By: Laura Westmoreland, Associate Educator for Adult & Community Programs
You’ve probably made a paper chain before, but have you realized how many fun ways you can design them? This activity is perfect for the whole family because it’s simple enough for young children but also can be adapted with a few creative twists to inspire artists of all ages.
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Supplies:
Sheets of paper (construction paper, magazine pages, printer paper, coloring book pages, etc.)
Stapler or tape to close the paper links
Scissors or paper cutter to cut strips
Optional:
Materials to decorate or write on paper links such as markers, crayons or stickers
Ruler, if you’d like to have perfect paper strips
Step 1:
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Begin by cutting a lot of paper strips, between 1 to 2” wide, and at least 10 inches long. If you’d like to decorate your strips, this is the time to do it.
Step 2:
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Create your first paper link by bending it into a loop, and taping or stapling the two ends together.
Step 3:
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Next, thread another paper strip inside your first loop and then close the end with tape or your stapler. The two paper strips are now linked together. Continue to add more links to your chain.
Step 4:
Ideas for designing your paper chain:
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1). Explore patterns. Create a patterned chain by alternating colors in the order of your choice. Here are some ideas:
Alternating two of your favorite colors, such as blue/green/blue/green/etc
Following the spectrum of the rainbow: red/orange/yellow/green/blue/violet/repeat
A chain of all cool or warm colors: red/orange/yellow or blue/green/violet
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2). Let it grow: Start with one link and attach it to something in a common area of your home that all family members can reach. Challenge family members to add a link every time someone does or says something kind. Older children and adults can write about the kind act before adding their link, and younger children can draw on their strip or simply write names or just add plain links. As your chain grows over the days and weeks your family will get a great view of what you can accomplish as a team.
3). Be designers! Can you connect your links in interesting ways to create a one-of-a-kind wall-hanging?
