How to Make a Barn Out of Butcher Paper

Of course, you cannot make a real barn out of butcher paper, but butcher paper is a versatile material for kids to use to make a barn as an arts-and-crafts project. This paper is fairly sturdy, so the barn will stand up to heavy markers and hours of play. Yet the barn is still light enough that you can hang it on the fridge to show off their handiwork. Before you begin the project, ask your kids what a barn is for and what kind of animals they would like to have living inside it.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Butcher paper
• Scissors
• School glue
• Markers
• Pencil
• Ruler

1. 
    

   Cut two 12-inch by 12-inch squares out of your butcher paper and place them on top of each other. Draw the outline of the front of a barn on the top sheet. Don't worry about making it perfect, but keep it basically symmetrical. Try to use as much of the paper as possible.

2. Cut out the barn shape, keeping the papers stacked up so you cut through both at the same time. You will end up with two identical barn-shaped pieces of butcher paper. Put one of them aside for now. Refer to the one you're using now as sheet one.

3. 
    

   Draw a rectangular barn door and two square windows on the front of sheet one. Make the doorway pretty wide, as it will actually be two doors. There are no exact dimensions you have to use. Just don't let the windows or doors touch the sides of the barn.

4. 
    

   Draw a vertical dotted line up the center of the doorway and up the center of each window. Cut along that dotted line so each door and window has a slit down the middle. Then cut along the top and bottom lines.

5. 
    

   Fold the flaps to the left and right of the doors and windows. Now you have two open barn doors and two sets of open window shutters. Glue sheet two to the back of sheet one. Sheet two is the inside of the barn. Let the glue dry.

6. 
    

   Draw animals and hay inside the barn, using the animals the kids thought up for starters. Add color to complete the project.

Tips & Warnings

• Be as creative as you want. This does not have to be a traditional barnyard.

References

• Barn and animal patterns

Resources

• More Farm Crafts

[kittycooks]

on 8/7/2009 Great craft! I can't wait to see what my kids draw inside of their doors!