Create characters with changeable feelings using leftover cardboard tubes!
What you’ll need: Kitchen roll and toilet paper tubes (different sizes if you have them), scissors, marker pens, tape
What’s it for?
This activity uses leftover cardboard tubes to make characters with changeable faces. We can use them to think about different feelings in a story and to share our own emotions.
Check In:
Notice how you’re feeling right now. Close your eyes and notice what’s going on inside your mind and body.
How are you feeling?
What are you thinking?
How does your body feel?
Method:
Decide which characters you would like to make. These could be characters from a story you know (like The Three Little Pigs), characters you make up, or people you know in real life.
For each character you will need two tubes. One will be the outside, where you draw your character, and one will be for the faces.
If your tubes are the same size, you will need to cut the inside tube from top to bottom.
Then overlap the cut edges so that the tube can fit snugly inside the other one, and tape it from top to bottom.
For the outside:
Cut a hole (ask an adult for help if you need it!) where the face of your character will be.
Draw the rest of their head and body around the hole. You could colour in the background or draw objects that they might be holding.
For the inside:
Slide the smaller tube into the bigger one. You might like to put a small piece of folded tape on the bottom so you can turn it easily.
Use the hole you cut on the outside to draw a circle on the inside tube. Turn the tube so that the first circle is hidden, and then draw another one. You might have space for three or four circles, depending on how big you made the hole.
Draw a different feeling face inside each circle. What does a happy face look like? What about a sad face? You might like to look in a mirror and make those faces to see what they look like.
When you are finished you should be able to turn your inner tube to make your character show different emotions!
Extra Activity: Can you make up and act out a story with the characters you made? Maybe you would like to write it down. You could also make props to go with your characters.
When you’ve finished your characters, ask yourself the following questions:
Who are the characters you made?
What kind of emotions can they show?
What makes them feel this way?
Why did you decide to make these characters?
Where do they live?
What do they like to do?
Could you use your characters to show someone in your house how you are feeling today?
Conclusion:
Take a moment to notice how you are feeling at the end of this activity. Did you discover anything surprising? What can you take away to make you feel better about yourself from this activity?
If you would like to, share something about your experience with this activity with someone you live with! Ask the person who looks after you to send us an email if you have any questions or comments about the activity, or would like to send us any pictures (info@catcorner.co.uk). Don't forget to subscribe for more fun CAT activities!
Created by Heather Dingle © March 2020
Creative Art: Art
Psychological Area: Emotional Wellbeing, Play, Self-Exploration
References:
This activity was taken and adapted from from:
These activities could be done by children of all ages, but some may need the support of their parent or carer to read the instructions or complete the activity safely.
This website was made by CAT Corner to help you explore your feelings through fun creative arts activities. The people using the website and the people responsible for them need to make sure they stay safe (full disclaimer on About page).
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