How to Make Pro-Life Art for Kids
If you are looking for a project that shows you how to make pro-life art for kids, you are in the right spot!
I can’t believe that I live in a world where I have to be intentional about raising my children to cherish every life in the womb because if I don’t, the world will try to twist the truth and convince them otherwise.
It is my hope that this marvelous book and sweet art project can not only help this future generation to point out the obvious as they get older, but also that it nurtures the Catholic Church’s teaching on the sanctity of life (specifically in the womb).
And I pray that when they are old enough to process the justifications our world uses to kill these lives in the womb, they will be horrified, AND will support mothers and contribute to pregnancy centers AND will stand strong in defense of the unborn who are equally human and deserving of care, love and life.
THE BOOK
Before I Was Me by Frank Fraser brought me to tears the first time I read it. It is a conversation between God and an unborn baby, and it helps children understand that their life was precious from the moment they were conceived or brought into this world through their parents. It’s such a beautiful way to remind them that He has a plan for them and will always love them.
The painterly illustrations of God with the baby in the beginning and end inspired us to make a fun painted and scraped light blue background for our pro-life art project.
VIDEO
Check out the free video tutorial below:
PREP
Here is what you’ll need:
- 12″ x 18″ white paper
- 9″ x 12″ white paper
- Red and pink paper hearts (gold glitter paper optional) and/or stickers
- Liquid tempera paint (white and blue)
- Large flat paint brush
- Small cardboard rectangle
- Cup of water
- Scissors
- White glue
- Circle template (we used a container lid 4.5″ in diameter)
- Crayons or oil pastels
CREATE
How to make pro-life art for kids:
Put some white paint with a very small amount of blue onto a paper plate or palette to make a beautiful “sky blue” inspired by the illustrations from the book. Then, double load the paint brush with white and blue and paint across the paper in horizontal strokes.
It’s okay if not all of the paper is covered. The white from the paper actually makes it look very pretty!
This makes a wonderful art element discussion since mixing white to a color makes a tint. It teaches children VALUE (lightness or darkness of a color.)
*If the paint seems thick and isn’t covering a lot of white space, add a little bit of water to thin it out.
Dip the cardboard rectangle into the white paint and scrape it across the paper to achieve a neat texture. Kids love doing this! Set aside to dry.
*Instead of painting this kind of background, you could alternatively take a kitchen sponge cut in half and sponge paint white clouds onto a light blue piece of paper.
Trace the circle for the head onto the smaller piece of white paper with a crayon. Try to do it on the top right hand corner so you have the rest of the paper to make the body. Cut out the circle and then cut the white paper in half so you have a 6″ x 9″ rectangle for the body.
Fold the white rectangle in half and use a crayon to draw a long curved line starting at the top of the folded edge going out and back down the bottom part of the folded edge. Then with the paper still folded, cut it out and open to reveal a symmetrical swaddled baby body.
Color the head with a skin colored crayon and add facial features. We kept ours simple like the baby in the book.
Glue the body to the middle of the dried background. Then, glue the head. For a finishing touch, glue paper hearts all around the art.
We can’t wait to see what you make with this How to Make Pro-Life Art for Kids tutorial! Be sure to tag us on Instagram with @littleholyhearts so we can cheer you on!
