get fly updates!Make your Mom’s heart FLY!
Many of us have made these paper creations for party decorations, events, and seen them in boutique windows. When done with the FLY mindset, this project is an amazing way to introduce focus, patience, and love into your creative practice at home or in class.
What You will need:
Bright Colored Tissue Paper
Pipe Cleaners
A Pair of Safety Scissors
Step One
Ask your child to pick three colors that represent how they are feeling. (If making them for someone, pick three colors that make up that person). For Mom, I picked PINK for heart, YELLOW for Laughs, and WHITE for her listening and patience. Look at all the colors with your kids- ask, “What do they feel like to you?”
Once they’ve chosen, give them two sheets of each color, and lay them in the order you’d like to see your flower bloom- Inner petals on top, Outer petals on the bottom.
Step Two
Fold all papers accordian style, like you’re making a fan. Start by folding a one inch crease at the bottom, flip over and fold down one inch down from the top. Continue (flip, and fold up; flip, and fold down) until You have only a strip all folded up.
This may be difficult for your kids, but for ages four and up it’s a fun challenge, and a great way to build fine motor skills! Offer help, and if they get frustrated or have a case of the “I Can’t’s,” it’s a great opportunity to do it TOGETHER. Remember, Yoga means “United” or “All Together!” See if we can practice and create something- (i.e. I do a little fold, and You do a little crease.)
*Note: When you reach the end, you’ll want the outer petal color showing on both sides of this strip, some trimming may be needed
Step Three
Wrap your pipe cleaner around the center strip to create the stem. The inner petal color should be facing up.
I call this the helicopter moment so feel free to twirl and play and make sounds to re-engage your kids here if they’ve drifted.
Step Four
Design choices! Trim the two ends of your strip to create the petals they’d like to see. Cut a curve if you like soft, rounder petals, or a pointed triangle if you like sharper, wild flowers! (I like mine round, for Mom).
Step Five
Now for patience and focus practice! Starting from the top, begin to pull the top (first layer of the first color) petals up towards the center. (Often, I will hold the other papers down while my child pulls the petals up.) With each color, recall what it stands for and how it makes you feel. Maybe share a great story or create a little song about the color you’re playing with.
Keep Going until all the petals have blossomed into a beautiful Mama Flower!
Step Six
Smell your flower! Take a deep Flower Breath through your nose, and imagine all those amazing qualities settling into your heart. Fill yourself with Joy, Love, Peacefulness, and Play with every inhale!
HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY FROM FLY!
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