Plaster Box Etchings

Materials

1. Plaster of paris
2. Oil or Vaseline
3. Aluminum pan
4. Nails
5. Paints and paintbrushes
6. Damp cloth or sandpaper

Directions

Mix plaster of paris according to directions and pour into a pan. Let it set until quite dry and firm. Once hard, turn it out onto a paper-covered flat surface. Use the nails and other sharp objects to scratch or carve a design or picture into the dried plaster of paris. Lightly brush paint over the etched surface and wait until it dries. Using a damp cloth or sandpaper, remove the surface paint until only the colored etching is exposed. Prop up the finished etching on a shelf or mantelpiece for everyone to see.

More on: Activities for Babies, Toddlers, Preschoolers, and Children

Excerpted from:

From 365 Days of Creative Play by Sheila Ellison & Judith Gray. Copyright © 2005 by Sheila Ellison & Judith Gray. All rights reserved. Used by arrangement with Sourcebooks, Inc.

Buy the book at www.amazon.com.