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Home > Arts and Crafts Projects for Kids > Mobile Arts and Crafts Projects
Years and years ago, the Chinese fashioned movable ornaments of little painted glass prisms. These were hung in open doorways and windows and the wind would cause the prisms to strike gently against each other making a delightful tinkling sound. Our modern mobiles are made up of all sorts of objects suspended from a framework in such a manner as to be movable.
The simplest mobile (for younger children) can be made by hanging one object from a single thread or string. The next easiest form of mobile is made by suspending two objects on a stick of wood or piece of wire which is suspended by a single thread in such a position as to allow ease of movement and to create balance. The mobile may become more and more complex (for older children) as additional groups of objects and strips of wood or wire are suspended from each other in such a way as to create balance and ease of movement. Objects to be suspended may be made from paper, wire, papier-mache, pipe cleaners, etc.
Bend a wire coat hanger into a diamond shape. Attach cross pieces of thin wire, as in Figure 1. Beads and ornaments may be strung on the cross wires, or objects may be suspended from them .
Join three wire coat hangers into a tree-like skeleton, as in Figure 2.
Assemble a child's building toy for framework, as in Figure 3. Thin pieces of dowel in varying lengths may also be used.
Wire, heavy thread or string may be used to suspend ornaments.
When knots are tied, and the balance of the ornament on the structure is achieved, put a drop of glue or household cement over the knot to hold it in place.
People send you greeting cards when it is your birthday, when your sick, when it is Christmas or Easter or another holiday. To save some of the love that your family and friends have sent to you in the mail, how about making a greeting card mobile. Get a wire hanger and wrap ribbon, yarn, string, decorative paper, raffia, or other material all around it so that the hanger looks beautiful. Then cut all different sizes of string or ribbon and tie them to different parts of the hanger. Then just glue your greeting cards onto the strings. Hang this from a hook and you have a beautiful piece of art to look at.
You will need lightweight cardboard, scissors, magazine pictures or print-outs of animals, string, punch or pointed instrument, Scotch tape, glue or paste, annd paper fasteners. Firstly, cut cardboard into 3 strips measuring 1" x 11". Punch several holes along the strips. Attach ends of strips with paper fasteners so that a triangle is formed (see sketch above). Cut string or yarn in 8", 10", and 12" lengths. Put string through holes in cardboard strip so the ends hang down. Scotch tape ends of string to back of animal pictures. Other animal pictures or birds may be pasted to sides of triangle. Hang triangle on wall or from ceiling.
(PARENTAL SUPERVISION NEEDED) These fish mobiles turn out gorgeous...but it is a craft for older kids with some help from parents. Get a thin wire coat hanger and snip the hook from it with wire snippers. So now you should have one long strip of wire left (when straightened out). Now make a sharp bend near the center and then 2 reverse bends one inch from first to create the fish's mouth. Then cross the wires about four inches from the ends to form his tail fin (see picture above). Now just bend tail so wires meet and tape together. You can make 2 fish out of one wire hanger. Now hang the fish mobile by string, thread, or yarn. A cool thing to do (optionally) is to take a copper pot cleaner (as seen above) and remove the fastener so that you see a copper mesh netting. Now stretch it in place over the fish for his scales.
Make five or six holes around the edge of a large aluminum foil plate with a pointed tool (with parental supervision) Draw, color, and cut out a corresponding number of birds from heavy paper or thin cardboard. Suspend the birds by string from the holes in the plate. Force a thumbtack -through the center of the plate and into the top of a 12" dowel. Twirl the dowel between your hands to see the birds fly.
How to Make a Bats Mobile for Halloween - Bats come out at night….. and Halloween is no exception. Why not totally spook out your house by adding this creative Bats Mobile decoration inside this Halloween. Or, better yet…. have your child make a few of these mobile crafts and they can fill their bedroom with these spooky Halloween creatures.
How to Make Wooden Stick Mobiles - This tutorial gives instructions on making basic mobiles with sticks and string. This mobile example is for fishies.
Bird Mobiles - Find out how to make this bird mobile with wooden downs and thread.
Branched Mobiles - Make mobiles from branches of a tree and paper designs tied up with string.
3D Mobiles - Here is a way to make it appear that your paper hangings are 3 dimensional. Make this cute mobile by checking out this tutorial.
How to Make a Thanksgiving Mobile - Make a Thanksgiving mobile to remind everyone what you are thankful for this year. This is a great way to think about all the things that you are thankful for...the real meaning of Thanksgiving.
3-D
Fruit Craft : Crafts with Wire Clothes Hangers - These 3-dimensional fruits are made from paper. You can make
apples, watermelons, pears, plums, peaches, strawberries, oranges,
and other great-looking fruit. They are great to hang in a window
(from a curtain rod), from the ceiling, or in a mobile.
Bird
Mobile Craft - Instead
of buying expensive mobiles, your kids can create their own mobile
using their imagination to design their own creation.
Bright
New Year Mobile Tray Crafts - Kids are eager to help decorate your home for a New Year's Eve
get-together! This whimsical mobile adds glitz to any decor.
Butterfly
Life Cycle Mobiles -
Make a mobile that shows the complete metamorphosis of a butterfly
from egg to larva (caterpillar) to pupa to adult (the butterfly).
