Today, I’m thrilled to share this Memorial Day paper eagle craft with you.
It’s not just a fun activity, it’s a meaningful way to honor our fallen heroes.
Here’s why you’ll love this project:
- It’s kid-friendly and super easy
- Utilizes basic supplies that are likely already in your household.
- Creates a stunning visual tribute
- Sparks important conversations about patriotism
Trust me, the look of pride on a child’s face when they unfold their completed eagle is priceless.
However, the true enchantment unfolds during the subsequent conversations that follow.
Before you begin, let’s take a quick look at the list of the minimum craft materials you’ll need below.
Step 1: Things You’ll Need For Memorial Day Paper Eagle
- Craft Papers: You will need colorful craft papers to make the structure, however, to match the theme I have used red, white, and dark blue.
- Scissor: To cut the required shapes from the craft papers you’ll need a scissor.
- Glue: To stick the paper shapes you can use a standard craft glue or simply use multipurpose glue for better results.
- Pencil: To outline the Eagle’s structure you will need a pencil.
Step 2: Cutting The Shapes
I’ve used scissors to cut out the shapes you see in the image.
Begin with a blank white rectangle as your foundational base.
Next, cut a small rectangle from blue paper, about one quarter the size of the white rectangle.
Afterward, meticulously slice longstrips from the vibrant red paper, and then, with precision, craft tiny stars from the crisp white sheet.
Step 3: Stick the Star Shapes
Next up, I began by gluing the tiny star shapes onto the small blue rectangle, just like you see in the image above.
I made sure to leave even spaces between the stars for a neat appearance.
Since I cut the star shapes by hand, some turned out slightly smaller than others, but they were all close enough to look good together.
After sticking all the stars in place, I let the structure dry for a while.
Step 4: Stick the Red Paper Strips
In the image above, you can see that I glued the long red strips onto the white rectangle paper.
I left space specifically around the top left so that I can stick the blue rectangle in the next step.
If you prefer, you can stick the long strips all across the white base.
I allowed the glue to dry thoroughly to ensure the red strips stay securely in place.
Step 5: Assemble them All
Once the glue dried, I grabbed the blue rectangle with the stars to attach it to the base.
I applied glue to the blank space on the base and stuck the blue rectangle there, creating the structure of the US flag.
I let it dry for a while before folding and shaping it further.
Step 6: Fold and Draw The Shape
With the glue fully dry, it was time to fold the structure in half as shown in image 6.1 above.
I gently creased the folded edges to prepare for drawing the outlines.
Next, I grabbed a pencil and sketched the outline of an eagle (half-eagle) as seen in image 6.2.
Step 7: Cutting Through The Eagle Outlines
It was time to cut along the outlines I had drawn on the structure.
I made sure to cut it while folded to get the full shape as shown in image 7.1 and 7.2 above.
I picked up my scissors and began cutting along the outlines starting from the bottom.
This step took some time, so I did it patiently, knowing it was the final and most crucial part of the activity.
Step 8: Unfold the Final Structure
It was time to unfold the shape, revealing the completed Memorial Day themed eagle structure.
You can create multiple of these and display them around your home or office spaces.
Final Thoughts
I strongly encourage discussions about the symbolism of the eagle and flag, and what Memorial Day represents.
Perhaps you could add a step where participants write the names of fallen soldiers or personal messages on the back of the eagle.
Furthermore, I’d recommend expanding this craft into a broader learning experience.
For younger children, simplifying the eagle shape or offering pre-cut templates might be helpful.
Additionally, considering eco-friendly paper options could add an environmental awareness aspect to the project.
Ultimately, this craft serves as a starting point for honoring our veterans and reflecting on the sacrifices made for our freedoms.
Note: To assist you further I have also shared the complete video walkthrough of paper eagle memorial day craft on our official YouTube channel.
