DIY for kids - Elephant bookmark inspired by Elmer

A piece of cardboard and lot of colored confetti to make an elephant bookmark inspired by the famous Elmer!

Elmer DIY, a colorful elephant that can even be turned into a bookmark

It’s hard to talk about elephants and colors without thinking of Elmer, the colorful elephant created by David McKee.

After reading the book, we continued the story with a creative activity. There was no way we were going to make a gray elephant, we wanted ours to be full of colors, too!

And since it’s back-to-school time, why not turn it into a pretty bookmark for all the reading we’ll do this coming year?

Materials

• piece of cardboard

• tissue paper confetti in various colors (or colored paper to tear into pieces)

• glue (ref)

• scissors

• black posca marker (ref)

• several pieces of yarn in different colors (ref)

• a hole punch or something to make a small hole into the cardboard (here, the tip of a pencil)

  
  

Step-by-step

1. On a piece of cardboard that's large enough (12 x 10 cm), apply glue and then arrange the colorful confetti. Do this on both sides.

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   Layer the confetti on top of each other; since the tissue paper is translucent, the colors blend together and create different shades.

   
   

2. Draw the outline of an elephant on the decorated cardboard. Then draw an ear (shaped like a “D”). Draw an eye with a black marker.

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3. Cut out the elephant's outline and the ear. Then glue the ear onto the elephant.

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4. Cut several 12 cm pieces of yarn from different colors. Fold them to form a small loop, and then tie them together with another piece of yarn. Cut the ends if necessary to get the same length.

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5. Make a small hole in the back of the elephant and thread a string through it that's attached to the pompom.

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There you go! Your multicolored elephant is ready to slip between the pages of your favorite stories.

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