The rainbow on the left is made of tissue paper and glue with strips of construction paper cut into bits by little hands. This is an excellent way to start learning how to hold and use scissors. Strips of construction paper may be cut with a paper punch, as with the birds, flowers and shamrocks below. Other shapes have been cut out with scissors and embellished with glitter glue.
Protecting our Environment
Today I am very much inclined not to use foam or glitter in projects, given what we continue to learn every day about our impact on the environment. It’s important to consider the products we are using. Do they contain toxic materials? How long do they take to break down? Is the project likely to be kept for a time (perhaps to become a family heirloom?), or trashed immediately?
Now we face the dilemma of using up or getting rid of the plastic, and other hazardous material I continue to have in my supply stash. Now I use them only them when deemed “necessary” for a particularly beautiful and excellent learning project. I will no longer purchase these supplies. It takes eons for plastic to decompose regardless of who uses it or throws it away.
On the other hand, there are alternatives. A rainbow mosaic can be made with colored rice or macaroni, beans, seeds, pebbles, yarn… One of our favorite materials is crumpled tissue paper.
Things to Consider
- This is a great activity for strengthening little fingers and eye-hand coordination.
- It also provides guidance in mixing colors, including skin-color, and how multi-ethnicity is a rainbow.
- Rainbows can easily involve a discussion of Queerness and Gay Pride
- For heaven’s sake don’t go shopping for materials for this project. Use what you have. and stop buying glitter, and foam shapes or letters please.