Paper, cardboard crafts for children - do it yourself

Colored paper and cardboard are great inexpensive materials for making crafts in the form of toys, appliques, various figures and many creative things. Paper is a popular element in children's creativity, which can easily be transformed into incredible things. Even the most inexperienced children can make crafts with their own hands, more complex designs should be done with the help of parents. The process promotes rapprochement due to a common entertaining activity.

What paper, cardboard is better to use

Today, you can find original and unusual types of paper and cardboard on sale, from which you can make postcards, crafts, and items for decorating rooms.

Types of colored paper:

• Classic one-sided and two-sided colored paper. One-sided sheets are recommended for appliques and craft decorations, where only one colored side is visible. To make a three-dimensional work, you should use material that is colored the same on both sides. This type is universal, it is advantageous to buy it for children for school and kindergarten.
• To create voluminous and original products, you can choose velvet paper. It has a soft texture, thanks to which you can realistically depict animal figures, grass, tree leaves. High-quality paper has a uniform texture, it does not crumble or stain your hands, and does not rub off at the folds. On the shelves of stationery stores, you can find sets of self-adhesive velvet paper, which is much easier to work with.
• To make an applique with shiny iridescent elements or to complement a carnival costume with them, it is worth paying attention to holographic and foil paper. Such material is often used to decorate rooms for a holiday.
• Crepe paper is necessary for creating three-dimensional crafts and decorations, suitable for decorating holidays and gifts. The properties and rich palette of paper make it possible to create high-quality flowers, pompoms, bows, balls.
• There is a separate type of paper for origami. It has a fairly dense texture and many different shades. High-quality material does not tear when turned inside out, does not wear out at the folds. Square sheets are sold, because this figure is the basis of the craft without glue.
• Quilling paper is sold in sets of thin strips that can be easily rolled. Figures made from such material hold their shape well. This technique is most often enjoyed by children of middle and high school.
• There is also a separate type of paper for scrapbooking. Its density is close to cardboard. The material is often used to decorate postcards and invitations, create boxes and bonbonnieres. There are sheets on sale both plain and with various prints, textures, and corrugations.

The principle of choosing cardboard is similar to paper. To create children's crafts, it is worth using the following types of cardboard:

• Standard one-sided and two-sided colored cardboard. It can be uncoated, which is advantageous to use for creating large decorations, and coated - with a uniform color and a smooth surface. The second option is more suitable for a child who wants to be satisfied with the results of his creativity.
• Corrugated cardboard with a relief surface goes well with other materials in crafts.
• Velvet cardboard is a pleasant to the touch and easy to work with material.
• Mother-of-pearl, foil and fluorescent cardboard is used to create unusual crafts that bring bright children's fantasies to life.

What else do you need for work?

To work with paper, you should have the following tools on hand:

• scissors;
• glue;
• ruler;
• simple pencil;
• threads or ribbons;
• compass.

Before starting work, you need to draw a diagram according to which the work will be carried out.

Variants of toys from colored cardboard with a description of the work process

When a child chooses what kind of toy to make from colored cardboard, the first thing that comes to mind is a festive toy for the Christmas tree. The most common Christmas tree toy is a New Year's ball. It is better to use colorful material to create a festive atmosphere. To create it, you need to follow these steps:

1. Cut out identical circles on the cardboard with scissors. You will need 21 of them in total.
2. Fold 1 circle in half to find the center, then unfold it and fold one side so that the edge of the circle is in the center.
3. Then you should bend the 2 sides of the circle to get an equilateral triangle.
4. You need to cut out this triangle – it will be a template for forming the parts.
5. Next, the triangle needs to be placed on all the circles and outlined, bending the edges along the lines outward.
6. 10 circles should be glued together on both sides, creating a strip. It should be glued into a ring, creating the basis for the toy.
7. The remaining parts need to be glued together in 5 pieces, giving them the shape of a circle.
8. Then you need to glue the circles from the parts to the base in the form of a ring.
9. A loop for hanging the decoration on the tree can be made from thread or ribbon so that the knot is formed inside the toy.

The process of creating a ball in pictures

Easy cardboard craft option

It is done like this:

1. On cardboard, you need to draw individual parts of the animal's body with a pencil.
2. Use scissors to cut out the head, body, paws and tail.
3. On the face you need to draw eyes, a nose, a mouth, glue on whiskers made of paper or other available materials.
4. Then you should make a cut on the lower part of the body and insert a stand perpendicular to the base, securing it with glue.
5. Glue the head, tail and paws to the body.

What can be made from colored paper

Step-by-step master class on creating a toy from colored paper and a matchbox:

1. Create a strip-shaped pattern that fits the size of the box. Wrap it in paper, smoothing all the fold lines on the edges of the box. It is important to leave the pull-out part intact.
2. You can cut out the animal's head from a ready-made picture or draw the muzzle yourself. To prevent the part from bending, it should be glued to cardboard, creating a protrusion in the neck area. The head should be put into the box where it closes.
3. From colored paper you need to cut 8 strips 20 cm long and 1 cm wide. Every 2 strips need to be glued along the edges, creating the letter "G". As a result, you will get 4 parts for the arms and legs.
4. They need to be intertwined into a chain and glued to the base.

These bright paper toys made by hand for children aged 7 and even younger, with the help of their mother, will become excellent heroes for a tabletop theater.

One of the simple ways to create animal figures is origami. Even the youngest children can cope with this task and get new characters for their collection. To do this, you need to do the following:

1. Fold a square sheet of colored paper diagonally.
2. Then fold the resulting triangle in half to mark the axis.
3. Next, the triangle needs to be unfolded again.
4. The center of the sides should be marked and the ends folded over.
5. Bend the top end and tuck it behind the ears that have already formed.

Using this scheme, you can create many different animals, a house and a tree for them. Such creativity helps to develop the child's thinking correctly. Older children can make products using more complex schemes.

In the digital age, it is so important to keep your child busy with useful activities that promote hand motor skills, spatial, non-standard and logical thinking, and the development of concentration and perseverance. Making cards, voluminous and flat toys, Christmas tree decorations and decorative elements is a great activity for children's everyday life.