Tis the season again and so of course, I had to come up with a fun craft for my Sunday school kids to do to ring in the start of Advent. Rather than make a 3D wreath I decided to try a 2D wreath that the kids could "light" as the weeks passed. Here are the instructions on how you can make your own wreath as well as the templates you can print off for free!
You will need:
a printer at least 2 sheets of white cardstock scissors *
x-acto knife * tape
crayons or markers (purple, pink, yellow, green and red)
* It's best if the cutting is left to an adult as the pieces are small and blades can be very sharp!
1. After you print both sheets on 8.5"x11" cardstock, cut slits at the top of each candle with an x-acto knife so the flame can fit through. (You can choose to color in your wreath before or after this step. I chose to color them afterwards.)
2. Next, cut out the flames and eight strips. I highly recommend coloring in the flames before you assemble the wreath to make it easier later on. (Note: the template includes enough flames and strips for two wreaths, just in case you need to make copies for multiple kids.)
3. Once you have all the pieces cut out and colored, flip the wreath over and place the flames right under the slits you cut earlier. It is even helpful if you slide them through the slit ever so slightly to keep them in place. Now tape four of the strips of paper right underneath the bottom of the base of the flames. This will prevent them from sliding off the paper.
4. Once the bottom strips are placed, slide the flames through the slits so they can just be seen on the front side of the wreath. Then tape down the other set of four strips right above the base of the flame. These strips will allow you to slide the flame up and down and hold it in place where you want it. (Note: Later on I added another set of strips on top of the bottom layer just to ensure that the candles wouldn't fall out of place when held vertically, but that is a matter of preference.)
5. Now your kids can keep the flames of the candles hidden until another week has passed and it's time to light another advent candle! When they're ready, just slide the flame up through the slit and, voila! Your wreath is lit.