How to make a rainbow garland – out of loo roll tubes
We love this easy but stunning craft activity! Help your child create a beautiful rainbow garland, using loo rolls, scissors, some paint and glue
Rainbow art is hugely popular, and we can see why when you get fabulous results, like with this rainbow garland. Using stuff you're very likely to have at home already, MFM crafter extraordinaire Abi Walker, along with her toddler daughter Maisie, show us how to make this gorgeous garland.
Top tip (before you start)
After making the garland we've pictured her, Abi realised “it's probably easier to paint all your cardboard tubes at the very beginning – before you do the flattening and glueing". It still works brilliantly if you paint them later on but, says Abi, it's just a bit fiddly and probably a bit messier.
Here’s how to make a rainbow garland...
You will need:
- Toilet or kitchen roll tubes (at least 5)
- Scissors
- Glue gun (or glue stick or PVA glue)
- Paintbrush
- Paints in rainbow colours
- String or wool
Step 1: Preparing Cardboard Petals
Take your cardboard tubes (pre-painted, if you prefer – see the Top tip, above) and flatten them out. Then cut each tube, widthways, into several strips about 2 to 3cm wide. These will be your flower petals.
Step 2: Creating Flower Shapes
Arrange 6 or 7 cardboard petals into circles of several to make a flower shape. Glue the petals together at the centre of the flower to hold it all firm. You'll need at least 7 flowers to include all the rainbow colours in your garland but you can make as many more flowers as you want – and your loo roll tube supply allows. The more flowers, the bigger the garland!
Leave the glue to dry.
Step 3: Painting the Flowers
Once your glued flowers have dried, paint each one (if you haven't already) – inside and out – in a different colour of the rainbow (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet).
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Leave to dry.
Step 4: Assembling the Garland
Once the paint is dry, use your glue to stick all the flowers together in a big circle, like a garland (as we've done here), or in a heart shape, if you prefer. We glued our flowers in the order of the colours of the rainbow but you could mix them up, if you prefer.
Leave to dry.
Pic: Abi Walker
Step 5: Hanging the Rainbow Garland
Once dry, hold your garland up and attach some string or wool to 2 of the highest petals. Hang your rainbow garland on a door or wall to display it proudly!
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