Helen Drew - 3D Paper Crafts for Kids: 26 Creative Projects to Make from A-Z

2021 by Helen Drew and Happy Fox Books, an imprint of Fox Chapel Publishing Company, Inc., 903 Square Street, Mount Joy, PA 17552.

3D Paper Crafts for Kids is an original work, first published in 2021 by Fox Chapel Publishing Company, Inc. The patterns contained herein are copyrighted by the author. Readers may make copies of these patterns for personal use. The patterns themselves, however, are not to be duplicated for resale or distribution under any circumstances. Any such copying is a violation of copyright law.

For a printable PDF of the templates used in this book, please contact Fox Chapel Publishing at customerservice@foxchapelpublishing.com, stating the ISBN and title of the book in the subject line.

All photos and illustrations by the author unless otherwise noted. The following images are credited to ): Arina P Habich; squiggly lines (throughout): Yevgenij_D; wavy lines (throughout): Meranna

Print ISBN 978-1-64124-117-5
eISBN: 978-1-60765-967-9

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For a printable PDF of the patterns used in this book, please contact Fox Chapel Publishing at , with 9781641241175 3D Paper Crafts for Kids in the subject line.

Welcome to 3D Paper Crafts for Kids, your ultimate guide to learning through play.

As well as bringing you lots of arty inspiration and craft ideas for all occasions, this bookand all the activities inside itcan be used to explore the alphabet, to spark childrens curiosity, and to make learning fun.

Just pick a letter and dive in!

At Arty Crafty Kids, we believe in the power of creativity and, as parents ourselves, we have seen firsthand the benefits that come from engaging children in interactive crafts. From building confidence and fostering self-expression, to encouraging a love of learning, to introducing mindfulness, theres so much for children to discover though dynamic and hands-on crafting. Three-dimensional paper crafts are a wonderfully simple but effective way to engage children of all ages and nurture those benefits.

Our AZ book of crafts introduces children to 3D effects using simple techniques like folds, accordions, and paper loops. The extra dimension encourages children to explore the ideas of perspective, depth, and movement in a really easy-to-understand way that offers lots of opportunity for discussion. These crafts are also more effective than basic crafts or coloring at helping to hone fine motor skills.

To complement our crafts tactile nature, many of our projects incorporate art techniques that really enhance each projectones that can be scaled up or down depending on the age of your child. Weve found this to be a truly winning combination, resulting in a full creative experience that is guaranteed to spark an interest in art that will last a lifetime.

Although colored pencils and markers are absolutely fine (especially for little ones!), we often use paint instead, which presents a world of exciting opportunities for children. They can experiment with color mixing to create new shades, refine their work with blending, learn more about color theory, and explore pattern and texture with techniques like splattering. They can even discover that theres more than one way to use a paintbrush!

But learning is just one part of itwere also big believers in bringing play into craft. Our 3D crafts are so tactile, the whole process of creating them is engaging and funand when the craft is finished, its only the beginning! Children can carry on the fun, whether its reimagining different animals and playing with perspective, or wiggling and jiggling away with a 3D bobblehead craft.

We hope that your children enjoy this compilation of our best 3D paper crafts just as much as we enjoyed developing them.

Helen and the Arty Crafty Kids team

Throughout this book, children will have the opportunity to hone their fine motor skills and master a variety of paper folding techniques to create 3D effects. Each of these paper folds will help to enhance and lift different elements of the craft, adding a sense of perspective, dimension, and, in some projects, movement. The paper strips needed for these techniques can be created using scissors and a ruler, or, if you have one, a paper cutter.

This simple technique will be used frequently to create small lifts.

Step 1. Start with a strip of paper. Use a long piece for a large loop and a short one for a tight, small loop.

Step 2. Gently bend the paper around so that the two ends meet and create a circle, but dont fold or crease the paper.

Step 3. Secure the ends together with glue to make a closed loop.

Zigzags are great for larger lifts with lots of bounce.

Step 1. Start with a long strip of paper.

Step 2. Fold one end of the strip (just a short piece, about as long as the strip is wide) on top of itself, and press it down to create a crease.

Step 3. Take the same end of the strip and make a second fold, this time to the back side instead of to the front side, making the new fold the same size as your first flap. Press to crease. (Alternatively, you can flip the strip to the other side and simply repeat the very first flap fold to the front.) Viewing the strip from the side, you will notice a triangular shape. This is the start of the zigzag formation.