Stuffed Fish

Materials

Large easel paper

Instructions

What to do
1. Beforehand, align two pieces of easel paper so the edges match and hold them together with
paper clips. Draw the outline of a large fish on the top paper, then cut along the outline of the
fish through both pieces of paper. Staple the papers together around the perimeter of the fish,
leaving a 4" or 5" (10 cm or 13 cm) opening. Prepare a fish for each child in the class.
2. Have the children paint one side of their fish.
3. When one side has dried, have them paint the opposite side.
4. Help the children draw scales, fins, gills, eyes, and a mouth using felt-tipped pens.
5. While the paint is drying, tell the children to crumple sheets of newspaper. When the fish is dry
on both sides, show the children how to stuff the fish with newspaper through the opening.
6. Close the opening with staples.
7. If a child chooses to use the fish as a kite, attach the length of string to the front of the fish;
alternatively, if the child chooses to hang the fish from the ceiling or a mobile, attach the string
to the top of the fish.
More to do
Field trip: Visit an aquarium or pet store.
More art: Make a fishing pole from a dowel and fishing line, then decorate cardboard fish cutouts
and hang them along the fishing line. Hang your fishing pole mobile from the ceiling.