

4. Paint over the exposed paper. We used acrylic paint. Washable kids' paint is also a good choice.

5. Carefully lift your stencil. Voila! A lovely flower.

My son really enjoyed using our stencil, although there was a bit of a learning curve to conquer.

For his first attempt he used way too much paint and pushed his brush under the stencil, resulting in a flower that looked more like a blob (a pretty blob, mind you). After a little encouragement to use less paint and to go lighter on his brush strokes, and with his rinse water to help hold the stencil in place, he was able to create flowers with cleaner edges.

Once he got the hang of it he was happy to keep at it for quite some time.