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Patterned Cardboard Necklace
Celebrating Black History Month
Africa has a wealth of patterns. Notice the repetition of shapes, colours, textures and lines in all sorts of arrangements. There are two types of patterns to distinguish from – Geometric and Symbolic patterns. Geometric patterns are made out of shapes such as diamonds, triangles, squares, zigzags, dots, circles, etc. Symbolic patterns are inspired by nature or designed by man to represent a motif, such as crescents, stars, flowers, fruit, trees, waves, etc. It is important to understand that there is so much history that inspired this type of design and the styles and motifs change from culture to culture. It was an abstract and approachable way to give others insight on their social, religious, and political views. It was also believed that specific symbols and patterns held healing and protective qualities. These beautiful patterns have so much more depth and meaning than what meets the eye.
Patterned Cardboard Necklace
You don’t need to spend a lot of money to be glamorous! Today we are making a beautiful necklace using a small sheet of cardboard. This fun activity provides an opportunity for your child to creatively design their very own necklace while strengthening those fine motor skills. This also encourages them to think outside of box when using recycled materials.
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1. Draw shapes on the cardboard.
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3. Use the hole puncher or scissors to make a hole on opposite sides of each piece.
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4. Be free and creative to decorate the pieces you cut out with shapes to create your own pattern.
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5. Use the yarn, ribbon or string to weave through the holes and connect the pieces together
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6. Tie a knot to close the necklace.
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7. Your necklace is ready to wear.
Invite your child to design their own necklace by experimenting with geometric shapes and patterns. This is a great activity to allow your child to make creative choices and express themselves through their art. If you have an older child, encourage them to draw, colour, and cut different shapes out of the cardboard. For younger children, you can support them by cutting out the shapes and encouraging them to colour it however they like. Once their design is complete, ask your child to weave the string through the holes of the shapes to complete their necklace.
It can be tempting to help your child design their necklace but try to avoid taking control, only support them if they ask for it. The necklace does not have to be perfect. Enjoy the process of this activity and encourage your child to take lead. This will help them feel more confident in making their own choices and helps them feel significant in their world. Praise their efforts and have fun creating necklaces together.
EarlyON