How to Make Paper Flowers for Toddlers

Use this craft to stimulate your toddler's creativity.

A vase filled with paper flowers will bring joy to a loved one for years and not fading away in days like fresh flowers. Stimulate the artist within your toddler by helping her creating a bouquet of flowers to give to someone special, such as her mother or grandmother. Encourage the toddler to aid you with decorating and assembling the flowers to boost her self-confidence. Also, pulling and bending the paper into place will develop fine-motor skills of the toddler.

Things You'll Need

• Construction paper
• Scissors
• Paint, markers or glitter-glue
• Clear tape
• 2 drinking straws
• 5 sheets 8-inch-square tissue paper
• Pipe cleaner
• Fragrance (optional)

Instructions

Handprint Blossom

1. Trace each hand of the toddler on a piece of construction paper. Use one color for a single color flower or two different colors for a two-toned blossom.

2. Cut out the handprints. Instruct the toddler to paint the handprints on both sides; draw on them using markers or cover them with glitter-glue.

3. Roll one handprint so the thumb overlaps the pinky finger. Tape the paper together using clear tape.

4. Roll the remaining handprint around the outside of the first handprint. Stagger the two handprints. Tape the outer handprint to the inner one.

5. Insert a drinking straw in the base of the handprints at the wrists of the prints. Wrap tape around the straw to secure it in place.

Tissue Paper Flower

1. Stack five sheets of 8-inch-square tissue paper in an even stack. Use tissue paper of one color or select up to five different colors.

2. Hold the stack together; fold one end over 1 inch. Flip the stack of tissue paper over; fold the same end 1 inch in the other direction. Continue flipping and folding the paper using an accordion fold. Press the seam of each fold firmly.

3. Bend a pipe cleaner in half. Place the middle of the pipe cleaner across the center of the folded paper. Twist the ends of the pipe cleaner four times.

4. Place the end of a drinking straw in between the twisted ends of the pipe cleaner. Wrap the ends of the pipe cleaner around the straw for the stem of the flower.

5. Pull each end of the tissue paper up away from the pipe cleaner in the center. Twist the paper gently one or two turns to form a petal. Continue this with the remaining pieces of tissue to form a full flower.

Tips & Warnings

• Spray a spritz of fragrance to the flowers, if desired.

References

• Enchanted Learning: Handprint Paper Flowers Craft
• Kaboose: Tissue Paper Flowers
• FamilyFun: Giant Tissue Paper Flowers