If you have an upcoming luau, you might enjoy these Hawaiian crafts you can make with a paper towel roll.
Hawaiian Crafts You Can Make with a Paper Towel Roll
Paper towel rolls are easy to come by, and they are perfect for inexpensive crafts. If you don't have a paper towel roll handy, you can use an old wrapping paper tube or toilet tissue tube instead. While the following crafts are a bit advanced for young children to do alone, they are perfect for families to create together. Next time you have to make some decorations for a Hawaiian-themed party, give one of these projects a try!
Flowering Tree Centerpiece
For this craft, you can use real flowers from your front yard, artificial blooms from the craft store, or tissue paper flowers you make yourself. Pick brightly colored blooms to help add extra cheer to your Hawaiian-themed table.
Things You'll Need
- Paper towel roll
- White glue
- Paint brush
- Brown tissue paper
- Flowers
- One yard of green felt
- Hot glue gun and glue sticks
- 12-inch by 12-inch piece of cardboard
- Stapler
- Scissors
- Masking tape
- Fabric pencil
What to Do
- Cut a piece of felt that is slightly larger than the piece of cardboard. Put the paper towel roll, end-down, in the middle of the felt, and trace around it with a fabric pencil. Cut out the circle to create a hole. Set the felt aside.
- Create the base of your tree by placing the paper towel roll in the center of the cardboard piece and taping it in place. Use the masking tape to gradually build up the base of the tree for a tapered appearance.
- Slip the green felt over the paper towel roll, and staple it in place along the back edge of the cardboard.
- Tear the brown tissue paper into strips about one inch wide. In a small bowl, mix the glue with water, experimenting with the ratio to find the best consistency for you. Many crafters prefer one part glue to one part water.
- Use your paint brush to cover the bottom inch of the tree in glue mixture. Wrap a strip of tissue paper around the paper towel roll, and smooth it down to secure it. Cover the next inch of tree with glue, and apply another piece of tissue paper, slightly overlapping the previous piece. Continue this process until you've covered the entire tree trunk.
- Use the scissors to cut palm leaves out of the felt. You'll need several, but the number will depend on the size you choose. Use hot glue to attach these leaves to the inside of the paper towel tube. Continue working until your creation resembles a palm tree.
- Now use the hot glue to attach flowers to the tree and the base. You can add as many or as few as you want, but this centerpiece craft looks beautiful with lots of bright flowers.
Tiki Garland
Because of its fun, bright colors, this garland makes a perfect luau decoration. It can be fun to involve the whole family in this project, but it's a good idea for adults to handle cutting the paper towel roll. Younger children can decorate the masks while older children help string the garland.
Things You'll Need
- Paper towel roll
- Scissors
- Markers
- Craft knife
- Hole punch
- Artificial flowers
- Ribbon
- Hot glue and glue gun
What to Do
- Begin by creating the Tiki masks. This step is best performed by an adult. Cut the paper towel roll into quarters, and cut each quarter lengthwise. Lay each section flat, and cut a nose-shaped notch with the craft knife. Fold the nose out for a three-dimensional look.
- Have other family members decorate the masks using markers. For extra flair, you might consider incorporating glitter, feathers, and other fun embellishments.
- Use the hole punch to make two holes in each mask.
- Unfurl the ribbon to the desired length, and have one child hold each end. String the masks on the ribbon, and arrange them evenly. An adult can use hot glue to attach the tropical flowers.
Paper Towel Roll Ukulele
While you might not be able to make a working ukulele with a paper towel roll, you can create a prop that simulates this traditional Hawaiian instrument. This is another craft that can be fun for adults and children to create together.
Things You'll Need
- Paper towel roll
- Medium-sized cardboard cereal or cracker box
- Scissors
- Masking tape
- Paint and brushes
- Hole punch
- Markers
- String
What to Do
- Cut an oval-shaped hole in the middle of one side of the cardboard box. Use the hole punch to punch three holes on each end of the oval you created.
- Insert the end of the paper towel roll into the open end of the cardboard box. Apply masking tape to seal up the end.
- Now it's time to decorate. Paint the ukulele in the colors you choose.
- When the ukulele is dry, thread string through the holes on either end of the oval. Use markers to add definition to the painted ukulele.
More Paper Towel Crafts
Now that you know about these Hawaiian crafts you can make with a paper towel roll, you may also be interested in one of these other articles from LoveToKnow Crafts:
