Tapestry of Faith: Love Connects Us: A Program on Living in Unitarian Universalist Covenant for Grades 4-5

Leader Resource 3: Make a Paper Crane Mobile

You will need:

  • A large number of paper cranes (see Leader Resource 2)
  • Four chopsticks (or wooden dowels)
  • Approximately three yards of 1/4-inch ribbon
  • A spool of thread, and a needle
  • Scissors
  • Optional: Hot glue gun

Directions

1. Tie the chopsticks into the shape of a square, using short pieces of ribbon. You may wish to also glue the corners where they join. Hot glue will set quickly.

2. Tie approximately 18 inches of ribbon to each corner of the square, and tie these ribbons together at the top to make a knot for hanging your mobile. Make the ribbons of equal length from the top knot to the chopsticks, so the mobile will not be lopsided.

3. Choose a few paper cranes for the mobile. Cut a length of thread approximately three feet long, thread it through a needle, and use the needle to carefully pierce the center of a paper crane, at the top. Pass the needle and thread through the paper, leaving about eight inches of thread behind. Tie a knot at the bottom of the crane; this will keep the crane from sliding down the thread once you hang the thread on the mobile.

4. Continue threading cranes on your thread, spacing them as far apart as you wish (about four inches is good), and securing each with a knot below.

5. Repeat this process with more threads, to make more strings of paper cranes for the mobile—eight is ideal.

6. Tie each strand of cranes to one of the chopsticks in your frame.

Note: For a balanced mobile, place the same number of paper cranes on each strand of thread, and the same number of strands on each chopstick.