Build a Scarecrow Day!
Scarecrows are a big hit in decorating during the fall, and are associated with harvest scenes. But, scarecrows are built to stand out in the garden to scare crows and other birds away. The crops are out growing in the field during the summer months. So, if you're going to build a scarecrow for your garden, the time is now. Hence, a July date.
Definition of a scarecrow
That which frightens or is intended to frighten without doing physical harm. Literally that which - scares away crows, hence the name scarecrow.
Everything about Scarecrows
Scarecrows have been in our history for centuries. The first finding about scarecrows were back in the 1500's and even back to the ancient times of the Romans and Greeks when putting what they called harvest Gods out to watch over the fields was the norm. People from Japan even made scarecrows out of oily material and fish bones and attached it to tall wooden stakes to help protect their rice fields. So as you can see, putting scarecrows on stakes has long been in practice for many years and in many different countries.
Scarecrows first started out
as a means for farmers to protect their crops and gardens from the harm that birds such and the crow, could do. Birds could do a lot of damage by eating up the fruits, vegetables and grains that the farmers had planted therefore a means had to be invented to help the crops. So the Scarecrow was invented!
The scarecrow had a purpose
and an important one back in the old days. In this day and time the scarecrow is not only used in our gardens for a practical purpose but it is put there for the whimsical and fun look that it gives our gardens. The scarecrows rough and ragged appearance can be fun and funny or it can be scary in hopes of protecting our food that's growing in our gardens. The Scarecrow is one of the most familiar figures not only in the United States but throughout Europe and many other countries of the world. The scarecrow has worldwide popularity.
How to build a scarecrow
DLTK's Holiday Crafts for KidsIn case you can't build a real scarecrow you can have the kids make a paper one! |  |
Materials:
paper
printer
something to color with (B&W version)
scissors
glue
Instructions:
- Print out the template of choice (you can mix and match the B&W and color versions if you want less coloring). You need all 4 templates to make a large scarecrow.
- Color the template pieces (if using the B&W version) -- feel free to use different materials for coloring to add creativity/personality to the project (paint, markers, pencils and crayons are all fun choices)
- Cut out the template pieces (young children may need help with this step)
- Glue the scarecrow together:
- Glue the neck ruffle to the body, right where the dotted line on the body stops.
- Glue the head onto the body right above the neck ruffle
- Glue the hat onto the back of the head
- Glue the hair onto the head, overlapping the hat a little
- Glue the arms onto either side of the body
- Glue the hands/mittens onto the ends of the arms
- Glue the legs underneath of the body so the feet are sticking out
- Glue the patches onto the body
- Glue the buttons onto the body
- Glue the sunflower and the crow on to decorate (I put the sunflower on the hat and the crow on one arm, but you can get creative if you like)
Printing the Template:
- 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).
No comments:
Post a Comment