Cutting paper is hard work for preschool children! I still remember the first time I tried to use scissors as a young child. I tried over and over again before I finally figured it out. Scissors take a level of dexterity and hand strength that develops over time. Transform the letter G into a giraffe when you make this uppercase letter g craft with your child. Practice the sound and shape of the letter g while practicing scissor skills.
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Both the giraffe in today’s project and the elephant we made for the uppercase letter e are animals found in the African Savannah. If you can find a copy, read the book Over in the Grasslands: In an African Savannah together and look back at your picture of the elephant to review.
Working on Scissor Skills
If your child is a toddler or has a hard time with regular scissors, I highly recommend the loop scissors. If you have been following along with my letter crafts, you’ve heard me mention these scissors before. This particular style of scissors was originally developed as an accommodation for kids with special needs.
I have found that loop scissors are a great starting point for all children using scissors for the first time. Loop scissors allow children with low hand strength to cut with scissors and build the hand strength needed for regular kid’s scissors.
The Soft Sound of G
You will notice this uppercase letter g craft emphasizes a different sound for the letter. The sound at the beginning of the giraffe is the soft sound of g, and also the sound for the letter j so it can be confusing for kids. As you make the letter craft, practice saying both of the sounds g makes, switching back and forth.
Work together to come up with a few other examples of words using the soft g or j sound. Don’t worry about whether the word actually starts with a g — just work on recognizing the sound. Here are some examples of words that start with the soft sound of g besides giraffe: gemstone, germ, gel, gentle, giant, and gymnasium.
Again, if your child comes up with words like juice, jelly, jam, or jar don’t stress about it. This awareness will develop over time as he or she learns to read. If you have a gemstone or rock kit after today’s craft time would be a great time to get it out for thematic play.
Materials for the Uppercase Letter G Craft
- yellow construction paper
- brown construction paper
- orange construction paper
- construction paper
- googly eyes
- glue
- scissors
- alternative – white paper and crayons
Directions for the Uppercase Letter G Craft
Making a giraffe out of the letter G requires quite a few pieces to be cut out. I always recommend letting your child do as much of the cutting as possible, but this one has the capacity to get frustrating really fast with so many small pieces. Trace the necessary pieces on construction paper with thick marker to give your child lines to follow.
If cutting is difficult, offer to meet your child halfway. You cut half of the pieces and your child cuts the other half. If yours is one that likes to “do it myself” by all means, go with it. The more your child does these things on his own, the better. But you don’t want it to get too frustrating either, so strike a balance with this one.
- Cut out a large uppercase G, an oval for a head, and 2 horns from the yellow paper.
- Next, cut out the mane, 2 small circles for the hair on the top of the horns, and a range of spots from the brown paper.
- Then cut out 2 ears and a snout from the orange paper.
- Next glue down the G in the middle of the paper.
- Then glue down the giraffe’s head on the top of the G.
- Next glue down the giraffe’s horns onto the top of the head.
- Then glue down the giraffe’s snout.
- Next glue down the 2 ears on the outside of the horns.
- Then glue down the 2 brown small circles on top of the horns.
- Next glue down the giraffe’s mane and spots.
- Finally, glue down the giraffe’s googly eyes.
