Things You'll Need
1 washable glue stick
1 greeting card (new or used)
1 sheet of 9x12-inch colored construction paper
1 pair of children's safety scissors1 sheet of foam board with a 3/16-inch core
1 bottle of white craft glue
Markers or crayons
Bring the "Great Outdoors" inside by building a model campsite. Use this art project to guide kids in lessons about campsite safety, wildlife, ecology and preserving the environment. At a new campsite, one of the first tasks on a camper's to-do list is to pitch the tent. Making a model paper tent is easy. You need a few simple art supplies, most of which you might have around the house, and a wide work surface.
Step 1
Rub a glue stick across the outside surfaces of the greeting card. Place the card in the middle of a piece of construction paper so the outside surfaces of the card are completely covered in paper. You should be looking at the inside surfaces of the card--the space where you often see the preprinted message. If you do not see this, then you glued the wrong sides of the card to the construction paper. Press the card firmly. Touch up with glue around the corners.
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Step 2
Cut away the excess construction paper around the card with scissors. Close the card, and press along the fold. Smooth out any paper wrinkles by placing the closed card on the table and firmly swiping your hand across the card.
Step 3
Open the card and lay it flat for decorating. Use crayons, markers and other art supplies to personalize the outside of the "tent."
Step 4
Turn over the "tent," and hold it like you would an open greeting card. Using a white craft glue of your choice, carefully squeeze a line of glue along the two vertical edges of the card. It is okay if some of the glue runs down the sides. The inside of this "tent" will not be visible easily once the greeting card is attached to the foam board.
Step 5
Turn over the "tent" again, and place it on the foam board. When you do this, the greeting card will be standing on its side with the binding pointing up. It will look like an inverted "V." Add more white craft glue around the card and on the foam board if needed. Your have pitched your "tent." Allow to dry.
Tip
Allow children to use their imaginations as they build this paper campsite. Remind the children that most tents come in one or two colors, but that they are decorating the tents "just for fun." Perhaps they will want to draw a window on the side of the "tent." Have them place dirt and rocks on the foam board, plant "trees" (small sticks or flower stems) and create a fire pit using pebbles and red and yellow construction paper flames.
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