Paper Quilt Craft Activity for Kids

Ages/Grades

Preschool, Early Elementary

 

Learning Domains

Language, Fine Motor, Social Emotional, Cognitive/Math

 

Materials

• Construction paper in various colors

• Crayons

• Glue stick

• Scissors

 

Ready, Set, Create!

Lay out pieces of construction paper on your work surface.

 

Children can each choose one piece of construction paper to cut into a square (about 10" by 10"). Adults can help with this step or have it done ahead of time for younger children. This square will become their quilt square.

 

Cut three of the other pieces of construction paper into strips about 1½" wide. Adults can do this step ahead of time using a paper cutter.

 

Children can cut those strips into 1½" squares. An adult can help by holding the strip of paper out for children to snip if needed. These can also be cut ahead of time by an adult.

 

Adults can talk with children about patterns and how to create simple patterns such as ABAB, AABB, and/or ABCABC.

 

Encourage children to glue squares around the perimeter of the quilt square in a pattern.

 

Using crayons, encourage children to draw a picture telling a story, fiction or factual, in the center of the square.

 

Encourage children to add a lot of details.  

 

They can draw other designs or small pictures that go along with their story on the small squares along the perimeter of the quilt.

 

 

Engage Children in Conversation

Comment on what you observe, such as “I notice you drew a house and a snow person on your quilt square. I wonder what your story is about” or “How will you create a pattern with your small squares?”

Ask children open ended questions that encourage critical thinking, such as:

Which colors will you use to draw your quilt square drawing? Why will you choose these colors?

Will your story be about something that’s happened to you? Will it be a fictional story?

What characters will be in your story? Why did you choose these characters?

 

Extensions

This activity can accompany a storytelling unit or activity. Children can write their own stories or dictate stories to an adult. The stories can be typed up and then lines from the stories can be cut out into strips. The strips can be glued along the borders of their quilt squares to help tell their story.

 

Modifications

Children with a variety of levels of scissor skills can successfully participate in this project. Adults can cut the strips of paper ahead of time and help children to snip to create squares.