Home Occupations for Boys and Girls Part 9

2. One child casts on wall shadow of leafy branch. Opponents guess name of parent tree.

CHAPTER III

SAVED FROM THE Sc.r.a.p BASKET

or

WORK WITH SCISSORS AND PASTE

What is known as free-hand cutting has been for some time recognized as of genuine educational value and is a source of great pleasure to the child when once he learns his capacity in this direction. When he tries, by means of paper and scissors, to express an idea, to ill.u.s.trate some story, or to indicate something that he has seen, his notions of form and proportion become more definite and precise, and he learns to express action with remarkable skill and power. He learns to appreciate beauty of outline as seen in mountains and trees against a clear sky, and to recognize such beauty as there may be in what artists know as the "sky line," when darkness deepens and the mammoth buildings of a city loom up black against the sunset heavens. The definiteness of observation and skill with the hand acquired in this free cutting serves the child in many ways when in the school grades.

Many an otherwise useless piece of paper may, with the help of scissors, give the child hours of pleasure.

But before he is able to use the scissors the child may receive pleasure and benefit from the use of paper alone.

PAPER

=Tearing Paper= (_Any bit of paper_)

Give the children small pieces of paper and let them try to tear these into simple definite shapes. Make a shoe, stocking, snowman, tree, ladder, cat, etc. Watch that they do not grow nervous in doing it. After a little practice they will become surprisingly expert. Paste what they make on a good background to save and compare with later efforts.

This is a really educational occupation which involves absolutely no expense, as any clean piece of paper may be so used. Will employ the child happily when traveling.

The very youngest children, if they want to tear the newspaper, may be asked to tear it into tiny pieces which brother and sister can use in playing "hare and hounds."

=Cutting Paper=

Let the child begin the _cutting_ by making a s...o...b..ll out of white paper, and then a snowman. These need only crude outlines, such as are within his capacity. Then lead him on, little by little, to cut a picture of the cat and of the dog, and ill.u.s.trations to his favorite stories, as the "Three Bears." This is beloved in the kindergarten, requiring, as it does, pictures of the chairs, the bowls, etc. Those who have not seen children do this kind of work will be surprised at the capacity developed.

If he is afraid to attempt the freehand work, give the child pictures to cut around, as simple outlines of a cat seated, or a piece of fruit.

Then encourage him to cut without the outline. Both efforts may run along together. If a line be drawn, be sure that it is heavy and distinct enough to be readily seen and followed.

=Birthday Candles=} (_Red paper, blank card, colored_ =Firecrackers= } _crayon_)

Out of red paper let the child cut six (or any number desired) narrow strips for red candles, to represent birthday candles. Place in a row upon a white card, to serve as place cards at a child's party. Draw a bit of yellow at end of each candle to hint at a flame.

The same may be turned into firecrackers for a "Fourth of July"

festival, a line being drawn to suggest a fuse.

=Soldier-Caps= (_Newspaper_, _pins or paste_)

Take brown wrapping paper or newspaper and cut a square. Place before you and fold from _back_ to _front_, making an oblong. _While still folded_ make another fold by turning the left edge so that it exactly meets the right edge. Open this much out and there is a crease running from top to bottom. Now take the upper left hand corner and make it touch the bottom of this crease; take the upper right hand corner and make it touch the lower end of this crease. This gives a pointed cap, still unfinished. To finish cut a slit, an inch deep, up from each lower end of the cap and then fold a kind of hem up from the bottom and paste the ends over neatly. Turn the hat over and fold a similar hem on the other side. Turn in the corner and finish by pasting neatly.

=Plume for Hat= (_Paper as above_, _scissors_, _paste or pin_)

Take a strip of paper 6 12 inches. Make a fringe or series of cuts in this about four inches long and 1/2 inch wide, and then roll it up and attach to hat with paste or a pin.

=Epaulets= for shoulder may be cut in similar way.

The cutting of these fringes gives practice in the use of scissors.

The articles whose making we will now describe do not come under the head of free-hand cutting, as they usually require cutting according to measurement, and really definite directions. They are given in general in the order of difficulty in the making.

=Chains= (_Scissors_, _paper_, _paste_, _toothpick_)

Let the little child begin by cutting strips of some bright paper or smooth wrapping paper into lengths of 1/2 by 3 inches. Make a ring of one of these, putting a wee bit of paste on the under part of one end and sticking it fast to the other end by overlapping. Through this ring run another strip and paste into a similar ring, and so make a long chain of them wherewith to decorate the child's small person or the room. To make paste see page 169.

It is well to have a small pomade box, obtainable at a druggist's, in which to keep the paste. It can then be covered and kept moist until the next time for using. But a little fresh mucilage or paste can at any time be put into a b.u.t.ter dish. A toothpick will make a good paste-stick, which the child can handle more easily than a brush. Show him that a tiny bit of paste will suffice and that more makes the pretty ring mussy.

If mother is sewing and the child restless and no bright colored paper convenient, let the child cut strips of newspaper right at hand and make the rings. His imagination will readily convert them into links of gold.

=Mask= (_Paper of any color_, _scissors_, _chalk_, _cord_)

Cut an oval out of paper (or dress-lining) and in it cut holes for eyes, nose, and mouth, fitting first to the child's face to insure getting them in the right places. Put a hole in the middle of each side through which to tie the string which fastens it around over the head. To add to the fun the mask may be colored with chalks.

=Newspaper Wrappers= (_Smooth brown wrapping paper_, _pencil_, _ruler_)

Take smooth pieces of brown wrapping paper. Cut oblongs 8 12 inches.

From one narrow edge then measure an inch down on each side and make a dot. Make another dot at the middle of this same narrow side. Then draw a curve from dot to dot and cut along the line. This makes the curved edge of the wrapper. The curve may be cut free hand by a skilful hand, or drawn with a compa.s.s. Put some mucilage all along the edge of the curved side about 1/2 inch wide and let dry. Make a dozen of these and give to father for a present, all ready for use when he wants to mail a paper. They can be made more complete by affixing a one-cent stamp on the right hand side where the curved edge begins.

=Papers for Baking Pans= (_Brown paper_, _scissors_, _pencil_)

Give child paper and baking-pans, and let him cut papers ready for your use when making cake. Let him do measuring.

=Book-Mark= (_Fine white or tinted paper_)

Take a piece of dainty paper and cut into an oblong 1 6 inches. Fold lengthwise and cut a small triangle from each end so as to leave a point when opened out. Now cut a circle in the middle of the paper (which is still folded) and cut other shaped openings, diamonds, triangles, etc., along the fold, 1/2 or 3/4 inches apart. Open and you have a simple openwork bookmark the little child can give father for birthday. A little experiment will show how to secure variety and intricacy of design.

=Fringed Bon-Bon Papers= (_White tissue paper_, _colored ink or water-color paints_, _candy_, _verse of poetry_)