Dedicated to our Pujya Gurudev Swami Chinmayananda

Dedicated to our Pujya Gurudev Swami Chinmayananda

Hari OM!

This blog is designed to serve as a library of art and craft ideas for our balavihar children. We hope that you will find this site useful. Please feel free to use any (or all) of the projects you see posted here. We ask, however, that you refrain from publishing (in any form) these templates, instructions, and photographs, unless you receive written permission. These projects are being provided for your own personal use or use in the Balavihar classroom.


All art projects are categorized by 1) material, 2) use, and 3) type. For example a Diya greeting card would be under the labels "Paper" and "Cards," while a Lord Hanumaan puppet would be found under "Paper," "Toys and Puppets" and "Gods and Goddesses." Most materials for these projects can easily be purchased from any local craft store — and some projects involve materials you already have laying around the house.


We would love to hear your suggestions and ideas about any of the information you find on this site. And, if you have any projects that you would like to share with other seviks/sevikas, please send a picture of the finished piece, as well as instructions on how to make the project – so we can post it.


Happy Creating!

Thursday, December 24, 2009

Origami Lotus Diya

©jmg 2008
Click on image to view enlarged.

This project is perfect for kids of all ages.

Materials
Gold foil wrapping paper (or origami paper)
Chocolate kisses
double sided tape


We prefer cutting our own origami paper from rolls of foil wrapping paper. 6 x 6 makes a nice sized lotus. (However, don't make them smaller that 5 x 5 -- or the paper will be too hard to fold.) Once your flower is made, take a small piece of double sided tape and stick in onto the bottom of a chocolate kiss. Place the chocolate in the center of the lotus. These make lovely little Diwali gifts.

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Krishna Paper Bag Puppet



Click on image to view enlarged.

Let the children create their own puppet of Lord Krishna using just a few materials.

Materials
Blue lunch bag
Blue construction paper
Black construction paper
Scraps of decorative paper (in different colors)
Sequins, lace, etc.
Feathers
2 Wiggly eyes
Glue stick
Markers
Scissors

Directions
Each child gets a blue paper bag -- and the rest is left up to them. Put different materials on the table and let them choose how they want to create their own Lord Krishna (or Lord Rama.)

Monday, December 14, 2009

Japa Mala















This mala was designed for the kindergarten Balavihar class. Our lesson was "J is for Japa."

Materials
• 27 beads of your choice
• 1 meru bead — a little larger than the japa beads. (The center hole must be able to fit 2 pieces of yarn.)
• One piece of yarn (six stranded crochet cotton is good)
• Elmer's Glue

Directions
1. Dip one end of your cotton thread into the Elmer's glue. Roll the glued end between your fingers until it starts to form a hardended tip. Do the same to the other end. (see photo A below)
2. With one end of the cotton thread all 27 beads. (see photo B below)
3. Take both ends of the cotton and insert them through the meru bead. (see photo C below)
4. Make a big knot at the botton of your meru bead. You might have to knot a few times to make sure that the the knot is bigger than the hole of your bead.
5. Trim the cotton ends to a desired length.
6. You can make a simple tassle by untwisting both ends of the cotton.

* If you want to make a japa mala consisting of 108 beads, the technique is the same. To make an authentic mala a knot must be tied between each bead. (see photo D below)









Photo A












Photo B













Photo C
















Photo D