Paper Mache Easter baskets
With only a week to go, time to get ready for Easter. Make Easter craft with the kids and decorate your home with it. These paper mache Easter baskets can be used as a table piece to put eggs in or the kids can use them as Easter egg baskets during the egg hunt.
A bit of a messy activity, but you forget all about the mess when you see the end result. |
Age
From 3 years
What you need
Old 'The Phuket Newspaper'
Flour
Water
Mixing bowl
Balloon
Small bowl
Paint
Paint brush
Scissors
Glue
Decoration: craft foam, pom poms, ribbon, marker, pipe cleaner
Preparation
Get all your craft supplies ready. Make the paper mache paste by mixing 1 cup water with 1 cup flour. Stir well until it becomes a smooth substance without any lumps.
As it can get messy, cover your table and kids clothes.
Blow up your balloon and mark the shape of the basket onto the balloon. The bigger your balloon, the bigger your basket will be.
Cut The Phuket Newspaper into small pieces.
Play
Put the balloon upside down into a small bowl. This will help you make it easier to apply the paper mache and let the balloon dry.
Dip the newspaper cuts into the paper mache paste and layer them over the balloon. Make sure you cover the whole balloon and don't miss any spots. Give it 4 or 5 layers to make it strong.
Let it dry for at least 24 hours. Once dry, pop the balloon and remove the balloon scraps.
If needed, with scissors, you can cut any irregularities and make the edges more round.
Paint and decorate the inside and outside to your liking. Pom Poms make great noses and paws. The craft foam you can cut into bunny ears and chicken feathers and glue them to the basket.
On both sides of the basket make a small hole and string the ribbon through to make a handle.
Add-ons for more fun play
Clean up
Any paper mache spills can be best cleaned with a cloth and warm water.
Educational
If you ask a child what comes to mind when they think about Easter, most likely it will include the words Easter bunny, chocolate eggs and egg hunt. But there is so much history behind this Christian celebration, so try and talk about its origins to your kids.
Unlike Christmas, when baby Jesus was born, Easter is probably more challenging to explain to your kids. The concept of the 'rebirth' of Jesus might be difficult to grasp. So tailor your chat to your child's age and be prepared for difficult questions you may need to answer.
If you are not familiar with the meaning of Easter, read up a bit on it. In short; it starts with Palm Sunday, the week before Easter, when the fasting period ends and Jesus arrival to Jerusalem is celebrated. Maundy Thursday marks the day when Jesus had his last supper and Good Friday is the day when he dies on the cross. Easter Sunday, is the last day of Easter and the day on which the Christians celebrate that Jesus has risen from the death.
From 3 years
What you need
Old 'The Phuket Newspaper'
Flour
Water
Mixing bowl
Balloon
Small bowl
Paint
Paint brush
Scissors
Glue
Decoration: craft foam, pom poms, ribbon, marker, pipe cleaner
Preparation
Get all your craft supplies ready. Make the paper mache paste by mixing 1 cup water with 1 cup flour. Stir well until it becomes a smooth substance without any lumps.
As it can get messy, cover your table and kids clothes.
Blow up your balloon and mark the shape of the basket onto the balloon. The bigger your balloon, the bigger your basket will be.
Cut The Phuket Newspaper into small pieces.
Play
Put the balloon upside down into a small bowl. This will help you make it easier to apply the paper mache and let the balloon dry.
Dip the newspaper cuts into the paper mache paste and layer them over the balloon. Make sure you cover the whole balloon and don't miss any spots. Give it 4 or 5 layers to make it strong.
Let it dry for at least 24 hours. Once dry, pop the balloon and remove the balloon scraps.
If needed, with scissors, you can cut any irregularities and make the edges more round.
Paint and decorate the inside and outside to your liking. Pom Poms make great noses and paws. The craft foam you can cut into bunny ears and chicken feathers and glue them to the basket.
On both sides of the basket make a small hole and string the ribbon through to make a handle.
Add-ons for more fun play
- Make (surprise) Easter eggs by covering the whole balloon with paper mache. Water balloons will give you the smallest eggs.
- Or how about an Easter piñata? Fill it with small chocolate Easter eggs and have the kids hit it to get it out.
- By creating paper mache pulp (water, flour, tissue paper and glue) you get a mixture that is a kind of modelling clay that you can use to mould an Easter bunny or chicks.
Clean up
Any paper mache spills can be best cleaned with a cloth and warm water.
Educational
If you ask a child what comes to mind when they think about Easter, most likely it will include the words Easter bunny, chocolate eggs and egg hunt. But there is so much history behind this Christian celebration, so try and talk about its origins to your kids.
Unlike Christmas, when baby Jesus was born, Easter is probably more challenging to explain to your kids. The concept of the 'rebirth' of Jesus might be difficult to grasp. So tailor your chat to your child's age and be prepared for difficult questions you may need to answer.
If you are not familiar with the meaning of Easter, read up a bit on it. In short; it starts with Palm Sunday, the week before Easter, when the fasting period ends and Jesus arrival to Jerusalem is celebrated. Maundy Thursday marks the day when Jesus had his last supper and Good Friday is the day when he dies on the cross. Easter Sunday, is the last day of Easter and the day on which the Christians celebrate that Jesus has risen from the death.