Paper Plate Flower

This activity is great for school-age children between seven and eleven! Children in this age group have increased fine motor skills, so painting designs and cutting leaves are appropriate tasks. School-age children are information-seeking. Encouraging them to look and learn from real flowers to inform their art projects will help engage them. If you can, go for a walk to point out beautiful flowers in your community before you start! If it isn’t a good time for an outside walk, go on a virtual one. Click here to walk through the U.S. Botanic Garden in Washington, D.C!

Supplies:

● 2 Paper Plates

● Paint

● Paint Brush

● Construction Paper

● Pipe Cleaner

● Coloring Supplies

● Tape

● Scissors

● Pencil

Steps:

1) Gather your materials and set up a painting space

2) Flip the plate face side down and start painting your flower design

3) When you finish painting, set your plate to the side to dry

4) Time to make leaves!

a) Fold the piece of paper in half

b) Draw half leaf shapes along the fold

c) Cut on the lines you drew

d) Unfold your leaf!

5) Color the leaf to decorate it

6) Tape your leaf on the pipe cleaner

7) Tape the pipe cleaner to the back of the plate to make a steam

8) All done! Find a place for your flower to grow!