DLTK's Crafts for Kids
USA Stars and Stripes Mobile

This is a simple mobile made up of stars and flags.  We usually create our mobiles by using two straws or sticks taped or tied in a criss-cross (see picture above) or by using one paper towel or gift wrap roll with all the pieces tied to it (this isn't as 3D a mobile, but is good for recycling).   

You can mix and match the pieces (4 circles + 1 flag in the center or 4 flags + 1 circle in the center or whatever other combination you like!).

Materials (mobile):

• a printer,
• paper,
• some crayons, paint, markers or pencil crayons (if using B&W template),
• scissors,
• glue,
• string or yarn.
  
  EITHER
• small paper plate or circle of cardboard (old cereal boxes are a good source of cardboard) AND two straws or sticks
   
  OR
• a paper towel roll
   
  OR
• ice cream container lid

Instructions (mobile):

• Print out the templates of choice.  You can print out as many as you want to fill up your mobile.
• Color (where appropriate) and cut out the template pieces along the dotted lines.
• Fold the template pieces in half and glue the back and front together.  Let dry.
• Poke a small hole in the top of each piece and tie with yarn or string to the mobile you've chosen

Paper Towel Roll Mobile:

• Decorate your paper towel roll as desired:  You can use paint, paper, stickers, etc to match your theme.
• string each mobile piece from the paper towel roll
• Put a piece of string or wool right through the paper towel roll  to use to hang from the wall or ceiling

Criss Cross Straws Mobile:

• You can let the kids decorate the circle/paper plate with paint, markers or stickers.
• Poke a hole through the center of the paper plate or circle of cardboard
• Arrange the straws in an X shape and tie with wool
• Tie a long piece of wool to the center of the X.  Slide the circle of cardboard or paper plate onto the wool (through the hole you made)
• Tape the straws to the plate to keep them in their X shape and to help them balanced
• String each mobile piece onto one of the straws (and in the center if desired)

Lid Mobile:

• Decorate your lid as desired:  You can use paint, paper, stickers, etc to match your theme.
• Use a hole punch or sharp pencil to poke holes all the way around the lid at equal distances (you need as many holes as you have mobile pieces
• String each mobile piece onto one of the holes you've made
• String another piece of yarn from each of the holes, going up to the ceiling.  Tie all of these pieces together to make a knot you can hang your mobile with.

Templates:

• Close the template window after printing to return to this screen.
• Set page margins to zero if you have trouble fitting the template on one page (FILE, PAGE SETUP or FILE, PRINTER SETUP in most browsers).

Circle Template   (color)    or   (B&W)

Flag Template     (color)    or   (B&W)

Print friendly version of these instructions