Elephant Bird

What You Need:

• 3 -foot wooden dowel rod
• Big party balloon
• Strips of recycled newspaper
• Acrylic paint
• Sheer fabric
• Flour
• Water
• Glue
• Masking tape
• Feathers
• Yellow cardstock or construction paper

What You Do:

1. Help your child inflate your party balloon to its full size and tie it off.
2. On the end of the balloon that is tied, tape your balloon to one end of your 2-3 foot wooden dowel rod.
3. Mix a batch of papier-mâché paste using 1 cup flour, 1½ cups water, and ¼ cup white glue.
4. Show your kid how to dip the recycled newspaper (that has been pre-cut into strips) into your papier-mâché paste and place the strips over the balloon until the entire balloon is covered.
5. Let the papier-mâché glue dry overnight.
6. Using your acrylic paint, encourage your child to paint the elephant bird's head. Make sure to include the eyes!
7. With masking tape, attach a piece of sheer fabric to the area where the dowel rod meets the balloon. This will disguise you so that you'll look more like an elephant bird.
8. Add feathers to the top and neck of your elephant bird head.
9. Fold a triangle of the yellow cardstock paper and glue it to your painted head to give the elephant bird a beak.
10. Now your little preservationist is ready to go pecking around in his elephant bird disguise!