Rainy Day Craft: 3-D Appliqué Felt Pictures

This activity can be as simple or complex as your child wants or is able to do.

What You Will Need To Make It:

Felt pieces (mostly scraps)
Tacky Glue
Scissors
Thread and needle (if your child is old enough to sew.)

How To Make It:

Have your child choose what they would like to make a picture of. This could be a favorite animal, cartoon character or place to visit. Younger children might want something more abstract like numbers or shapes.

Draw or trace your pieces onto felt pieces the color of your child's choice.

Glue your pieces into place on the picture. Your children might find that laying a tracing paper pattern of the full picture over the picture to aid in placement of the pieces.

Your child can get as complex or simple with their picture as they see fit.

When done, let the pieces dry several hours or overnight.

You may place your child's picture in a frame for display in their room.

All done! Now your child can make another or simply admire their creation.

Hints, Tips, and Ideas:

* If your child is particularly young - too young to cut or plan a picture - you can precut pieces in simple colors and shapes and let them make an abstract picture of their choice. You could also pre-make some more complex pieces for them to glue where they would like.

* If you don't have a frame, you can make one out of some decorated cardboard and a piece of plastic as 'glass.' This is a good option also if you worry about shattered glass should the frame come loose off of the wall.

* For some silly fun you or your child can make several shapes to be included in an abstract picture. Then blindfold themselves and stick them to the picture. (I'd advise an adult to guide them with the glue and placement as this could get messy!)

* If your child is older, or you are making it as a gift for a child, you may sew the pieces instead of gluing them. This would make the final product less stiff and more flexible than if glued.

* You can decorate a cardboard frame in felt pieces to contrast or match the picture.

* Keep your child's interest high by offering several different mediums to them to use this method with. Some suggestions: fabric scraps, foam sheets, magazine clippings, construction or scrapbook paper. The possibilities are endless.

My son used felt cut outs, cards from a magazine ad, fabric cut outs and more on his pictures. He enjoyed this project so much that he asked to do another. Whatever your child chooses as their picture, may they, too enjoy this craft and have many beautiful pictures to decorate their room with!