If you are looking for a summer craft activity for your toddler, preschooler or child, why not try making a sun suncatcher to keep their little hands busy and to enjoy visually afterwards. Once completed these suncatchers will look spectacular hung up in front of a window where they will catch the natural sunlight and put on a wonderful display.
This is a fun educational activity for children to learn about the sun and different types of suns out in the galaxy. For younger children, this activity will help with the learning of colour names, fine motor skills as well as creativity.
You can stick to our traditional sun colours of yellow, orange and red or you can create a blue giant, red dwarf or a multicoloured one if you like! In these examples sequins have been used to help the suns sparkle and they also create a speckled effect when the sunlight shines through. As an option, you can also use glitter glue pens and stick on gems.
*Please note that adult help and supervision will be required for this craft at all times, during the making and however the craft is used afterwards.*
So let’s get started, this is what you will need:
- A4 acetate sheet
- Sequins
- Tissue paper squares
- Stick on gems (optional)
- Glitter glue pen (optional)
- Ribbon 4mm
- Mod podge for kids*
- Safety scissors
- Hole puncher
- Ballpoint pen
- Paint brush
Firstly, draw a circle onto the acetate sheet. I found the best way was to use a large circular lid as a template and with a ballpoint pen, draw around it.
Cut out your circle, then make a hole with a hole puncher.
Using a paint brush, help your child cover the front side with mod podge (for kids). My two year old was able to cover most of the circle below himself.
Then have your child stick on the tissue paper squares, to the mod podge all over the circle.
If you want a more varnished effect, add more mod podge over the top of the tissue paper. This is useful because if there is any accidental mod podge over the top of the tissue paper, this will only add to the shimmering effect. Which means your child be as messy as they want!
Next have your child add on their sequins. You can see below my three year old has sprinkled on his sequins well. You may need to help press down the sequins to make sure they stick.
Once dry, thread through some 4mm ribbon and then hang them on display. Below is my toddlers (aged 2) and preschoolers (aged 3) suncatcher in front of a frosted window. With the sunlight shining through (and even when there is none) they are a lovely piece of artwork!
As an option once the mod podge is dry, you could use a glitter glue pen and some stick on gems to add more sparkle.
If you want to create a blue giant or red dwarf, just ensure to use blue or red colours to make your suncatcher.
You can hang these in a sunny window to see the colours in full effect.
As an alternative you could sprinkle glitter straight onto the mod podge instead of sequins? You could attach two or more suns together by adding holes to the bottom and tying them together… Or you could use cellophane squares instead of tissue paper perhaps? If you have any further ideas do let everyone know in the comments below. 🙂
Feel free to share this post and let me know what you think in the comments, I would love to hear about your wonderful results!
Happy suncatcher craft making!
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