Yarn Spider

During his tree and forest study, our preschooler learned about some specific animals including bears, birds, and spiders.  Using Spinning Spiders, by Melvin Berger, we learned interesting facts about all kinds of spiders and webs.  My son focused on spiders eating only liquid, how they 'liquified' their food, and the animals that ate spiders.  I preferred reading about the web variety, especially the funnel web of the grass spider and how the ogre-faced spider carries its web with it. 


After reading through the book together, my son and I attempted a yarn spider picture.  It was a bit messy to complete, but nothing a little soap and water couldn't fix.  Once it dried, I think it turned out nicely.

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To complete this project...

Materials:

black yarn

liquid glue

white dimensional paint

blue paper

Method:

1.  Use the white dimensional paint to create a web on the blue paper.

2.  Allow the web to dry.

3.  Trace, or draw, two circles on the web.  One larger circle for the body and one smaller circle for the head.

4.  Draw eight legs coming off of the body to the web.

5.  Fill one circle with a moderate amount of liquid glue.

Here's where it starts to get messy....

6.  Start in the middle of the circle and coil the yarn around until the circle is filled.  Press down yarn as you go.

7.  Do the same with the other circle.

8.  Measure and cut the amount of yarn needed for each leg.

9.  Run a line of liquid glue on one leg at a time.  (Yeah, it doesn't work so well to do all or part at once, just take my word for it...)

10.  Affix the yarn leg by pressing it gently to the paper.

11.  Repeat until each leg is completed. 

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