Your children can work with you to build something with which they can actually play such as a barnyard and animals. This is like
dfcreating their very own educational toy.
As you work on each craft, the children learn a little about the different farm animals. The animals can include pigs, horses, cows and so forth. Children also learn how to identify each animal and the sounds they make. Children love animals, and they will love to help you create adorable farm animals and their barn.
This craft does take a little time, and you do have to be careful and patient. However, it is a fun craft and in the end, you will have created a great barnyard scene suitable for your child’s playing and educational needs.
Note: When children are participating in this craft, they will require the help and supervision of an adult as there is cutting involved. You may also be using a box cutter and hot glue gun.
You need a place for all the adorable farm animals you are going to make. Therefore, the first part of this craft is creating the barn.
You will need:
- Cardboard box
- Paint or markers
- Scissors or box cutters
- Glue or a hot glue gun
Here’s What You Do
1. Turn the box on the side so that the opening is on the side rather than the top. Using the scissors or box cutter, cut off the two side flaps. You can cut off the other two flaps if you would like, but this is optional. You should do the cutting rather than your child especially if you are using box cutters instead of scissors.
2. Using either the box cutter or scissors, cut out the windows and a door. Again, the cutting should be done by you.
3. You can use the cut off flaps as a triangle roof by using the hot glue gun to glue the edges of the flaps to the top of the box (which should still be sitting on the side). Glue the top edge of the flaps together so that they look like a triangle. Let the glue completely dry before you make the rest of the barn. Adding a triangle roof to the barn is optional. If you decide to add the roof and use a hot glue gun, an adult should use the equipment rather than a child.
4. Paint the box in red or any color you would like for your barn. Allow the paint to dry. Painting is something the children can help you with since it does not involve any cutting or the use of a hot glue gun. Let your child pick the color of paint he or she wants to use and encourage them to help paint the barn.
5. If desired, use the markers to draw designs on the box to decorate it like a barn. Your child can help with the step as well. Let them decide on the designs to decorate the barn and draw them.
You have just created a barn to hold the farm animals you will make next.
Farm Animal Materials
What’s a barn without farm animals to live inside? Here are the materials you’ll need, step by step directions, and a few ideas for creating the farm animals.
- Colorful cotton balls
- Pipe cleaners
- Googly eyes
- Foam stickers
- Construction paper
- Safety scissors
Creating the Animals
1. Brainstorm with your child to figure out what animals to use for their farm. They can create their favorite farm animals such as pigs, ducks, cows, horses, and chickens.
2. Glue the colorful cotton balls together to make the different animal bodies. Use pink for the pigs, yellow for the ducks, brown for the horses and so on. For the cows, use black or white or just use white and draw black spots on them with the markers. Allow the glue on the cotton balls to dry completely.
3. Cut the pipe cleaners to the size of the legs, tails, and if you want, the ears. Allow some space for folding the bottoms of the pipe cleaners (this will make it easier to glue them onto the cotton balls). If you do not want your child to do the cutting, you do this step. Otherwise, let your child use safety scissors to cut the pipe cleaners to size.
4. Fold the tips of the pipe cleaners and glue them onto the cotton balls for the legs, tails, and ears of the animals. Allow the glue to dry completely. You can also use tiny, colorful cotton balls instead of pipe cleaners.
5. Once the glue is dry, work on the face. There are a few choices for making the faces for your animals. Use the googly eyes as the eyes. An alternative for the eyes is pieces of construction paper, tiny cotton balls, or small round foam stickers. You can also use these pieces as the mouth, nose, and ears. Talk to your child and see how he or she wants to create the face. They may want to create the face of one animal in one way, and the face of another animal in a different way. There is nothing wrong with mixing it up a little.
You have now completed your own barn and adorable animals. This is great for arts and crafts time, playtime, and of course, learning about the different farm animals, and where they live. Children will love helping you to create this barnyard scene as well as playing with it so sit down with your little one and have fun.
Author’s own experience and ideas from working with children in the past