Every brave night needs a shield to protect them from dragons! But traditionally knights also used their shields to express who they were and what they valued. As they designed their own shields, they would add their own favorite symbols or animal motifs. These images evolved into family crests and formal coats of arms which were passed down through many generations.
Today's craft allows you to imagine what your shield would look like and what symbols might be part of your family crest. So grab some paint and markers and get ready to craft your very own coat of arms to protect you and your loved ones from all of the fierce dragons out there!
Gather Your Supplies:
These are the tools and materials we used to create our shield:
- Large cardboard boxes from the recycling
- Scissors (or a box cutter to be used by an adult)
- Your choice of paints, crayons, markers or other colorful medium
- Strong glue (hot glue gun, tacky glue, rubber cement, etc.)
- A selection of decorations like buttons, sticks, leaves, or anything on hand that seems fun!
These soft, sensory-rich materials make this project approachable for crafters of all ages.
Make your Own Cardboard Knight's Shield:
Step 1:
Start by having your child draw their shield. What shape is it? What symbols represent their knight persona? Draw inspiration from this drawing, then trace the shapes onto your large piece of cardboard. For our round shield, we cut out three circles, one star, and one moon.
Step 2:
Use your art supplies to color your shield pieces however you'd like. We used blue and yellow paint to create our moon and star-themed knight's shield.
Paint any additional decorations at this time, then let everything dry.
Step 3:
Glue 2 of your shapes together to form a sturdy base for your shield. Use your box cutter to cut out a smaller window in the third circle to create this layered effect. Glue small cardboard rectangles around the edges of the shield, then glue the top layer to them. Finally, glue your decorations on. Get creative!
Step 4:
Once the shield is fully dry, cut a piece of rectangular cardboard that's long enough to wrap around your child's arm. Bend the cardboard into a tube-like shape, then bend a 1-2" section on each end of the rectangle to glue it down onto the back of the shield. You'll want it to be parallel to your design so your child can slide their arm through it, and the design will be correctly oriented. We also used some duct tape to add some extra security during play.
We hope your days are filled with engaging fun and heaps of family laughter and love, and a few crafternoons spent together. Share your play, crafts, reading, learning or anything magical with us on Instagram @bellalunatoys and use our hashtag #bellalunatoys for a chance to be featured on our feed or stories. Happy crafting!
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