Materials
- Pencil
- cardboard
- scissors
- light blue construction paper
- glue
- small cups
- paintbrushes
- silver glitter
- dark blue washable paint
- plastic wrap masking tape
- yarn and paper clips, optional
What to do
1. Trace or draw a raindrop on cardboard and cut it out. Then, trace the raindrop on the construction paper and cut it out (outside the line to make it slightly larger than cardboard piece). Make one for each child.
2. In a cup, mix some glue with a little bit of water. Encourage the children to use a paintbrush to lightly brush the mixture over the paper raindrop (this gives it a light sheen). Sprinkle on the glitter while the raindrop is still wet. Set aside to dry and then shake off excess.
3. Ask the children to paint the cardboard raindrop dark blue on one side (only one coat is necessary) and let it dry.
4. Once the paint is dry, help the children wrap their raindrop tightly in plastic wrap, securing in the back with masking tape. The plastic on the blue side should be smooth and even, and the plastic on the back side should be bunched in spots, with each bunched spot taped down.
5. Ask the children to use glue to make dots over the surface of the blue side. Sprinkle on glitter, let it dry or get firm, and shake off excess.
6. Once the raindrops are dry, ask the children to glue them together back-toback. Now they have a Razzle Dazzle Raindrop!
7. If desired, hang the raindrops from the ceiling. Before gluing both sides together, tape the tip of a strand of yarn to the back of the cardboard raindrop, at the pointed tip. Then glue them back-to-back and tie the other end to an unfolded paper clip.
More to do
- Science and Nature: Use this project as part of a unit on spring. Discuss what the saying "April showers bring May flowers" means. Discuss the importance of rain. Ask the children what they use water for.
-Stacy Edwards, Jermyn, PA
