This is one of Evan’s favorite crafts.  He loves animals, especially sea animals.  If he can play with the craft after he is done making it, he loves the craft.  We’ve done this craft several times because of all the rough play the jelly fish get.  I love stain glass coffee filters.  They are so easy and fun.  Plus they look great.  I also know tons of crafts to do with them.  Sean enjoys coloring with markers and the water painting.  Both boys love playing with their jelly fish.  When they run with the jelly fish, it looks like the jelly fish are swimming.  You can also just hang them from the ceiling and enjoy the child’s artwork.

Things you need:

§  Smock

§  Coffee filters

§  Markers

§  Paint brushes

§  Bowl

§  Water

§  Hole punch

§  Party streamers (any color)

§  Stapler

§  Scissors

§  Yarn (any color)

Prep your work area and child as this will get messy.  Put the child in a smock like a big button up shirt that goes on backwards.  Put down newsprint or plastic for the child to work on.  This craft can also be done outside.

You can flatten the coffee filter if you like, but the coffee filters really don’t need it.  Have the child color the coffee filter with markers.  The more color, the more tie-dye effect you’ll get.

After the child is done decorating the coffee filter, let the child paint the coffee filter with water.  (If you want a few lighter colored filters, press some on the wet, painted coffee filter.) 

Let the coffee filter dry. 

Have the child punch a hole or two in the middle of the coffee filter. 

Have the child cut eight streamers of about two feet long or so. 

Staple the streamers onto the filter.    

Tie and tape a piece of yarn about two feet long through the hole.  The yarn length can vary.  Obviously Sean, being eighteen months at the first time we did this, needed a shorter piece of yarn to be able to play with the jelly fish.