How to Make a Shrinky Dink Bumblebee

Children are fascinated with animals, and that preoccupation makes for some very interesting crafts. Kids love to create animals from a Shrinky Dink sheet: The animal starts out large and then is inserted in to the oven. When it is done, it is half its original size. One of the animals a child can create is a bumblebee. Bumblebees don't use much color, but they are fun-looking creatures nonetheless. This craft can be completed after a study of bees, which will give a child more of an appreciation for the insect.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Shrinky Dink sheets
• Baking sheet
• Scissors
• Pencil crayons

1. Call your local craft store to see if they have any Shrinky Dink sets. If they don't, follow the link in Resources to buy some directly from the manufacturer They only cost $3 to $5 per package.

2. Pull out one Shrinky Dink sheet and feel both sides. One is smooth and the other is rough. Place the rough side up and use that to draw on.

3. Use a black pencil crayon to draw a large outline of a bee on your Shrinky Dink sheet . It needs to be large, because it is going to shrink later.

4. Color in the bee using your yellow and black pencil crayons.

5. Using a pair of scissors, cut about 1/4 of an inch from the edges of your bumblebee. This gives the figure room to shrink.

6. Set your bumblebee on a baking sheet.

7. Set your oven temperature to 325 degrees.

8. Insert the bumblebee in the oven after the oven is heated. Count to 60 and remove.

9. Set the bumblebee Shrinky Dink aside to cool for 15 to 20 minutes.

Tips & Warnings

• Add a magnetic strip to the back of the bumblebee and display it on your refrigerator.
• Keen an eye on the Shrinky Dink the entire time it is in the oven. It only takes 2 extra seconds for one to start burning.

Resources

• Shrinky Dink Store