Build a mountain using basic craft supplies such as acrylic paints.
Crafting is an activity that creates a bonding experience between you and your child. Incorporate geology into crafting by making a mountain using basic craft supplies. Whether your child dreams about climbing Mount Everest or just likes rocks, building and painting his own mountain will give your child a three-dimensional sculpture of his favorite subject. Although a bit on the messy side, making a mountain with craft materials is a hands-on activity that you and your child can enjoy together.
Instructions
Papier-mâché
1. Cut strips of newspaper between 1 and 2 inches wide. The newspaper can be any length. Fill a bowl with warm water and let the newspaper strips soak for about an hour.
2. Pour about 1 qt. of water into the other bowl. Add flour while mixing until the paste mixture has a runny consistency. This is the papier-mâché glue.
3. Ball up some dry pieces of newspaper tightly into a cone shape about 6 inches wide and 6 inches high. Glue the base of the cone to the cardboard, which will be the base for the mountain. Position the cone anywhere on the cardboard. Ensure there is enough space for surrounding objects such as rivers and trees.
4. Dip each strip of wet newspaper into the papier-mâché glue, covering the entire strip, then lay it flat over the cone. Build up the papier-mâché until it is at least 1/8-inch thick. Use your finger to poke gouges and lumps into the surface of the mountain to make it look rockier and more realistic. Let the finished mountain shape dry for a few days.
Painting and Finishing Touches
5. Encourage your child to paint his mountain landscape.
Paint the cardboard base of the mountain green to represent grass. Let the paint dry. Paint a blue, snaking river onto the cardboard base and let it dry.
6. Paint the mountain the desired colors. Look at photos of mountains to get an idea of the color scheme you will use. Use a darker color to paint crevices to give the mountain depth.
7. Tear apart cotton balls and glue them along the summit, or peak, of the mountain to represent snow.
8. Glue green feathers to the tops of sticks to make trees. Glue the base of the trees along the base of the mountain and on the cardboard base.
9. Crinkle some plastic wrap and flatten it. Glue the plastic wrap over the blue river to give the water the appearance of a shiny, bubbling brook. Glue pebbles along the river's edge and scattered around the mountain base.
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