This “dande-lion” threading craft is the perfect way to use up those dandelions that are taking over your yard, all while providing a fun opportunity to practice fine motor skills. It is sturdy, reusable, made from recycled materials, and includes a free template that you can print out at home!
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If you spend any time on Facebook, you’ve probably seen this cute “dande-lion” craft floating around for a few years now. It’s super fun, totally adorable, and a great way for kids to practice their fine motor skills and spend more time in nature.
We decided to try it for the first time this year, and my kids absolutely loved it! So naturally, I had to draw a lion template and share it with you.
This craft requires just a few simple supplies that you probably already have at home, and because it’s made from sturdy cardboard, you’ll be able to reuse it all summer long—and even store it for future years!
Why You’ll Love This Project
- Totally adorable: How adorable does the lion look with a mane made of yellow flowers? This craft is such a cute way to turn those dandelions growing in your yard into a fun activity for your kids!
- Great for fine motor skills: Not only is this activity lots of fun to do, but it’s also a great way to help your kids practice their fine motor skills.
- Recycled and reusable: I used recycled cardboard from a delivery box to make create the board, and because of how sturdy it is, I know my kids will be able to use it again and again.
- Nature-based craft: This simple nature craft is a great excuse to spend more time outdoors with your kids over the summer.
- Free template included: Don’t have any drawing skills? Not to worry! I created a free printable template that you can simply glue to the cardboard.
Looking for more dandelion-themed crafts and activities? Check out this Dandelion Play Dough, this Frozen Dandelion Sensory Bin and these Q-Tip Painted Dandelions!
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Skip the planning and simplify summer break with this set of 280 activity cards that your child can pull out of a jar whenever they’re bored.
Required Materials
- Cardboard: I used thick cardboard from an Amazon delivery box. I don’t recommend using thin cardboard from a cereal box or similar, because that will make it more difficult to poke the holes.
- Scissors: You’ll need to use sharp metal scissors for this project since you’ll be using them to cut through thick cardboard.
- Glue: You’ll be using this to glue the template to the cardboard. I used a glue stick because the glue dried more quickly and didn’t cause the paper to become wavy, but a small amount of liquid glue could also work.
- Pencil: A regular wooden pencil was the perfect size to poke holes through the cardboard, but you might be able to use something else that’s pointy and similar in size. I also used the pencil to help me trace the shape of the lion’s mane.
- Dandelions: These aren’t pictured, but you’ll be threading them through the holes once you’re done creating the “dande-lion” board, so make sure you have access to plenty of them outside! Dandelions are perfect for this craft because they are the perfect color and size to create a lovely mane for the lion, but you can also use another type of yellow flower. For best results, make sure the dandelions you use are fleshly picked and haven’t started to wilt.
The full supply list and instructions can be found in the how-to card.
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How to Make a Dande-Lion Threading Board (Step-by-Step)
Step 1: Print and cut template. Print the template on regular printer paper, then use scissors to cut all around the lion’s face.
Step 2: Glue template to cardboard. Use a glue stick—or a small amount of liquid glue—to glue the lion’s face to a large piece of cardboard. (Mine was about 11 x 11 inches.)
Step 3: Trace corners. Use a pencil to trace a curved line in each of the four corners of the piece of cardboard. You’ll be cutting along these lines to round off the lion’s mane by cutting the cardboard into the shape of a circle.
Step 4: Cut cardboard into circle. Use sharp scissors to cut along the curved lines you traced and create a round shape for your lion’s mane.
Step 5: Poke holes in cardboard. Use a pencil to poke holes through the cardboard all around the lion’s face, making sure to press down and twist the pencil to widen the holes. (I created 3 rows of holes, totalling about 90 holes, but you can create however many you wish.)
Step 6: Thread dandelions through holes. Once you are done creating all the holes, have your child pick some dandelions and thread them through the holes. The yellow flowers will create a gorgeous mane for the lion!
This craft did not disappoint! The lion is absolutely adorable, and as a bonus, this activity is also a fun way to sneak in some extra fine motor practice for your little ones. Now that dandelion season is winding down, we’ll definitely be saving the threading board and reusing it next year!
Helpful Tips
- Push and twist the pencil: In order to thread the dandelions through the holes, you’ll need to make sure that the holes are big enough. You can do this by pushing the pencil into the cardboard about an inch past the tip and twisting it to widen the holes.
- Choose the right size for you: I chose to print the template at 100% scale and used an 11×11-inch piece of cardboard to create a large mane with almost 100 holes. But if you would prefer to make yours smaller, you can simply change the print scale and use a smaller piece of cardboard!
- Cut the dandelion stems: I found that dandelions with very long stems were harder to thread through the holes because the stems had a tendency to bend and break. To make this activity easier for your child, I recommend using dandelions with stems of about 2 inches in length, which is long enough to thread them through the holes, but short enough that they won’t bend or break as easily.
- Use freshly picked dandelions: The lion’s mane will look best if made with freshly picked dandelions that haven’t started to wilt. I recommend that you take this activity outside and thread the dandelions into the holes as you pick them!
- Protect the printed template: To make your threading board last as long as possible, cut a circle out of clear contact paper that is slightly larger than the lion’s face, then use it to cover the printed image so that it doesn’t get ruined if it comes into contact with moisture.
More Summer Crafts for Kids
If you have tried this “Dande-Lion” Threading Activity or any other project on my website, please let me know how it went in the comments below. I can’t wait to hear from you!
Dande-Lion Threading Craft
Materials
- 1 piece sturdy cardboard square, about 11"x11" (or a smaller size of your choice)
- 1 pair sharp metal scissors
- 1 glue stick
- 1 wooden pencil
- freshly picked dandelions as needed
Instructions
- Print the template on regular printer paper, then use scissors to cut out the lion’s face.
- Use a glue stick (or a small amount of liquid glue) to glue the lion’s face to an 11×11-inch piece of cardboard.
- Use a pencil to trace a curved line in each of the four corners of the piece of cardboard, then cut along the lines using sharp scissors to create a round shape for your lion’s mane.
- Use a pencil to poke holes through the cardboard all around the lion’s face, making sure to press down and twist the pencil to widen the holes. (We created about 90 holes—organized in 3 rows—but the number you create is up to you.)
- Once you are done creating all the holes, have your child pick some dandelions and thread them through the holes to create a yellow mane for the lion!
Video
Notes
- Push and twist the pencil: To ensure that the dandelions will fit, make sure to widen the holes by pushing down on the pencil and twisting it a bit.
- Cut the dandelion stems: This craft works best with dandelions that have a stem of about 2 inches, as this prevents them from bending and breaking while you thread them through the holes.
- Protect the lion’s face: To make the threading board as long as possible, cover the printed lion’s face with clear contact paper to protect it from moisture.
Request Your Free Template Here
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