One chameleon can hide another - a colorful DIY project

Green on green... our little chameleon seems to have perfectly mastered the art of camouflage. But look what’s hiding behind its silhouette... an explosion of colors!

Camouflaged or Colorful? One chameleon, two versions

For this activity, we played with one of the chameleon’s most fascinating traits: its ability to change color. But in our own way, of course!

Using two circles cut out of recycled cardboard, some large confetti carefully saved from a birthday party, and a little paint, we created not one, but two chameleons.

The first, cut out of the cardboard and painted green, is a master of camouflage. The second appears in exactly the same spot, but this time in a cheerful mosaic of red, pink, yellow, orange, and blue.

A creative activity that combines upcycling, painting, collage, colors, and a little surprise!

Materials

• Cardboard

• Compass or circular cutter (ref)

• Pencil

• Scissors (ref)

• Cutter (ref), to be used by or under the supervision of an adult

• Glue (ref)*

• Pieces of colored paper or large silk-paper confetti (ref)

• Green paint (ref)*

• Paintbrush

• White, black, and red Posca markers (ref)

• A piece of toilet paper roll or a scrap of thin cardboard.

* Cléopâtre paint and glue provided as part of an unpaid commercial partnership.

For the multicolored background, we used large confetti left over from a birthday party. It’s a nice way to give them a second life! You can, of course, replace them with scraps of tissue paper to have the same result.

Step-by-step

1. Draw two circles about 8 cm in diameter on some recycled cardboard, then cut them out.

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2. On one side of the first circle, glue pieces of colored paper.

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3. On the second circle, use a pencil to draw a small chameleon silhouette.

   A nicely rounded body, a head with an open mouth, and most importantly a long tail that curls around itself: just a few strokes are enough to give it its instantly recognizable look.

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4. Using a craft knife, carefully cut out the outline of the chameleon, following your drawing. Ask an adult for help with this step.

   This leaves you with two pieces:

   - a small cardboard chameleon

   -a circle with its outline.

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And that's where our “one chameleon can hide another” really begins!

Keep both parts safe: we're going to use them all.

5. Paint the little cut-out chameleon and the hollowed-out disc green.

   You can experiment with different shades of green and leave a few brushstrokes visible to add more texture and nuance.

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6. Using white and black Posca markers, draw the chameleon’s eye on the hollowed-out green cardboard. A large and round eye to give instantly a funny expression to your chameleon

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7. Once the paint is dry, glue the hollowed-out green circle onto the circle covered with multicolored paper, making sure the two circles fit together.

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8. Because it was still missing that little something… Cut a thin strip from a toilet paper roll or a scrap of thin cardboard. Color it red with a Posca marker, then roll it up to create a small spiral.

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9. Unroll the tongue slightly and stick one end of it over your mouth.

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   The chameleon is now ready to catch some insects.

Why do we love this activity?

First of all, because it’s fun! With just one cut-out shape, you get two completely different chameleons: one green and ready to mimicry his environment, the other bursting with color.

We love this activity for its upcycling aspect ♻️. Packaging cardboard, a scrap of a toilet paper roll, and some confetti saved from a birthday party... it's more or less all you need to create this charming chameleon

It’s also an activity that lets you practice several creative and fine motor skills: drawing, cutting, painting, gluing, and playing with colors.