Olympic Art Class: Day 2

There are so many different things to do with the Olympics, in terms of art projects. From the sporting events to the opening ceremony to the venues, the possibilities are endless. I personally love the opening ceremony, specifically the Parade of Nations. Today's project features the flags of the competing countries. Although this project is simple, it gives kids the opportunity to explore the flags of countries they might not be familiar with.

Flags of the World

Materials:

• Construction paper*
• scissors
• glue stick
• markers
• Optional:
• construction paper crayons (or regular crayons)
• tissue paper of various colors cut into small squares
• star and circle hole punchers

* You will need several different colors of construction paper- a base sheet (or sheets) in the color of your choice, primary colors, and any other colors to match the flags. Many of the kids in my class liked using white paper to draw on and then cut out and glue onto their base sheet.

Instructions:

1.  Choose the color of construction paper you want to use as your base to glue/color all of your flags on.
2. Pick the flags you want to recreate. I used this site to pick an assortment of flags to print out. The site also has great information on the history of the flags and countries.
3. Start making your flags! Cut out pieces of construction paper and glue together and onto your base paper or use the markers and crayons to draw the flags. They can be any size you want. In my art class some kids made several small flags while others made one or two large flags. You can also use the tissue paper to create the flags or any other materials you might have around the house. Make sure to label the flags once you are done.

This project received great feedback from the kids in my class because they were able to have fun and be creative. And that's the best part about art- it can be whatever you want it to be! Art shouldn't be about being perfect; it should be about expressing yourself and having fun!

Question of the Day:

What is your favorite part of the Olympics?

As mentioned above, I love the opening ceremony! Even though London's wasn't as spectacular as China's, I still enjoyed it. The floating rings with cascading fireworks was a beautiful sight. But, of course, once the actual events start, they are all I can think about!