Enter into a prehistoric world with our Bleeding Tissue Paper Dinosaur craft, a cool and fun dinosaur craft for kids using a unique type of tissue paper. Bleeding tissue paper isn’t your regular tissue paper; when you wet it with water, the colors start to “bleed,” creating beautiful, watercolor-like effects on the paper beneath. This amazing feature makes it an ideal medium for experimenting with color blending and texture, providing a magical artistic experience for kids and adults alike. Whether you’re a fan of the mighty T-Rex or the gentle Brontosaurus, this craft invites you to bring dinosaurs to life in a riot of colors.
Material List:
- Watercolor paper
- White crayon
- Bleeding tissue paper (in various shades of green, brown, and orange)
- Spray bottle with water
- Dinosaur printable (available below)
Dinosaur Template #1
Dinosaur Template #2
Dinosaur Template #3
Dinosaur Template #4
Step-by-Step Instructions:
- Draw the Background: Start by drawing leaves, trees, or other prehistoric plants on the white watercolor paper using a white crayon. The crayon creates a wax resist that will appear once the project is complete.
- Prepare the Tissue Paper: Cut the bleeding tissue paper into squares of various sizes. You can mix and match colors to mimic the lush, diverse vegetation of the Mesozoic era.
- Begin the Magic: Lightly spray the drawn watercolor paper with water from your spray bottle. The paper should be damp but not soaking wet.
- Apply the Tissue Paper: Place the squares of bleeding tissue paper onto the damp paper. Overlap them and cover the entire page, creating a dense jungle-like feel.
- Spray Again: Once all the tissue squares are in place, give the paper another light spray with water. This will help the colors from the tissue paper start bleeding into the watercolor paper, creating your colorful background.
- Let It Dry: Allow the paper to dry completely. This might take a while, so be patient! The drying process is when the real magic happens.
- Reveal the Artwork: Gently peel off the dried tissue paper to reveal the colorful background. You’ll see how the white crayon drawings stand out against the vivid colors.
- Add the Dinosaurs: Cut out a dinosaur from the printable provided below and glue it onto your vibrant prehistoric scene.
How My Kids Aged 5, 5, and 8 Played with This Craft:
My trio of young artists dove into this project with gusto. The twins, both 5, were fascinated by how the tissue paper changed the white paper into a colorful canvas, eagerly guessing which colors would appear strongest. My 8-year-old took the lead in arranging the tissue squares, thoughtfully planning out the landscape to suit the dinosaur cutouts they had chosen. Watching the colors spread and blend was a highlight, and peeling off the tissue to reveal the final artwork brought out delighted gasps. They proudly displayed their bleeding tissue paper dinosaurs on the fridge for all to admire.
Tips for Success:
- Use a gentle touch when spraying water to avoid oversaturating the paper.
- Experiment with layering tissue paper to discover new color blends.
- Patience is key! Allow the project to dry completely for the best results.
Skills Learned:
- Creativity and Imagination: Designing their prehistoric scenes allows children to use their creativity while learning about dinosaurs.
- Fine Motor Skills: Cutting the tissue paper and handling the small spray bottle enhance fine motor skills.
- Science and Art Integration: This craft introduces basic concepts of color theory and chemical reactions (between the tissue paper dye and water) in a fun, artistic way.
- Patience and Observation: Waiting for the art to dry and observing the color transformation process teaches children the value of patience and careful observation.
The Bleeding Tissue Paper Dinosaur craft offers a unique blend of science, art, and prehistoric exploration, making it a perfect activity for curious and creative minds. So grab your materials and step back into the age of dinosaurs with an artistic adventure that’s as educational as it is fun!
Play2Learn Toddler & Preschool Programs for Curious Toddlers
There is no limit to your toddler’s energy and curiosity. That energy and curiosity although a joy can be challenging at times. Their interest in just about everything around them is what makes them great learners. One and two year olds can soak up so much just from their senses!
But as a teacher or parent that thirst for learning can be exhausting. That is why I created this toddler and preschooler program. To help you get the most out of this time with your curious toddler without having to come up with creative ways to play and interact with them.
Play2Learn for Toddlers includes 20 Units for toddlers. Each 2-week toddler unit has 20 super easy to set up and engaging activities for toddlers 18 months to 3 years.
