DLTK's Crafts for Kids
Blue Oni Paper Plate Craft

What are Oni?  Oni are naughty ogre-like creatures that bring bad luck to a household.  Originally oni were depicted as quite scary and evil but they've been a bit toned down over the years since so many daddies dress up as them for the big bean throwing event and parades so I think of them as more "naughty" or unlucky.

Oni are either blue or red.  They have two horns, carry a large iron club and wear a tiger skin loincloth.   When Japanese children play tag, the person who is "it" is called the oni.  Oni are also featured in a number of children's stories.

If you cut out holes instead of using the template eyes, you can convert your blue oni craft to a blue oni mask.  Attach a paint stir stick or tongue depressor to allow your child to hold it up to their face.

Materials:

• blue paint and paintbrush
• paper plate,
• something to color with (or color printer),
• scissors,
• glue,
• paper,
• printer,
• Optional FOR MASK:  Paint Stir Stick, thin strip of wood or Tongue Depressor.

Instructions:

• Paint the bottom of the paper plate blue.
• Print out the craft template of choice.
• Color (if using the black and white version of the craft) and cut out the template pieces.  Most of the pieces are simple enough shapes for young children to cut out, but if needed, an adult can help with some of the harder pieces (the ears and the hair).
• Glue the pieces to the plate to make the blue oni face:
     
• Glue the large hair piece onto the top of the plate, with the sides of the hair covering the sides of the plate.
• Glue the two ears onto either side of the plate just below the hair.
• Glue the horns onto the hair at the top of the plate.
• Glue the mouth near the bottom of the paper plate.
• Glue the nose above the mouth.
• Glue the eyes above the nose.
• Glue the eyebrows above the eyes and just below the hair.

• Optional:  If making a mask, use masking tape or duct tape to attach a thin strip of wood, a Tongue Depressor or a Paint Stir Stick (often free at paint supply and home repair stores -- no more than $1 -- we get dad to pick one up now and then when he's at home depot admiring the tools *grin*)

Template 1:    (color)   or   (B&W)

Template 2:    (color)   or   (B&W)

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