Supplies:
Egg carton (cut into shells of two)
Red/black construction paper
Black paint
Glue stick
Red or black pipe cleaners
Shimmery paper or plastic wrapping
Googley eyes (optional)
1. After cutting your egg carton into sections, let kids paint with black child safe acrylic paint. Let dry. This could be a good opportunity to cook a five course meal or go on a long bike ride because depending on how thick they make the paint, it could take seemingly ever to dry.
2. But before you pump up your tires, cut a heart shape to fit the size of the body of your bug. Then cut in half up the middle. Depending on the age of your artist, they can take this task on themselves, just be sure to remind them ladybugs are loved and should not be given jagged edged wings so to go slowly or give up until they are familiar with sheers. Please.
3. Ladybugs are easily recognized for their unique black spots. We add them here. You can either give them the pleasure of cutting some circles, assuming they are intelligent enough to know that shape is, or use a circular stamp cutter or hole punch which is equally fun and perfectly honest. Then decorate your wings...I'm sorry, shields.
4. Any ladybug book reader knows that their wings are actually under the red and black spotted shields we mistake for their wings, so why don't we go ahead and add some shimmery paper or we used the silky wrapping film for glassware which was perfect!
5. Now we step up to the 5th grade level. Bringing our craft together. Have an adult, or if you're the adult, ask someone handy to poke three holes in the now dried carton. Two for the antennas and one for the wing hinge clip thingy. It should be pretty straight forward, but in the event of stick figureesque readers, make a damn equilateral triangle.
6. Slide your two red shields which also have holes at the top, followed by your wings onto what is really called a butterfly clip. I didn't want to confuse anyone with this technical stationary terminology that I have sadly acquired. But do that and insert into the cut that is not intended for the antenna. Still with me? Good, please proceed.
7. Antennas. They are realistically black or brown I think, but certainly not red as ours are here. Go crazy. Red, yellow, green, blue. So find a (clean) pipe cleaner, cut it to a realistic child size and feed through the bottom of the shell so the antennas are sticking up and adorable. Aren't they though? It's coming together.
8. Finally, add some Googley eyes. It really brings personality and character to these crafts and unfortunately not pictured here. But only because we have been making butterflies and caterpillars and fish and Martha Stewart only knows what ever the heck else...so we were out.
But finally. Love and educate your child about these little lovelies and other insects as well. This craft could also work for bees, butterflies and anything else with wings and legs.
Have fun, get messy and make art!
XO
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