Create tissue paper flowers
You’ll need
- Tissue paper
- Scissors
- Pipe cleaners
Hobbycraft discount code
Members and volunteers can now enjoy a 10% discount in every Hobbycraft shop!
You can use it to buy tissue paper, pipe cleaners and anything else you need for your craft activities.
To get your discount code, please fill in this request form.Before you begin
- Use the safety checklist to help you plan and risk assess your activity. There's guidance to help you carry out your risk assessment, including examples.
- Make sure all young people and adults involved in the activity know how to take part safely.
- Make sure you’ll have enough adult helpers. You may need some parents and carers to help.
Planning and setting up this activity
- You could create flowers to celebrate the arrival of spring, as a handmade Mother’s Day gift, for bright Holi decorations, or for flower decorations during Shavuot.
- You could combine this with some gardening activities. Plant real flower seeds or bulbs, then make a paper flower showing what your plant will look like or what you think it might look like.
- You could also follow Hobbycraft’s How to make paper flowers video to make your flower.
This video is provided by an external platform. Scouts are not responsible for the content or any advertisements that may appear alongside it.
- Holi is a popular Hindu festival that usually happens in March, marking the arrival of spring. It celebrates love, colour, and the triumph of good over evil.
- It’s sometimes known as the ‘festival of colours’ and is famous for its colour-throwing celebrations.
- Holi is celebrated around the world, but particularly in India and Nepal. Although it’s traditionally a Hindu festival, it’s inclusive and enjoyed by people who aren’t Hindus too.
- In Hinduism, the festival is linked to the god Krishna and legends where good triumphs over evil.
- It takes place over two days: the first night usually involves bonfires, and the next day people have fun throwing brightly coloured powder and water at each other.
- Shavuot is celebrated by Jewish people around the world.
- It’s an important festival which celebrates God giving the Torah (Jewish holy laws and teachings) to Moses on Mount Sinai.
- Shavuot happens seven weeks after Pesach (Passover), usually in May or June.
- The Ten Commandments (a list of rules) are read out in the synagogue, a building for Jewish prayer and study.
- Some people stay up all night studying the Torah – this tradition is called Tikkun Leil Shavuot.
- Synagogues and homes are decorated with flowers and plants to remember the flowers of Mount Sinai.
- Candles are lit to welcome the festival, and people often eat dairy foods during Shavuot.
(Source: BBC Bitesize)
Make your flowers
- Explain that you’ll be making flowers using tissue paper and pipe cleaners.
- Cut six or more rectangles of coloured tissue paper, all the same size. You could just cut your sheets of tissue paper in half to create your rectangles.
- Place the rectangles neatly on top of each other.
- Starting at one short edge, fold the stack back and forth like a concertina (accordion or fan).
- Pinch the folded paper in the middle. Wrap one end of a pipe cleaner tightly around the centre, leaving the long end of the pipe cleaner as the stem.
- Use scissors to carefully round, curve, or cut points at each end of the folded paper. This will make the petal shapes.
- Gently pull the layers apart and fluff them up to make your flower bloom.
- Experiment with different colours and cutting different shapes, like zigzags or points.
Reflection
This activity was all about being creative and using our hands to turn tissue paper into colourful flowers.
What was it like making your tissue paper flower? How did you feel while you were making it? Some people find that doing crafts can make them feel happy or help them to relax.
Did you find anything tricky? How is your flower the same as, or different from, your friends’ flowers? Remember, crafts aren’t about being perfect; they’re about having fun, trying things out, and enjoying yourself. If you enjoyed this activity, is there anything else you’d like to make?
Making paper flowers can also help us notice and appreciate real flowers and nature. What is your favourite real flower or plant, and why? If you could plant a garden, what flowers or plants would you include? How do real flowers help animals, insects, or people?
Safety
All activities must be safely managed. You must complete a thorough risk assessment and take appropriate steps to reduce risk. Use the safety checklist to help you plan and risk assess your activity. Always get approval for the activity, and have suitable supervision and an InTouch process.
You must run your activities in line with the Safeguarding Code of Conduct for Adults (Yellow Card) and report any concerns to the UK HQ Safeguarding Team.
- Scissors
Supervise young people appropriately when they’re using scissors. Store all sharp objects securely, out of the reach of young people.
Crafting with younger sections
Be well prepared, with everything ready before you begin. Make sure equipment and materials are age appropriate. Make sure small objects are not put in mouths, ears and noses. Remind young people not to put anything in their mouth and wash hands regularly.
- To make this activity easier, you could cut out the rectangles of tissue paper before the session.
- To make this activity harder, you could try using more layers of tissue paper or adding extra details like leaves.
- Some people might find scissors tricky to use. Make sure to provide scissors that everyone can manage (such as left-handed, tabletop, loop, or easy-grip scissors).People can also tear instead of cutting. You could have some pre-cut materials ready too.
- If activities involve getting messy or touching certain textures, make sure everyone is comfortable. People could wear gloves, work with a friend to help them, or choose alternative materials and methods, such as painting directly onto card, rather than using natural items. No-one should be forced to touch or use something, as it may be distressing for them. Always speak with the person, and their parents or carers about what materials they’re comfortable with.
All Scout activities should be inclusive and accessible.
If you liked making tissue paper flowers, go outside and see what real flowers you can find. Look closely at their shapes, colours and patterns. You could make a paper flower of your favourite one, or use what you see to draw, paint or make something new.