Signs of spring have been popping up all around us finally… first puddles from melting snow, then buds on the trees, next daffodils popping open, and most vibrant of all, forsythia in bright, golden bloom everywhere. Since moving to Connecticut nearly 9 years ago now, I have learned that forsythia in bloom is the equivalent of the Texas bluebonnet fields of my childhood. It means spring has finally arrived! Big M has become very inquisitive of all growing things, and asks me the names of every tree, flower and shrub she sees these days – and with forsythia literally all around us, it has become her newest vocabulary word. And today, it was our afternoon craft inspiration!
Make Your Own Forsythia
This is a quick, easy and mess free activity, requiring only a handful of materials.
Supplies
Thin twigs
Yellow tissue paper, cut in 1-2″ squaresContact paper
Yellow cardstock or construction paper
Scotch tapeCost: Less than $5
Prep Time: Less than 10 minutes
Clean-Up Time: None
Today was one of those beautiful, clear blue sky days after a day of tumultuous spring rains. The storms blew their fair share of dead tree branches around, so the girls and I took a little stroll to pick out a few bare twigs for our project. Look for ones that have some v’s for character and will lay relatively flat. I also took some pictures of the forsythia in bloom to use for reference later.
Next, I prepped the frames for the girls’ projects. Using 8.5″ x 11″ sheets of yellow cardstock, I cut out the centers leaving a 1″ frame. Then, I cut a piece of contact paper to fit the frame, removing the backing and attaching it. Last, I cut down our twigs to fit the frames, and taped them down to the frame edges with scotch tape. Now they were ready for the girls.
I gave each one a small bowlful of yellow tissue paper squares, and demonstrated how to scrunch it up and place it against the branch. Big M took over right away – Lil’ M did too, but wasn’t so much about the scrunching. She did, however, do a good job of keeping her squares lined up with the branch!
When they declared they were finish, I hung the frames in our bay window. The remaining open contact paper is all you need to affix it to the glass. They make beautiful spring suncatchers!
What flowers signify Spring’s arrival where you live? If you enjoyed this activity, you can check out all our Spring activities here, or follow our Spring board on Pinterest!
Get Green, Crafty & Creative for Earth Day
This post is part of our book, Green, Crafty & Creative. Featuring 70 family and environmentally-friendly tips, crafts and activities from 10 different contributors, it is full of awesome inspiration for Earth Day fun. Green, Crafty & Creative is available for purchase in e-book, paperback and Kindle formats, starting for as low as $4.99.
Want to see more from Green, Crafty & Creative? Check out these posts also included from our fellow contributors!
Sorting Seashells – A Summer Math Activity | Playground Parkbench
Outdoor Nature Collage – Craftulate
Bubble Wrap Jellyfish – Crafty Kids at Home
Egg Carton Super Bees – Nemcsok Farms
Upcycled Shirt for a Stuffed Friend – Our Whimsical Days
Caring for the Earth: 12 Ways to Help Kids Get It | Rhythms of Play
12 comments
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What a lovely flower craft – I can’t wait to try this one! Thanks for sharing at #ToddlerFunFriday
Thanks! We love contact paper – it’s the great crafting equalizer. Even a toddler can do it!
I love seeing pictures of your little girls making these — so cute! These are very creative… thanks for sharing!
Thanks, Nell! Thanks for coming by to check them out – we love contact paper crafts. So easy for all ages!
These are beautiful! And look super easy for the kids to make!
Thanks! They definitely were – I love anything both my 3.5 yo and 20 mo can both do, with little frustration! Monkey see, monkey do 😉