Here are three ways kids can craft poppies which can be used to make window decorations, necklaces or wreaths.
By Andrea Mulder-Slater
Let we Forget
In Flanders fields the poppies blow,
Between the crosses, row on row…
I still remember the first time I heard someone recite In Flanders Fields.
I was sitting on a crowded gymnasium floor in a small Ontario elementary school. I don’t recall the name of the special guest who spoke at the assembly that day, but I do remember this – within seconds of him opening his mouth, the gym grew silent as all in attendance fixed their eyes on the stranger delivering some of the most powerful words ever written.
After we returned to our classrooms, our teacher wrote In Flanders Fields on the chalkboard and had us surround the words with dozens of handmade paper poppies we crafted out of construction paper and paste. Poppies – we would later discover – have been a visual symbol of Remembrance in Canada since 1921, mostly due to Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae’s now-famous poem.
It is so important that children learn about the importance and relevance of remembrance and creating poppies is one way to make that happen. So, here for you now are three ways kids can craft poppies which can be used to make window decorations, necklaces or wreaths.
Muffin Liner Poppies
Learn how to make poppies from muffin liners… [click here]
Egg Carton Poppies
Learn how to make poppies from egg cartons… [click here]
Paper Poppies
Make poppies from construction paper… [click here]
And.. If you are looking for resources to help you talk to kids about Remembrance Day, here are some great places to start:
Veteran’s Affairs Canada has some wonderful teaching materials for kids of all ages. Take Time to Remember is created for students from kindergarten to grade 2. The Tales of Animals in War newspaper is for ages 5 to 11 and The Canada Remembers Times newspaper is for ages 12 to 18.
The Royal Canadian legion has created a teaching guide to assist primary and secondary schools in imparting valuable information to their students.
This post first appeared on YMC with the title: 3 Beautiful Handcrafted Poppies for Remembrance Day
