Hold on to the good dreams and let go of the bad ones with your personalized dream catchers. Did you know Ojibwe dream catchers were traditionally used as talismans to protect sleeping people, usually children, from bad dreams and nightmares that might disturb them while they were vulnerable and asleep? The Ojibwa tribe believes that the night air is filled with dreams, both good and bad. The dream catcher attracts and catches all sorts of dreams, nightmares, and thoughts into its protective woven spider web. Good dreams can pass through the sacred hoop and gently slide down the feathers to comfort the sleeper below. Bad dreams, however, are caught up in the net and destroyed, burned up in the light of day. For this reason, dreamcatchers traditionally must be hung above the bed in a place where the morning sunlight can reach it.
Creative interaction between parents and young children, engaging in activities like arts and crafts, provide immediate and lasting cognitive benefits. These creative crafts also provide a unique bonding experience which creates lifelong memories. This craft can take over two days because you need to paint the paper plates, then wait for them to dry.
Things you will need:
- Paper plates
- Paints and brushes
- Colored craft paper (we used card stock, but ordinary construction paper would also work)
- Raffia or crepe paper
- Feathers
- Plastic jewels to decorate
- Glue or double-sided tape
How to:
- First, cut a hole in your paper plate, then paint it with your favorite color. You could paint a second plate to stick over the top once the inside web is finished, if you prefer, to allow the paint to dry. If you're using darker colors like purple, you will need a second coat.
- Use a craft knife and ruler to cut strips from the colored craft paper, exactly 5mm wide. A craft knife should be used by a grown up, but you can also cut it up with scissors for a more kid-friendly version.
- Next, put double-sided tape all the way around on the underside and stick it on the paper strips to make the web. You could use glue as well for this step.
- Paint an extra paper plate and glue it over the top of the messy back strip ends. You would need to paint the indented side rather than the shaped back so that the plates sandwich together well.
- Cut 20-30cm lengths of the raffia or crepe paper and stick them on the bottom edge with double-sided tape or glue.
- Stick feathers on the ends of the raffia strips, then turn over and decorate the front with jewel stickers and extra feathers. Your dream catcher is ready for you! Hang it over the bed of your children and let the peaceful nights begin.
Customize Your DIY Dreamcatcher:
The customization possibilities for this DIY dreamcatcher are endless. These are a few of the ways you can customize your dreamcatcher:
- Use a bigger or smaller hoop.
- Choose embroidery floss to match the colors in your room or your baby's nursery.
- Use a different color natural suede lace.
- Choose natural gemstone beads with properties that resonate with you.
- Add ribbons, yarn, or string to the bottom of the dreamcatcher instead of, or in addition to, the feathers.