Make Your Own Easter Baskets!

Hoppy spring! At the Museum we usually celebrate spring with our annual Bunny Hop Event. Because we are not able to do the event this year, we decided to bring the party to you online! This week we’ll be posting fun activities for you and your family to do so you can have your very own Bunny Hop at home. Here are two fun baskets you can create to pick up all those eggs and goodies the Easter Bunny leaves, so let’s get the party started! And remember to share you pictures with us on Instagram #discoverygateway, let’s stay connected!

Paper Plate Basket

Materials:

● 1 Paper Plate
● Markers or Paint
● Scissors
● Ruler
● Glue or Stapler
● Post-it note, or make a square piece of paper roughly the same size as a Post-it

Directions:

  1. Take a paper plate and flip it upside down. Color or paint the bottom of the plate and let it dry
  2. Flip the plate over, put your Post-it note in the middle of the plate
  3. Label the plate using the corners of the Post- it note starting with top left corner label as 1, then go clockwise to each corner, 2,3,4
  4. On the corners 1 and 3, take the ruler and measure a vertical line all the way to the end of the plate
  5. On your horizontal lines, measure 1 inch from the end of the post it note, and make a mark there
  6. Use the scissors to cut from the end of the plate to the mark on your horizontal line
  7. On corners 2 and 4 , use the ruler and make horizontal line all the way to the end of the plate
  8. On your vertical lines, measure 1 inch from the end of the Post-it note and make a mark
  9. Use the scissors to cut from the end of the paper plate to the mark on the vertical lines
  10. Remove the Post-it
  11. Take the sections you have cut at the edges of the plate and fold them up. They should overlap
  12. Glue or staple where the plates overlap

Paper Cup Yarn Woven Basket

 

Materials:

● 1 paper cup
● Yarn (or string)
● Scissors
● Marker

Directions:

  1. Take your paper cup and put 6-8 evenly spaced dots around the entire upper rim. For young children, only make 4 dots
  2. Use the scissors to cut 3⁄4 of the way down the cup at each dot, to make sections. The bottom fourth of the cup should not be cut
  3. Take your yarn and cut a piece that is the length of your arm.
  4. Take the yarn and tie it around one of the sections.
  5. The section where you tied the yarn should have visible yarn, that means it is an “over” section. Weave the yarn under the next section, then over the next etc. Keep the yarn flat and in a straight line. Continue with the under and over pattern until  you get back to the section with the knot.
  6. When you get to the knot section go under it, then start the over and under pattern again, continuing the same row you were working on before. When you are finished, there should be yarn on each section in the row.
  7. When you get to the knot section, move up to the next row. This time, you will start with the an “under” section. Repeat steps 5 and 6 on this row.
  8. Move to the next row and start with an “over” section. As you make new rows, it is important that you alternate which rows start with an “over” and “under” section.
  9. Keep weaving all the rows
  10. Do you need more yarn? Just tie another piece of yarn to the yarn you are weaving with and keep going.
  11. Finish the basket by tying a knot on the very last woven section