Pulled String Art
Create interesting and unique textures with paint and yarn!
Create interesting and unique textures with paint and yarn!
Ready, Set, Create!
Caregivers or children should fold a piece of paper in half. For younger children, it may be helpful to draw a line on the crease so they can see it more easily.
Squeeze paint onto one half of the piece of paper.
Cut a long piece of yarn and lay it in a design across your paint, making sure to leave a “tail” hanging off your piece of paper.
Close the piece of paper and use your hands to smooth the paint together.
While the paper is still closed, have the child carefully and slowly pull the tail of the string until they have pulled out the whole piece of string.
Open the paper to reveal your masterpiece!.
Engage Children in Conversation
Comment on what you observe, such as “I notice you swirled your paint colors.“ or “What do you think will happen when we fold the paper?”
Ask children open ended questions that encourage critical thinking, such as:
What happens when you mix these two colors together? Will your colors mix? Why or why not?
What do you think will happen when we pull the string out? How will it change the design of the paint?
What happens when you pull your string slowly? Quickly?
For very young children, try asking “either/or” questions, such as;
Are you using the green or the yellow paint?
Did you place your string down in a straight line or curved design?
Extensions
This project can also lead to conversations about color mixing since the paint will mix together when the paper is folded in half.
Children can talk about symmetry and how the colors will look when the paper is opened.
Modifications
Offer assistance to children by holding out the yarn for them to snip, taping it to the edge of the table, or providing pre-cut pieces of yarn to use.
Children can be offered paint in small squeeze bottles which may be easier to squeeze if they are working on strengthening fine motor muscles.