Children can make a monster out of their name this week at The Children’s Museum of Phoenix. Art Studio Manager John Bomhoff shares instructions.

Ages: 5 and above.

Materials:

9” x 12” piece of colored construction paper
Pencils and/or markers
Geometric foam shapes
White glue
Scissors
Paper scraps
Yarn

Instructions:

Choose a sheet of paper and fold it in half length-wise.

Using a pencil, print your name on the folded edge making the letters very large.

Starting on the folded edge, cut around and above each letter, jumping from one letter to the next. Do not cut them out. When finished you should have your name all in one piece.

Open up the shape which is symmetrical.

Using foam shapes, paper scraps, yarn, and markers, create a monster out of the shape.

TEACHABLE MOMENT

This is a wonderful project which is not only educational but fun to do with your child! As a motivation read a monster related book. Some of our favorites are: “There’s a Nightmare in My Closet” by Mercer Mayer and “A Beasty Story” by Bill Martin Jr. and Steven Kellogg. These stories empower the child to deal with fears in a healthy way. Then help your child print their name very large reinforcing their writing skills. When they cut out their name and open the paper up, you can introduce symmetrical shapes. A symmetrical shape is a shape that when divided in the middle has one half identical to the other half. You might also take a walk with your child outdoors to see if they can identify symmetrical objects in nature.

About the Children’s Museum of Phoenix

The mission of the Children’s Museum of Phoenix is to engage the minds, muscles and imaginations of children and the grown-ups who care about them. With hands-on, interactive exhibits designed for children ages birth to 10, the Museum focuses on learning through play, with emphasis on early childhood education and school-readiness.

The Children’s Museum of Phoenix is located at 215 N. 7th St. in downtown Phoenix, at the southeast corner of Seventh Street and Van Buren in the historic Monroe School Building. In 2011, it was named one of the “10 Best Children’s Museums” by Parents magazine.

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