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Wire Coat Hanger Sculptures

April 1, 2011 by Anna Ranson

These are a fun project to add some art to outdoor play spaces using recycled and craft materials. 

 I bent some wire coat hangers by pulling the base down to make a point, creating a diamond shape. By placing two together and taping at the joins it becomes a three-dimensional structure, with the hooks at the top ready for hanging immediately!

 We took them into the garden along with a huge TubTrug full of the giant pipe cleaners (from Pop’s rainbow party) and some silky ribbons. Of course, before decorating the wire sculptures it was much more fun and important to play with the materials!

 They made great loops for chaining together!

 And the chain was super fun to run around with, trailing it behind in the wind!

 They are also pretty cool to dress up with. Little Pop is trying to put on everything at the moment!
                          
And then we started to attach some to the coat hanger structures. Cakie looped hers over and twisted once around, and I had a go at winding them around for a different effect.

 Between us we attached lots of them and then added some ribbons too. We bent another set of coat hangers into a circular shape and wove some ribbon through.

 She loved the one with the long, free hanging ribbon attached to it especially, as it kept catching in the wind and rippling.

We have hung these in a bush next to her little play garden and she likes to check on them and rearrange the pipe cleaners periodically. They look so bright and cheerful spinning in the wind and I’m enjoying watching them while I’m washing up!
This activity is good for:
* exploring the textures and properties of new materials
* free expression and creativity
* creating on a large scale
* outdoor play
* exploring sculptural art
* observing the effects of nature on materials (blowing in the wind) and developing questioning
* collaborative projects

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Filed Under: Activities, Art and Craft, Creativity, Garden, Outdoor, Recycled Crafts, Toddler Tagged With: Outdoor Activities

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Comments

  1. Rachele says

    April 2, 2011 at 3:42 am

    As usual, what a fun and fabulous Idea! I’m a day behind on my favorites list for the week, and since I’m doing a garden theme, this will be included, because I’ll make it fit with the theme 🙂 Should be up on Messy Kids tomorrow!

  2. ಪುಟ್ಟಿಯ ಅಮ್ಮ/Putti Amma says

    April 2, 2011 at 5:39 am

    Love the way you utilise household things and make it fun for the kids… fantabulous ideas on ur blog:)

    Congrats !! Theres an award for you on blog here
    http://puttiprapancha.blogspot.com/2011/04/versatile-blog-award.html

  3. rachelle @ tinkerlab says

    April 2, 2011 at 5:41 am

    So fun! I love seeing color in the garden, and these just pop!

  4. talking to Hattie says

    April 2, 2011 at 9:17 am

    These are really good, home made Easter/spring eggs would hang off these perfectly as an Easter/spring mobile.
    V
    xxx

  5. Anonymous says

    April 2, 2011 at 7:02 pm

    Wow! I never saw such wonderful pipe cleaners! Now I’m on a search and purchase mission.

  6. Helen Miller says

    April 3, 2011 at 8:58 pm

    Ahh this is a lovely idea. May well try this one during this week.

  7. Anna @ The Imagination Tree says

    April 4, 2011 at 9:15 pm

    “Anon” these are from the 99p shop- 25 VERY long, thick stems for 99p! What a bargain 🙂

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About The Imagination Tree Hello and welcome! I'm Anna, Mama of 4, early years teacher and play enthusiast from the UK! Click here to read more about me.

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