Play2Learn Preschool which includes 20 Units for preschoolers. Each 2-week preschoolers unit has 20 unique and easy to set up and engaging activities for preschoolers 3 years to 5 years. That’s over 800 learning activities for your toddler and preschooler at your fingertips! So many ideas you and your child will never be bored again!
These toddler and preschool lesson plans and activities will definitely keep you and your toddler and preschooler busy playing and learning!
Click here for more information: Play2Learn
Book: Exciting Sensory Bins for Curious Kids
Did you know I wrote a book of sensory bins? Click here for more information Exciting Sensory Bin for Curious Kids. Or grab your copy at Amazon.
Boring afternoons are made exciting with awesome animal-based bins, like Salty Shark Bay or Yarn Farm. Pretend play bins like Birthday Cake Sensory Play or Bubble Tea Party encourage creativity and imagination. And your kids will have so much fun they won’t even know they’re getting smarter with STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math) activities like Sink or Float Soup, Magnetic Letter Hunt or Ice Cream Scoop and Count.
Designed for toddlers 18 months and up.
Book: Super STEAM Activity Book for Kids
Learning all about science, technology, engineering, art, and math sets kids up for scholastic success―and it can be so much fun! Watch kids enjoy building STEAM skills as they color friendly fish, help water find its way to tree roots, solve math problems with mazes, and more.
Find out more and grab your copy here.
Designed for preschoolers 3 years old and up.
Book: Big Book of Riddles for Kids
Riddle me this: What’s an exciting way to practice critical thinking while having a blast? The Big Riddle Book for Kids, of course! From hilarious puns to tough brain teasers, kids can build problem-solving skills with hundreds of riddles tha. t show them how to think outside the box.
- 350 riddles for kids—Have hours of fun with riddles, puns and jokes, and math and logic puzzles that’ll get their wheels turning!
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- Double-check their work—Kids can check their answers in the back of the book with a handy answer key.
Help children expand their minds while having fun with this puzzle book for kids!
Designed for kids ages 6 years old and up.
TV Show: Curious Crafting
I’m so excited to share my crafting TV show Curious Crafting which launched in July 2022 on TVOkids and TVOkids YouTube! Season 2 aired in August 2023! My show was also nominated in 2023 for Best Live Action Preschool Series by the Youth Media Alliance Awards of Excellence.
Curious Crafting Season 1 is also now airing in Australia on ABC! Watch it here!
Set in the ultimate crafting space, Curious Crafting is a short form pre-school age series about the joy of making crafts. I lead a rotating cast of adorable little preschoolers (including my own) making magic out of common household objects.
In each episode we transform recycled items into magical crafts like a milk carton school bus, paper bag puppet or cotton pad turtle. The crafters learn and laugh their way through each activity while demonstrating what their young imaginations can create.
Curious Crafting shares the adventure and joy of making art with takeaway lessons for creating crafts at home.
This show designed for toddlers and preschoolers 2.5 years old and up.
Bleeding Tissue Paper Dinosaur Craft
Materials
- Watercolor paper
- White crayon
- Bleeding tissue paper (in various shades of green, brown, and orange)
- Spray bottle with water
- Dinosaur printable (available below)
Instructions
- Draw the Background: Start by drawing leaves, trees, or other prehistoric plants on the white watercolor paper using a white crayon. The crayon creates a wax resist that will appear once the project is complete.
- Prepare the Tissue Paper: Cut the bleeding tissue paper into squares of various sizes. You can mix and match colors to mimic the lush, diverse vegetation of the Mesozoic era.
- Begin the Magic: Lightly spray the drawn watercolor paper with water from your spray bottle. The paper should be damp but not soaking wet.
- Apply the Tissue Paper: Place the squares of bleeding tissue paper onto the damp paper. Overlap them and cover the entire page, creating a dense jungle-like feel.
- Spray Again: Once all the tissue squares are in place, give the paper another light spray with water. This will help the colors from the tissue paper start bleeding into the watercolor paper, creating your colorful background.
- Let It Dry: Allow the paper to dry completely. This might take a while, so be patient! The drying process is when the real magic happens.
- Reveal the Artwork: Gently peel off the dried tissue paper to reveal the colorful background. You’ll see how the white crayon drawings stand out against the vivid colors.
- Add the Dinosaurs: Cut out a dinosaur from the printable provided below and glue it onto your vibrant prehistoric scene.
