If you are looking for a skills based lesson that can also provide some festive card making outcomes, then I recommend…paper cutting. I am always a bit bah humbuggy about letting the children work their way through pages and pages of white photocopying paper as they make Christmas cards, often with felt-tips, that don’t actually showcase their artistic skills. I really am not a fan of glitter either. If you want to have some festive fun whilst teaching some skills and introducing the children to some great art and artists, I suggest looking at some examples of paper cutting art. Art by Su Blackwell, Richard Sweeney and Rob Ryan always get gasps of wonder from the children, there is obviously Henri Matisse and his amazing collages – and I really love this book Paper Cutting

For a lesson; I spend some time looking at the paper cutting examples and discussing how the artists have created them. Then I show the children how to use scissors – even KS2 can do with a recap on how to use scissors properly – to cut shapes. This is essentially drawing with scissors and there is a technique to it e.g. twisting the paper not your body, snipping gently not chopping, visualising the shape as you cut. You could allow the children to pencil out shapes first or let them try the challenge of cutting without the outlines. Then let the children create beautiful paper cutting festive cards… I have made a no fuss slide show Paper Art for Christmas Cards that might help get you started.

Share on my FB page if you make any!