Hello, VIPKrafters!
I've created this blog as a resource for VIPKID teachers who are looking for some fresh, new ideas for crafts in the classroom, including reward systems, backgrounds, and props. Every post will include a detailed breakdown of each craft so you can make them too!
This week, I'll be telling you how to make your own dress-up dino with felt, glue, and wood for less than $8.00! It's easy to use, plus, reusable. It's also been VIPKID tested with my own kiddo's, so rest assured, it's a crowd pleaser! ;-)
Here are some examples of the final product:
As you can see, the possibilities are endless! And the kids love dressing up Dino!
Keep reading on to learn how to make one for yourself!
The supplies you'll need:
-A hot glue gun/hot glue (other glues may work, but I only tested with hot glue)
-Light blue, light green, dark yellow, red, pink, brown, white, and black felt (required)
-Tan, beige, purple, glitter orange, and tye-dye (recommended for above outfits)
-Fancy Feathers (recommended) (example: http://www.hobbylobby.com/Crafts-Hobbies/Basic-Crafts/Feathers/Turquoise-&-Purple-Mix-Packaged-Feathers/p/80742065)
-Faux pearls (recommended) (I purchased: https://www.michaels.com/recollections-adhesive-pearl-flourishes/10174986.html)
-Wooden frame/something to glue the felt onto that's light-weight and easy to hold or hang (I purchased: http://www.hobbylobby.com/Crafts-Hobbies/Wood-Crafting/Unfinished-Wood/7-x-9-Rectangle-Wood-Plaque/p/28486)
-Blue paint (not required, can be used as a base for wooden frame)
Remember to use coupons at Michaels/Hobby Lobby, it's easy to get this stuff cheaper!
Step One: Sunny Days
First, we need to make the background! Start with the wooden frame and give it a nice wash or two of blue paint:
Next, we need to cut the light blue felt to size for the frame (do this by overlaying the felt on the frame, and drawing with a pen around the edges you can feel under the felt), then cut to size:
After this, we need to lay down some grass! Try finding a large round object (like a cookie tin or bowl) to draw a hill of grass:
Line the edge of the felt with the edge of the wooden frame. Use a pen to mark the edges of the frame, then cut the grass to size.
After this, we'll make a sun. Use a cup at the upper right corner of the yellow felt as a stencil for a sun.
Then cut out the sun and glue it to the corner of the sky:
After, draw some clouds on the left hand corner of the white felt. Then cut out the clouds and glue them over top the sun and sky.
Nice job! You've completed the background! Now, let's make Dino!
Step Two: Dino Doll!
Dino is perhaps the most difficult part of this craft activity, but I will do my best to simplify the process.
Let's start with the basic shape of Dino. Dino's main shape is that of a rubber ducky. He has an "S" like shape.
So let's start with the body of Dino. Be sure to draw on the BACK of the felt, this way, you can turn it over unmarked. The Dino I made is about six inches long, so start by measuring from the bottom of the felt to six inches out.
His tail, measures about 4 and 3/4 of an inch at the widest point of the shape (this is about 1 and 1/2 of an inch from the bottom of the felt):
And his head measures about 3 and 1/2 of an inch at it's widest point (this is about 4 and 1/2 and inch from the bottom of the felt):
These will be important measurements to bear in mind as we have to freehand Dino. Mark the suggested measurements using dots. I recommend a light colored pen in case you make any mistakes which would show through the light-colored felt.
Start with an "S'" shape, please plot the "S" shape using dots first. If the shape meets the earlier measurements above, you can draw the line connecting the dots:
For the head you'll want to meet at the very edge of the felt. For the belly, it's widest point will be about a 1/4 of an inch from the edge of the felt. If it helps, I think the head has an almost egg-like shape.
Dino's legs, are for the most part, circular, and are about 1 inch and 1/4 of an inch wide and 1 inch and 1/2 of an inch long. His feet are right-angled trapezoids.
Now that we've drawn Dino, let's cut him out!
Your cut-out Dino, should look something like this:
Now, let's make Dino's legs! Dino's legs are yellow-green, but that's a hard color to come by with felt. I found a light green better stands out. As I said before, the leg shape should be about 1 inch and 1/2 of an inch wide:
When you've finished cutting out Dino's legs. You can cut out the white shape of Dino's belly. Use the white felt, and use the main body shape as a stencil for the outline of the stomach. Start about 1/4 an inch down from the head (or the top of the neck):
To complete the outline of the belly, make an eye-like shape:
The widest point of this eye shape should be about 2 inches:
Which is about an inch from the top of the felt:
When you've finished outlining the shape it's time to cut it out and glue it to Dino! So let's return to the main shape:
You can also glue on the front leg (the leg that appears closest to us or the left leg):
WARNING: GRAPHIC IMAGE OF DINO LOSING A LEG! :-P
Now, let's turn Dino over and cut off Dino's leg (eek!) which is furthest from you (the right leg) as you'll need it gone to show the leg from behind:
So now that you've made Dino a uniped, let's go back to making him a bipedal monster. After cutting off the right leg, you then want to the glue the top the right leg on the back. When finished, it should look something like this:
But now, Dino needs to earn his stripes! Let's get to working on those! Each stripe is about an inch long, except for the middle stripe, which is slightly bigger (by about 1/4 of an inch):
Measure out each of the stripes, and outline each one. The stripes are a sort of parabolic shape.
