Macaroni Rainbow Craft with Cloud (Great for Kids!)

As a homeschool mom, I never really stop having the kids home, so we have lots of craft odds and ends on hand to create last-minute crafts when they seem restless.  In time for St. Patrick's Day, we decided to create this cute macaroni rainbow craft. It has fluffy clouds, keeps little hands busy, and looks beautiful as a hanging decoration when you're done!

How to Make the Adorable Macaroni Rainbow Craft
 

Since we are anxiously awaiting spring, and we have kids of all ages and skill levels, I put together this easy macaroni rainbow craft.  Depending on if you have each kid do their own -- or you have them do one together -- it can take anywhere from an hour to 4 hours.

Supplies for the Macaroni Rainbow Craft

To make it, you will need the following items :

• Large Elbow Macaroni Noodles
• Foam or Paper Plate
• Bag of Cotton Balls
• Twine or other Stiff Thread
• Poster Paints
• Buttons
• Tape

Start by painting your noodles.  We use poster paint, but most any water-based paint will do.  Be sure that you help younger kids to keep the noodle in place while you paint it.  (It may help to hold one end of the noodle with a toothpick inserted.)  Note: Don't use TOO much paint.  One coat is fine. Anything more than that can cause the noodle to dissolve. You will want to paint the same number of noodles in red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple colors.  We did about 20 per color, plus extras.

(See also: Paint Activities for Babies, Toddlers, and Preschoolers.)

After the macaroni has dried completely, the kids can string them!  Start by creating a an "end" to the string by tying a button on one end; this will keep the macaroni on the string... then, you can start string the macaroni on.. one by one.

Here, you can see the noodles all on the string, with the buttons holding them on at the end.  (You can snip the extra string off when you're done.)  Leave at least 4 inches of string at the other end.

Here is my son stringing his red noodles on...

After you've strung all the separate colors, you can create the "cloud" from one half of a foam or paper plate.  Punch holes along the flat edge, and glue cotton balls all over it.

String the noodles strands through the holes so that the string comes out the back, and tape the string down against the back of the plate.  (I put the tape very close to the flat edge of the plate.  This not only holds the string down, it reinforced the holes in the plate so that they don't tear.)

Now, you can hang your rainbow!  Put a picture frame hanger on the back to put it on the wall, or a magnet to keep it on the fridge!

This was such a fun activity, and we really loved how the macaroni rainbow craft turned out!  What kinds of activities do you like to do with your kids during Spring Break?  Is crafting one of them?