10 min read
Age: Suitable for ages 6+
10 min read
Age: Suitable for ages 6+
Are the beautiful shells from your last beach holiday gathering dust on the shelf? Then it’s time to turn them into seashell art! Let’s craft a playful fish garland full of maritime flair – perfect for your room or next beach party.
Thick dark blue construction paper
Colourful (glitter) paper and white paper for decorating
Shells (starfish are optional)
Craft thread or cord (approx. 45 cm)
Hole punch or paper punch tool
Pencil and Light-coloured coloured pencil
Clothes pegs
Scissors
- Thick dark blue construction paper
- Colourful (glitter) paper and white paper for decorating
- Shells (starfish are optional)
- Craft thread or cord (approx. 45 cm)
- Scissors
- Hole punch or paper punch tool
- Pencil
- Light-coloured coloured pencil
- Clothes pegs
- Black felt-tip pen
- Pritt Multipurpose Glue
- Pritt Glue Stick
around 45 minutes (plus approx. 24 + 3 hours drying time)
Always supervise children when using sharp tools.
Print and cut out the fish and turtle templates (you’ll find them at the end of this guide). Trace them onto dark blue construction paper.
Tip:
We used one large fish, two small fish and one turtle for our garland. But feel free to mix it up and create your own ocean scene!
Carefully cut out the fish and turtle shapes with a pair of scissors.
Give the large fish a face: cut a large circle from white paper for the eye, a smaller circle from blue glitter paper for the iris, and a tiny black circle for the pupil (a hole punch works best for this). Stick the pieces together using the Pritt Glue Stick, then attach the eye to the fish. Cut a rounded heart shape from pink paper for the mouth.
Glue the mouth onto the big fish so that the lips slightly overlap the edge of the blue construction paper. Use a coloured pencil to draw fine lines on the fins. Then cut thin strips of glitter paper and attach them to the tail in a fan-like pattern.
Now it’s time for some fun crafting with shells! Generously apply Pritt Multipurpose Glue to both the shells and the paper fish. Then press the shells firmly on the fish like shiny fish scales. Let everything dry for at least 24 hours. If possible, place a heavy book on top for extra hold.
Let’s move on to the turtle and the little fish. Use a hole punch (or paper punch tool) to make small white paper circles for their eyes.
Stick two eyes onto the turtle and one eye onto each of the little fish.
Use coloured pencils to draw spots on the turtle’s limbs and gills on the fish. Cut small fin crests from glitter paper and stick them onto the small fish.
Use a black felt-tip pen to draw pupils in the white eyes of the turtle and the little fish.
Time to give the turtle a shell: choose a larger seashell that fits the turtle well and apply Pritt Multipurpose Glue to it.
Press the shell firmly onto the turtle’s back. Use clothes pegs to hold it in place while drying. Place the turtle next to the big fish so that it can dry too.
Now grab two smaller shells for each little fish: one for the middle (fin) and one for the tail. Apply a generous amount of Pritt Multipurpose Glue to one shell and stick it to the middle of the little fish’s body.
Apply glue to the second shell as well and stick it to the end of the fish as a tail fin. Secure both shells with clothes pegs, and then repeat for the second fish. Let all glued parts dry thoroughly.
Once everything is completely dry (usually the next day), it’s time to assemble your garland. Start with the big fish and punch a hole in the top and bottom of its body.
Repeat with the small fishes. For the turtle, it’s best to punch a hole in the right arm and left leg, or vice versa.
Thread the cord through the holes on the large fish. Make sure the thread is running over the back of the fish.
Flip the fish over and glue a large piece of construction paper to its back using Pritt Multipurpose Glue. This will hold the thread in place and strengthen the shell-covered paper. Secure everything with clothes pegs and leave to dry for at least 3 hours.
Arrange the small animals as you like and thread the string through the fish and the turtle just like you did with the large fish. Again, glue a piece of construction paper to the back of each as reinforcement and to hold the thread in place. Secure with clothes pegs and leave everything to dry for 3 hours, just like the large fish.
Optional: Tie a starfish or large shell to the bottom of your garland. Your seashell art is ready to hang!