Papier maché, paper maché, paper mache...however you like to spell it, it's fun, and I tried it with my kids for the first time this week. I ended up doing most of J's, though he did like painting the glue. H thoroughly enjoyed choosing her paper colors, but needed lots of help smoothing out lumps. My recommendation is that you try this with children age 6 and older...or maybe a 5 year old that enjoys getting messy more than mine does. :)
I used paper in different colors ripped from magazines (in small, golf-ball size pieces), glued with a mixture of white glue and water (2:1 ratio). We wrapped small bowls with plastic wrap and used those as our molds. Paint glue on one area of the plastic wrap, cover with overlapping pieces of paper, paint more glue on top, and smooth with fingers. Repeat until the bowl is completely covered with 3 or 4 layers. Let dry for-EV-er in 5yr old time, or about 2 days grown-up time. Carefully peel paper bowl from plastic wrap.What a great gift for kids to make or a fun way to store all those trinkets kids seem to collect and then scatter purposefully around their rooms... :)
