Summer Time Activity: Dino/Monster/Robot Feet

Here’s another summer time activity to give you a chance to use art to bond with your child, and maybe to keep them busy! This technique can be used to make dinosaur, monster, or robot feet!As a reminder, it’s important when you use art to keep your child’s development in mind.

Appropriate age range is 3-8. 3-4 year olds will need lots of help with constructing these and parents should expect to do a lot of it themselves. 5-8 years will love to design their own feet and construct them. Tissue paper can be cut by the older child if they are patient and wanting to do something more controlled. Other children would rather rip the tissue paper as it can feel more freeing.  Obviously no child in this age range should utilize a hot glue gun.These are great for pretend play and lend themselves easily to emotional and sensory expression. Your child can use them to stomp around, physically releasing pent up frustration or tension.  

You can also guide your child into talking about feelings. What is the monster feeling now? What does the monster do when he or she is angry? What kinds of things make the monster sad? Children speak and learn through play. And it makes it easier to talk about hard things when they aren't directly talking about themselves. This is a perfect activity to use to help a new preschooler or toddler talk about transitioning to a new teacher or school, or in saying goodbye to an old friend. Hope this project produces lots of roaring and stomping in your house.

Materials:

• empty tissue boxes

• duct tape

• tissue paper

• Mod Podge or glue stick

• sponge (for toe nails)

• hot glue for toe nails and fur

• Extra embellishments.

What do you have lying around the house? The pictured above have shredded paper and feathers to add some more fun.Use the duct tape to reduce the size of the opening a little bit and to reinforce the opening so it doesn't tear easily. Mod Podge or glue tissue paper to each box. Cut triangles out of a sponge for the toe nails. Once the paint or Mod Podge is dry then hot glue the toe nails to the box. Finally using your hot glue add any extras to create the final effect. Depending on the tissue box these can be a little slippery, which for some kids will make it more fun but for others a little intimidating.