Paper chains are a great project. A short one can be completed in a half hour while in an afternoon kids can create a chain long enough to go around an entire room. Use construction paper, or recycle gift wrap, old calendar pages, scrapbooking paper, magazine pages, or even plain paper that the children decorate before cutting apart. Use any material that bends into, and maintains the shape of, a loop.
Making a Basic Paper Chain
The size of each loop of the chain will be determined by the size of the paper being used. If the child is combining a few different types of paper, make a template based off the smallest piece of paper. The goal is to have each loop approximately the same size. Use a piece of cardboard from a cereal or cracker box to make a template. Measure a strip eight inches by two inches (or the desired size). Cut out the template.
Trace the template on the paper and cut out the strips. To form a loop, bend the ends of the paper together and overlap roughly a half an inch. Either use transparent tape or a glue stick to adhere the overlapping ends. Take the second strip, pull it through the first loop and attach the ends of the strip to one another. Continue adding strips and making loops until the chain is as long as desired.
Make a Holiday Garland
Make the basic paper chain in appropriate holiday colors. Create a color pattern. For Christmas, alternate one red and one green, create a repeating pattern of two red and two green, or three red and then three green. Consider adding in other colors to extend the pattern. Instead of just using the basic orange and black for Halloween, add in green and purple for variety. Or even include patterned scrapbook paper.
Make a Paper Chain Snake
Make a paper chain about as long as the child’s arm, from shoulder to wrist. To make the head, cut out a triangular piece of paper, with rounded corners, and glue to one of the end chains. Add wiggly eyes, sticker eyes, or draw them on with marker. Cut a skinny piece of red paper for the tongue. Trim one end so it is forked and glue the other end to the underside of the snake’s head.
Make a Loopy Paper Flower
Make five or six paper loops that aren’t glued together in a chain. Trace a small plate and cut out the round piece of paper. Glue the loops around the edge of the circle. Add more loops if desired. Cut a straight piece out of green paper for the stem and cut out a few leaves. Add a photo or a written message to the inside of the paper flower.
Paper chains offer a lot of variety when children change the colors and types of paper used. This is a quick, fun project that is suited to any holiday, birthday, or celebrations and can be completed in under an hour.
