Create colorful, tie-dye fish using colored markers.
Kids enjoy bright colors and craft projects that let them get a little messy. A rainbow-colored tie-dye fish project combines both these things together. Try each of two different methods for creating tie-dye fish and see which children like best. The activity works well with the book "The Rainbow Fish," and makes a creative classroom activity or a story-time craft for a weekend at home.
Instructions
Coffee filter tie-dye fish
1. Color a coffee filter with washable colored markers. Funology.com recommends using a variety of bright colors and leaving white spaces in some areas instead of coloring the entire filter. Color the center circle and skip the outer edges.
2. Sprinkle water over the filter and set it in a sunny area. Check on the filter after 15 minutes. According to Funology, the washable markers should have spread and blended together to create unusual, colorful patterns.
3. Cut out a fish pattern and trace the outline onto the center of the coffee filter. Position it over your favorite parts of the colored patterns. Remove the pattern and cut out the fish. Cut out a matching piece of white poster board and glue the fish to it for extra support. Use a glue stick on the poster board and not liquid glue. The liquid glue will soak through the coffee filter.
Food coloring tie-dye fish
4. Change into old clothes and cover your work area with newspaper. Wear latex gloves if you do not want food coloring staining your fingers.
5. Spread out a large piece of aluminum foil and place a row of paper towels across it. Drop several different colors of food coloring over the surface. Leave space between some drops while allowing others to overlap and mix in certain areas.
6. Cut out a fish pattern from white poster board or card stock. Press the fish down onto different areas of the paper towels. Rotate the fish and dab it downward to create interesting swirl effects. Keep dabbing the fish around the paper towels until you have enough colored swirls and patterns. Allow the food coloring to dry and draw on a face with a Sharpie marker.
