Tissue Paper Sun Catcher Craft

Paper plate

Clear contact paper

Tissue paper in multiple bright colors

Scissors (adult use for cutting the plate center)

Tape

String or yarn for hanging

Hole punch

Cut the center out of a paper plate to create a circular frame. Leave about an inch and a half of rim all around. This is an adult step.

Cut a piece of clear contact paper slightly larger than the hole. Tape it over the back of the opening, sticky side facing up through the frame.

Tear or cut tissue paper into small squares, triangles, and strips in as many colors as you have.

Let your child press tissue paper pieces onto the sticky contact paper surface, filling the circle.

Encourage overlapping and layering. Where yellow overlaps blue, green appears. This is a bonus color-mixing lesson.

When the sticky surface is fully covered, seal the tissue paper by pressing a second piece of contact paper on top.

Punch a hole in the top of the plate rim, thread string through, and hang in a sunny window. The light glows through the colored tissue beautifully.

Let your child decorate the paper plate frame too — color it, paint it, add stickers or glitter.

Tearing the tissue paper is fine motor practice in itself. Let your child do the tearing rather than pre-cutting.

The overlapping colors are the most beautiful part. Show your child how layering two colors creates a third.

These make wonderful gifts and seasonal decorations. Make heart-shaped ones for Valentine's Day or leaf-shaped ones for fall.

Hang several sun catchers in a row across a window for a stained glass gallery effect.