Stained Glass Art (for kids)

We are loving these bursts of color in our windows... being in the middle of February will make you appreciate such things!

We have tried a couple of different versions.

Here’s what you’ll need: black construction paper or a thick sharpie (these result in two different looks), tissue paper in various colors, and clear contact paper.
note: I found clear contact paper at my grocery store with the shelf liners.

A very simple and fun project — the whole way through!

For Trevelyn’s dimorphodon (his choice) I traced a page of a coloring book. Older children can do this themselves, if they choose.

For the dinosaur out of contsruction paper I just drew a pattern, and cut it out.

For the others is the most fun way of all – find out what your little artist has an interest in creating, and cut out a few basic shapes accordingly. Triangles, circles, squares, and long straight and curvy strips.

No need to cut out the center with a utility knife –

the broken circle or square can be seemingly reconnected to itself back on the contact paper.

Peel off the back of your contact paper, and either tape your contact paper down sticky-side up onto the table, or fold under your corners to hold the paper in place.

Lay out the design with the construction paper strips.

If the babes would like to tear the bits themselves, then give them larger pieces to tear, if not (some don’t like to – like Maddie) then tear wrinkled bits for them. Wrinkles and layers make it pretty!You can lift your art up and hold it to a window to look for patches and see how it’s coming along.

If your artist chooses to decorate inside a design, like this

then you don’t need to put another piece of contact paper over the bits of tissue (to cover it) – just stick it directly to the window.

Otherwise, cut a new piece of contact paper the same size, and place it over the tissue paper.

Thread or tape it to hang in your window to enjoy your bit of colored sunshine!