Fish art projects allow kids to use their imaginations.
Elementary kids learn about the fish in oceans, rivers and lakes. They also hear or read stories about fictional fish. Elementary kids deepen their understanding about a subject like fish when they're given interactive activities based on the subject matter. Activities also help kids try out new skills as they work on their fish art projects.
Hanger Fish
Take wire with the flexibility of hanger wire. If you use coat hangers, unravel the wire so you can use the entire length. Provide a basic fish outline for the kids. Using the wire, have them bend the wire into the shape of a fish. Use pliers to fasten the ends. Have the elementary kids choose two colors of ribbon and twist them together. Once that is finished, have them wrap the wire with their two-toned ribbon. Use another piece of ribbon around the wire fish to provide a hanger. Hang the wire fish around the room as decorations.
Outline Fish
Print out a fish outline on white card stock, and give one outline to each child. Provide a variety of colored string, yarn and ribbon as well as buttons, paper clips, or leaves from artificial plants. Make sure the kids have access to crayons, markers, scissors and glue. Ask the elementary kids to use their imaginations to create a unique fish from the assembled items. Ask the kids to start by outlining their fishes with string, yarn or ribbon. They can glue on a button for an eye. For another special effect, show them add color-on-color crayon with black on top and then scrape off colors for a unique and colorful fish.
Mobile Fish
Take two coat hangers and put them together at right angles to one another. Using electrician's tape, tape the necks of the hangers together. If the hangers are a colorful plastic, leave as is. If you use wire hangers, have the elementary kids wrap the hanger with ribbon or yarn. Find fish illustrations in books or online. Print or copy them on card stock paper. Give each elementary kid a sheet or two of the fish. Have the kids cut out the fish illustrations. If the fish are not in color, have kids color both sides. If they are already colored on one side, have them try to duplicate the same pattern on the opposite side. Punch holes in the top of the fish, and tie string or yarn to the fish. The object is to make a fish mobile by attaching the fish shapes to the combined hangers. Fish can be hung from both the bottom and the top of the hangers. Anchor with a bit of tape or glue. To add interest, hang fish at different levels and heights from the hanger. Hang the mobiles where a slight breeze will move the fish.
CD Fish
Take old CDs and pass them out to the elementary kids. Also pass out sheets of card stock. Glue a CD to the center of the sheet, shiny side up in case some CDs have labels. Using pencils, crayons and markers, add fish heads, fins and a tail around the CDs and color. Cut out the resulting fish. Punch a hole through the card stock in the center of the CD hole to add a string to hang the CD fish creation.
