How to Make a Paper Stingray
This crafty activity is perfect for any marine or freshwater-themed topic! Using filter paper is also a great and practical way to learn about the principles of absorption. Your completed masterpiece will look great hanging up at home or in the classroom!
What you need:
• Coffee filter paper• Water spray bottle
• Chunky felt tip pens or bingo dabbers
• Scissors
• Glue stick
• Cloth or sheet to protect worktop
• Googly eyes
What to do:
Step 1: Fold your filter paper in half.
Step 2: Using different coloured dabbers or pens, colour in the filter paper. Have a go at adding spots and different patterns. Make sure you press down hard, so enough ink runs from your pen into the paper. Look closely at the filter paper – can you see how the ink is moving through it? This is called absorption. How cool!
Step 3: Spray your paper with water. Watch as all those dazzling colours swirl together.
Step 4: Gently push down with your finger to help the colours blend together.
Step 5: This is the hard bit – be patient! You need to wait for the paper to dry. Not doing so risks tearing it.
Step 6: Once dry, open up your stingray! Can you see how both sides are symmetrical? Using our silhouette templates in our free downloadable resource pack (https://www. ecokidsplanet.co.uk/pages/free-resources), decide what shape you want your ray to be.
Step 7: Using the templates as a guide, cut the edges of your filter paper to make the shape of the stingray. Save some of this scrap paper and cut the ray’s tail from it. Glue the tail to the underside of the ray.
Step 8: Add some googly eyes. All done! Have fun experimenting with lots of different colours!
As always, we LOVE seeing your creations, so don’t forget to send us a picture of your colourful stingrays!
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Emma Louise Oldham
Author