In Like a Lion, Out Like a Lamb Craft
by Neighborhood-Kids.com3/21/2008 4:52:26 PM
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We’ve probably all heard that the month of March comes in like a lion and goes out like out like a lamb. Although in Bellingham, March often comes in like a lion, goes out like a lion and spends most of April like a lion, it’s a pretty apt description for the changing weather in most climates, as winter winds ease up and spring begins to blossom. But the Weather Guys explain that the phrase is actually in reference to the seasonal positions of the night sky’s constellations. In early March, you can see the constellation Leo the Lion rising in the sky, but as the month continues, Leo will be on his way out and Aries, the Ram or Lamb, begins to take center stage.
A male lion's roar can be heard 5 miles away.
You can your kids can celebrate this natural phenomenon and seasonal shift by making lion and lamb mask to wear or to hang as decorations.
Materials (for one of each)
- 2 paper plates
- bag of cotton balls
- orange or brown yarn
- 3 brown pipe cleaners
- crayons or markers
- colored construction paper
- craft glue (or tape)
- scissors or Exacto knife (parents only!)
Directions for Both
For parents: Hold the paper plate up to your child’s face and use a pencil to gently mark where to make the eye holes. Cut out the eyes with the scissors or an Exacto knife on a cutting surface (if you’re going to use the masks as wall decorations, you can skip this step and draw eyes on your mask instead).
Drawing an animal face is easy for kids when you combine the symbols and shapes they already know.
Below the eyes, draw an upside-down triangle for a nose. To make the mouth, draw a “J” and then a backwards “J” next to it at the bottom point of the triangle. Draw a “U” underneath to make a tongue. Make the nose, mouth, and tongue different sizes based on the type of animal mask you’re making. For the lion, color the nose brown and the tongue; color the lamb’s nose black and the tongue pink. But encourage creativity if kids want to use different colors for their masks.
For the Lion
Color the rest of your lion’s face yellow or tan. Cut out an egg-shaped piece of brown construction paper, and then cut it in half to make the lion’s ears. Glue them to the top of the lion’s head.
Cut the pipe cleaners in half and glue them next to the lion’s nose for whiskers. Cut pieces of yarn that are about two inches long, and cut enough to make a full mane for your lion. Use glue or tape to secure them around the edge of the plate.
Did you know that when a lamb turns one year old, it is called a hogget?
For the Lamb
Spread glue over the plate (except for the eyes, nose, mouth and tongue) and cover the face with cotton balls. For a fluffier face, pull the cotton balls apart a little beforehand.
You can also use construction paper to cut out a bell or bow to adorn your lamb. Make any other decorative touches at this point as well.
To Make a Mask
Once all the glue has dried, you can choose between two different types of masks to make. If you want to use a Popsicle stick, just attach the stick to the bottom of the mask (on the side closest to your child’s face) with tape or glue. If you want a mask that can be secured to the face, punch holes in both sides of the mask near and cut a piece of string or elastic yarn that is long enough to hold the mask comfortably to your child’s face. You can also use the string to hang the masks as decorations on the wall.
Now you and your kids are ready to roar and bah into April!