Plaster of Paris crafts make great projects for kids of all ages. There are bigger and more involved projects for older kids and simple, easy-to-make projects for the youngest of children. Plaster of Paris is inexpensive and a little goes a long way with large groups of kids.
Fossils
Make fossil crafts with plaster of Paris. Mix the powder with the water according to the package directions. Pour some plaster into styrofoam bowls. Give the kids a variety of items to choose from to make their fossils. Use leaves, plastic dinosaurs, acorns, shells and the list goes on. Let the item sit in the plaster for a few minutes till the plaster sets some and then remove the object. Some objects can stay in the plaster until the mixture has hardened such as leaves. Use a toothbrush to remove the leaves from the fossils.
Handprint/Footprint Stones
Pour a mixture of plaster of Paris into a pie tin. Have the child stick his foot or hand in the plaster to leave a print. You may want to wait until the plaster is almost set before putting the print in it. This allows the creases in the hands and feet to really show up. Allow the prints to dry completely before removing the stone from the pie tin.
Paint the inside of the hand or footprint. Write the child's name and the date on the stone if there is room.
Sidewalk Chalk
Mix the plaster of Paris, water and a few drops of food coloring. For better color distribution, add the food coloring at the same time as the water. Pour the plaster into cardboard toilet paper rolls. Allow the plaster to dry completely. Peel off the cardboard to reveal your sidewalk chalk.
Christmas Ornaments
Buy plastic Christmas candy molds. Spray the inside of the molds with a baking spray. Pour a mixture of the plaster of Paris in the molds. Use a pencil to poke a hole in the top of the ornament as the plaster is drying. You may need to do this more than once until the plaster is set enough to hold the shape of the hole. Allow the plaster to dry completely. Tip the molds upside down and carefully remove the ornaments. Trim any excess plaster off the edges of the molds. Use an acrylic paint to decorate the ornaments. Sprinkle on glitter while the paint is still wet if desired. Allow the paint to dry thoroughly. Cut a length of ribbon and insert it into the hole at the top of the ornament. Tie a knot in the ribbon for hanging on the tree.
Related posts
make Plaster CraftsPlaster crafts are made with Plaster of Paris. It can be purchased at most hardware stores and some discount stores.Instructions1. Pour 60% Plaster of Paris 40% water this gives...
Don your home with orignial Christmas crafts that you have created yourself.Perhaps the most popular holiday to decorate for is Christmas. Lights, wreaths, trees and ornaments are some of the deco...
Plaster of paris is a safe and easy-to-use material that can be molded into any number of craft projects. The plaster can be tinted with paints while wet or painted after it's dry, and it can be c...
Create your own ornaments for a holiday tree, to decorate the home or to give as gifts. Plaster of Paris is readily available at craft and hobby stores. Easy to work with, it hardens quickly witho...
Making foot and hand imprints is a classic project for kids and adult artists. Children's footprints are often painted with bright colors and used to make gifts such as tree ornaments and paperwei...