As you draw and cut out the stripes, feel free to glue them on!
As mentioned earlier, the second or middle stripe is the longest stripe:
There should be about 1/4 an inch of white space between each stripe:
Like the first stripe, the third or last stripe is about 1 inch long:
Now, Dino should have earned all three of his stripes! Way to go, Dino!
Time to get to work on those arms! The arms are a little more difficult because they are free-handed. Let's start with the far right arm (the arm that appears behind his body). This arm is shorter than the left arm and is partially hidden. I made Dino's right arm about 1 and 1/2 an inch long:
His hand is a sort of half-flower shape. Draw four half-ovals for each finger. For the left arm, go a bit longer, about 1 and 3/4 of an inch.
Be sure to round out the bottom of the left arm as this arm is not hidden by his body. When you glue the arms on, they should look like this:
The next part is the mouth. Get out that red felt and draw a sort of half-oval shape that's about 1 and 1/4 of an inch long. It's widest point should be about 1/2 an inch long.
Next up, the teeth! The teeth are like two small "u"'s placed right next to one another. They are 1/2 an inch long 1/4 an inch wide.
Don't forget Dino's rosy-pink cheeks! The image I used for reference actually has a slightly different look, but the green color just didn't work for me, it made him look funny, so I used another reference photo for his cheeks. The cheeks are pill-like shapes, the one on the left a little under 1/2 an inch and a the right, a little over 1/4 an inch.
Then we need to cut out the circles for the white parts of Dino's eyes. The left eye should be about 1/2 of an inch:
The smaller eye is about 1/4 of an inch:
After cutting out the circles for the eyes, you need to add those tiny upside down "u" shapes. The biggest one is about half and inch long. The smaller one is between 1/4 and a 1/2 of an inch.
Now it's time for those plates on Dino's back using the dark brown felt! This part is fairly simple, you want about on inch wide parabolic shapes per "plate." I used five plates, but Dino technically has more, so you're welcome to try to get a more accurate count!
You should have all of Dino's parts now, so let's get to gluing! Warm up the hot glue gun and get ready! DO NOT GLUE THE YELLOW BODY FIRST. Remember, other parts of Dino's body go under the yellow shape. Feel free to arrange all the body parts on the felt first how they should be glued. Remember, felt sticks to felt, not as well as glue, of course, but well enough that you can get the basic image and placement of Dino's body parts you want before you start gluing. Place the main yellow shape where you want it on the background without gluing, and start by gluing the following shapes beneath Dino:
-Dino's back plates
-Dino's right arm
-Dino's right leg
When you're finished, you can glue the yellow body shape over the other pieces. Then glue on the following:
-Dino's left arm
-Dino's left leg
-Dino's white belly
-Dino's pink cheeks
-Dino's red mouth
When those parts are dried, you can apply these parts:
-Dino's white eyes
-Dino's teeth
-Dino's green stripes
And finally, the last step after those have finished drying:
-Dino's black eyes
This should be your end product:
Now there are lots of different outfits you can make for Dino!
Step Three: Dino's T-shirt!
One of my students' favorite pieces of clothing is Dino's glittery, orange, VIPKID T-shirt. So I'll finish this tutorial with how to make Dino's T-shirt! Start by lining up the top of the felt with the top edge of Dino's white belly. With your ruler, mark 1 and 1/2 an inch for Dino's collar. Cut out a half-oval shape which should go in about 1/4 an inch at the widest point of the collar:
You'll want to find a darker pen then I used in the above example. The next thing you'll want to do is outline Dino's belly, you should be able to feel the raised felt beneath the orange felt. Use a pen, and run it along that raised edge just like you would a stencil. The same goes for the right side of Dino's body. You only want to cut out the main shape of the shirt, not the sleeves.
For the sleeves, cut out two "U" shapes, glue the right sleeve beneath the felt and the left sleeve over the felt.
The final touch is the VIPKID logo! Whip out some white paint and a thin paint brush. The final product should look like this:
Wow! Would you look at that Dino and all of his swag!?
I hope you enjoyed the tutorial! If you decide to make this craft, please share you end results with me in the comments below or at my Twitter handle: @octoberstormxx
I can't wait to see what people come up with!
Happy crafting, all you lovely VIPKrafters!
