The Summer sunshine just cries out for pretty suncatchers on the windows doesn’t it? I just love it when their colours are sent shimmering across the room don’t you? Here’s a super easy tissue paper suncatcher craft kids of all ages can enjoy. But be prepared they won’t want to stop at making just one!
These pretty round tissue paper suncatchers are so easy to make and they’re made using lids from your trash or recycling so they cost next to nothing too and help teach kids to care for our planet at the same time.
Supplies For Your Round Suncatcher Craft
- Transparent Plastic Lids
- Tissue Paper US / UK
- Scissors
- White PVA Glue US / UK
- Brush
- Ribbon US / UK
- Sticky Tape
How To Make A Pretty Round Suncatcher
This suncatcher craft is so, so simple! The joy of simple means that even very young children can enjoy it too and older children can really begin to experiment with the method and create some wonderfully varied and detailed results.
Plastic transparent lids are really easy to come across and we collected most of ours from large family sized yoghurt pots and fresh cream. Just give them a quick wash and dry and then they’re ready to make the base for your suncatcher.
To start with we cut some ribbon for hanging the finished suncatcher and taped it to the plastic lid. We love this bright ribbon from Baker Ross and have used it for so many crafts. Taping the ribbon in place first means that you can cover and hide the end of the thread and sticky tape with tissue paper later.
Tissue paper is semi-transparent so lends itself really well to suncatcher crafts. I like giving the children a range of tissue paper colours to work with and letting them pick and choose them as they like.
Children might enjoy creating random abstract patterns with their tissue paper by tearing it into shapes or they might have clear ideas about the design they want and prefer to cut detailed patterns or shapes with scissors. It’s really lovely to let children experiment and find their own way. There is no right and wrong and whatever they choose to do is sure to look just lovely hanging in the window with the light shining through.
To create the suncatcher you simply glue the pieces of tissue paper into place on the lid. Young children will probably find it easiest to brush the glue onto the lid rather than the paper but older children working on a more intricate design might prefer to brush the glue onto the tissue paper instead but this method requires a gentle hand not to tear the thin paper especially once it gets wet.
Just continue gluing your tissue paper design onto the transparent plastic lid. You can choose to do just one side or both. As the design develops children will be able to notice some colour mixing happening when they hold the overlapping colours up to the light.
Once the suncatcher design is complete just let the glue dry completely before hanging it on the window. If you want to hang the suncatchers in the garden your could try finishing off the craft by coating the tissue paper with a coat of waterproof varnish.
More Fun Summer Crafts For Kids: