“Thanks for Helping Me Grow” Banner

A keepsake to say “thank you” to your teacher.

Materials

• Felt (large sheet for the background, various colours for the stem, flower pot)
• Fabric scissors
• Fabric glue
• Craft foam
• Scissors
• Dowel (purchase at a craft or hardware store- where they will often cut it for you if you)
• Round wooden ends (with a hole or you could use beads, purchased at a craft or hardware store)
• Wood glue
• Ribbon
• Pencil
• Paint
• Buttons
• Cardstock
• Paint scrapers or something like an old fork or piece of sponge to create texture
• Sewing machine/thread (optional)
• Book:  Mrs. Spitzer’s Garden by Edith Pattou, illustrated by Tricia Tusa
• Print out of gift tag ThanksHelpingGrow

Directions

• Have your child put on a smock.  Place cardstock on a tray and put a blob of paint in the centre.  Have them move the paint around on the page, using paint scrappers or any other tools that might create texture (e.g., an old fork, a sponge or simply finger painting!)  You could do a few colours if you want different flower centres.  Allow this to dry overnight.  Once it is dry have them cut out a flower shape or several if you plan on making more than one flower.

• Trace your child’s hand on various colours of craft foam & have them cut them out.  This will form your petals.

• Have your child cut out a flower pot out of felt, as well as a rim for the pot and a stem (or several) and some leaves.  If your child is not yet ready for using fabric scissors which can be quite sharp, have them cut it out of paper and then pin it to the felt so you can cut out their image.

• Place your items together (don’t glue them down yet!) on your large piece of felt so you know how big to make it.  Cut your large felt to size.  Fold over the top of the felt and either sew it or glue it with fabric glue to create a channel for your dowel.   While we were sewing this part we sewed a bit of a trim line around the edge of the banner and the felt pieces, just to add a bit of interest.

• If you would like to make a pocket for the back of your banner, glue a rectangle big enough to fit your edition of the book.

• On the front of the banner glue down your stem and leaves and then cover the bottom with your flower pot.  To make your flowers, glue down the foam handprints in a circular fashion, with the textured paint flower centres on top (where you would imagine the wrists to be) and then add a few buttons on top.

• Carefully slide the dowel through the channel of the top of the banner that you created (you may have to have an adult cut it to size to be a bit wider than the felt, leaving room for the ribbon hanger as well) and attach the round wooden ends with a bit of wood glue.  Cut a long length of ribbon and glue it around the ends of the dowel as seen to create something to hand the banner from.

• Have your child write their name and the date inside of the book Mrs. Spitzer’s Garden and a personal message for their teacher if they are able to.  (Things they liked doing in their class, what they liked about their teaching style, special memories etc.)

Purpose

• Thinking of others, fine motor skills, experimenting with various painting techniques

Safety Notes

• Be sure to use non-toxic paint
• Use scissors and fabric glue with supervision
• Cover surfaces and clothes when working with fabric glue and paint.
• Have an adult use the sewing machine or directly supervise you (based on your age and abilities).