Making Paper

This is one of our favorite art/Science activities. We have done it many times and with many different variations. If you have ever wanted to make paper with your kids, this is how we did it.

First you tear paper into small pieces. This is great for building fine motor and boys tend to really enjoy being told to tear paper. (Yes, we make paper from paper. My husband says I always do things the hard way.) Construction paper is our favorite because of the bright colors, but you can you regular paper, paper towels, tissue paper, etc. In the above photo we were experimenting with what would happen if we mixed red and blue paper.

Add the paper to the blender and pour hot water over it. I do this because of the sharp blades and the temperature of the water. We let it sit for 3-5 minutes depending on our patience that particular day.

Red and blue make purple! You want to blend this until it is extremely runny - thinner than applesauce.

Then you pour the watery mess into a bowl so the kids can scoop it up. (This was making blue paper on the same day.) There are towels down under and around their work area. They scoop some into their hand and then gently push it into the mesh. The mesh is sitting on top of a large jug. It can be over a bowl or anything you have as long as it will catch a lot of water and the mesh won't fall into it. The trick here is to spread the goop out so you don't end up with one large group and nothing else. After all, the goal is paper.

After making it the size you want, place the mesh and paper-to-be on some more towels and use a sponge to push more water out. This is also a great way to build fine motor control.

Next, turn the mesh and paper over so the paper is on the towel and the mesh is on top. Then use a rolling pin to push out more water and flatten it just a bit more. The final step is to let it dry. We just set it outside and let the sun do that part. On a windy day be sure to put something on top or it will blow away and break apart.

We have also made paper with seeds mixed in for planting. Just add the seeds after the blending and before putting it onto the mesh. Once it's dry, you can plant the paper and the seeds will grow and the paper will biodegrade. We usually use wild flowers that are intended to be planted close together. One bit of warning, when setting these outside to dry you need to do something to keep the birds away. I made that the kids' job.

Have you ever made paper with kids? What are some of your favorite materials?