Creating your own costumes from items around the house can help spur imagination as well as be a lesson in recycling and ‘use what you have.’
This week’s Gnome Zone Challenge teaches you how to make a your own Gnome Hat using materials from around the house. Remember to share your final project on social media and tag us @PoudreLibraries or use the hashtag #PoudreLibraries.
Supplies needed:
- Construction paper
- newspaper
- grocery bags
- wrapping paper
- scissors
- glue
- ribbon
- stickers
- markers
Here’s what you do:
- Take your newspaper and fold it in half.
- Take the two top halves and overlap them until you have a cone shape.
- Measure the cone to make sure it fits your head.
- Staple the paper together then begin to sculpt your hat.
- Now decorate the hat using stickers, papers, markers, whatever you have.
Challenge Extensions:
For the little ones –
Make a hat for your favorite stuffy. Use a smaller piece of paper and fit it onto the stuffie head. Then staple and decorate. Can you make matching hats?
For the older kids –
How can you make different designs using only paper? Can you staple more paper on the basic design and make a super tall hat? How about a wide hat? Can you think of different characters from books who might wear a hat like this?
“The Why” behind the Challenge:
Creating your own costumes from items around the house can help spur imagination as well as be a lesson in recycling and ‘use what you have.’ You don’t always have to rush out to the store to create an amazing creative costume.
Check out these books for more fun and inspiration!
Awesome Paper Crafts You Can Create by Marne Ventura
A Hat for Minerva Louise by Janet Morgan Stoeke
Put a Show on with Cardboard (& Duct Tape) by Leslie Manlapig