Butterfly
Mobile with Cellophane - Create
colorful butterflies with colored cellophane. String them together
and make a mobile in a jiffy.
Butterfly
Mobile with Clothes Hangers Crafts Project - This project uses wonderful butterflies that the kids have made and
turns them into this really fun mobile.
Butterfly
Mobiles Pony Bead Patterns - In
this tutorial you will learn how to make a butterfly mobile with pony
beads.
Butterfly Mobile Sticks Craft for Kids - A colorful butterfly mobile made from construction paper, thread, and twigs / sticks / branches from nature. This carefully balanced sculpture moves with every breeze.
Canada
Mobile Crafts Activity - This is a simple mobile made up of maple leaves and flags. We
usually create our mobiles by using two straws or sticks taped or
tied in a criss-cross (see picture) 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).
Cascade
of Stars with Drinking Straws - Make a cascading star mobile from paper stars, a drinking straw and
yarn. When you're finished, you can hang this cute decoration from
the ceiling.
Cereal
Box Cut-out Mobile - Making
a brightly colored mobile is a fun way to use up those cereal boxes
you may have sitting in the recycling bin.
Chick Paper Mobile Craft - One of the chicks is not quite ready to hatch! The mobile is perfect for decorating a window in the spring. This decoration is easily made, even by smaller children. It requires 2 different sized oval shapes.
Christmas
Card Mobile with Clothes Hangers Craft - Don't be afraid to display your Christmas card mobile high above
the crowd!
Creation
Mobile Bible Craft Idea for Kids - The center of the mobile says,
"In the beginning God created all things and saw that they were
good." The mobile hangs from a 4 sided cloud. The
mobile pieces are a star, a fish, a pig (animal) and a bird.
Diwali
Lamp Mobile Craft - - Here’s something to hang up on your bedroom, living room or
porch in celebration of Diwali.
Diya
Mobile Project - This simple diya mobile will look pretty hung in the entrance or
window during the Diwali Festival of Lights. Use bright colours and
different textures so that your mobile really catches the light!
D.I.Y.
High-Contrast Baby Mobile - Here's how to make a baby mobile on the cheap from items you have
around the house. All you need is an internet connection, some extra
wire hangers, some duct tape, cardboard, glue and some string. It’s
very easy to make, and much cheaper than buying one from a store.
Drinking
Straw Mobile Straws - This simple-to-make mobile is made from drinking straws, paper
clips and construction paper. They look great hanging from the
ceiling!
Easter Mobile with Christian Message Crafts Activity - This is a simple mobile made up of crosses with John 15:13 in the center. We usually create our mobiles by using two straws or sticks taped or tied in a criss-cross 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 recyclying).
Islamic
Prophets Mobile Ramadan Craft for Muslim Kids - This
is a simple mobile featuring the 4 prophets names written in
calligraphy (Abraham, Jesus, Moses and Muhammad) plus a central
"Peace be upon them" square. The
Qur'an prohibits using images of people or animals as they may be
mistaken as idols. In Islam, geometric designs, floral motifs
and calligraphy are often used. These templates reflect this.
Maple
Leaf Mobile - This maple leaf mobile is an excellent Canada Day craft for kids,
who will enjoy cutting out and assembling the maple leaf shapes from
our template.
Mosque
Craft Mobile Ramadan Craft - Make
an easy beautiful Mosque mobile using a printable template.
Ocean
Mobiles Hawaiin Craft - This is a simple mobile made up of
printed ocean shells and fish (you could add real shells with small
holes in them as well!).
Pretty
Ribbon Mobile (Wind Sock) - This
project was inspired by an article from the now-defunct Martha
Stewart Kids magazine.
It's a refreshing take on the old "wind sock" art project.
Recycled
Soda Bottle Fish Mobile Craft for Children - Colorful tropical fish or goldfish
swim around in a gentle circle when you suspend them from a recycled
CD to make this fish mobile. The finished mobile would look great
hung in the corner of a child's room!
Santa
Paper Mobile - Kids
can create these mobiles to decorate the windows in their rooms or to
hang freely from the ceiling.
Skeleton
Mobile - Make this gorgeous skeleton out of your old cardboard boxes - fun
and recycling all in one!
Snow
Mobile : Hanger Activities for Boys and Girls - Bring a little winter inside the house this Christmas with a
sparkling snow mobile.
Springy
Mobile - Anybody can make a mobile, but can they make a springy mobile like
yours? Try this recipe for bouncy fun with mobiles.
Stable
Airplane Mobile for Boys and Girls - When you make a Stable Airplane Mobile with your kids, you'll
create a monument to flight that's rooted on the ground. A stable
mobile doesn't need to hang from the ceiling. These planes are in the
air, but they won't fly away.
StarBurst
Ornament or Mobiles - Recycle Gift Wrap to make unique Tree Ornaments or Assemble a
Beautiful Mobile. This is a great way to recycle the wrappings from
your Gifts - be it from a birthday or from Christmas or any other
occasion for that matter.
St. Patrick's Rainbow Mobile Craft - Make a rainbow mobile with a hanging pot of gold and shamrock to celebrate St. Patrick's Day.
USA Mobile - This is a simple mobile made up of stars and flags.
Whale and Dolphin Mobile Craft - Make
this interesting craft to decorate your room.