Christmas Mobile for Kids - Crafts and Activities

2Using a pair of scissors, cut out the different parts of the mobile, following the dotted lines.

3Cut about ten lengths of thread (about 1 ft long each). You may use sewing thread, fishing line or kite-flying line.

4Cover the back of one of the mobile ‘cut-outs’ (e.g a person, snowflake or sack), with glue. It’s best to use the glue stick, the paper is less likely to crinkle this way... Next stick a length of thread (in the shape of a ‘Z’) to the back of the cut-out, this will make the thread hold better. Next fold the cut-out in two, so as to stick the two halves together. The end of the thread is now held fast between the two sides of the cut-out.

5Before the glue dries, test that the cut-out hangs properly from the thread. If it leans towards one or another side, pull gently on the thread, to the right or the left, until it hangs straight.

6 Repeat steps 4 and 5 for the other parts of the mobile and leave to dry.

7Next, obtain some small wooden batons/sticks, round or square-faced. You’ll find them in DIY shops and some craft-making outlets. You may also use thick wooden kebab skewers (cut off the pointed ends), "pipe cleaners" (wire covered in wool or fabric), branches from dead trees etc.

8Cut the batons into sticks of 3 different lengths. If you want to copy our mobile exactly, you will need a baton 16 inches long, one 10 inches long and another 5 inches long. Of course, you can let your imagination run free and design your own mobile... There’s nothing to stop you from using more than 3 sticks, adding a larger number of cut-outs (by printing out the cut-outs supplied several times), etc... The most difficult thing is to achieve a balanced effect, and above all stability (try to avoid placing all the cut-outs at the same height)!

9To assemble the mobile, start by attaching the two cut-outs that are at the end of the sticks. Tie several knots to fix the thread securely to the stick and cut off any excess thread. Next, attach an end of the thread to the centre of the sticks, tying a single knot without tightening too much, or cutting the remaining piece of thread (it must be possible to slide the knot up and down the stick). Next, test out how the 3 sticks hang. If they don’t hang straight, move the knot away a little from the side that’s hanging down. Once the mobile hangs straight and level, tie a double or triple knot, and cut away the excess thread.

10Attach the sticks together. Balance each branch of the mobile by sliding the threads towards the centre of the sticks.

11Then fix the last cut-outs to the mobile. Make adjustments as needed to balance out the composition of the mobile. Then cut off any excess thread.

12There you are, your magnificent Christmas Mobile is finished! All you have to do is attach it to the ceiling using a tack or a hook.