Fuzzy Yarn Lambs

March is said to come in like a lion and out like a lamb. This year we had blustery wind and colder temperatures on March 31st, so March went out like a lion too. Luckily April came in like a lamb after a light dusting of beautiful white spring snow which melted quickly. These little lambs seen on The Inadvertent Farmer were the perfect activity for a large group after our agency's Annual Egg Hunt in Alpine County.

You will need:
fuzzy yarn
cardboard
black paint
clothespins
black felt or craft foam
stapler or hot glue gun
scissors
ribbon and bells (optional)
white or metallic markers or paint

Since we were prepping this activity for a large group, we spray painted our clothespins with flat black.
We were happy to upcycle the pins we have been reusing from a handmade counting game.

Cut some oval/kidney type shapes from cardboard. We drew a few until we were happy with one and used it as a template. It was about 5 1/2 inches long. 

Paint both sides of the narrowest portion of the shape with black paint. We had a large number to paint so we did both sides at once and balanced on binder clips.

Begin by balancing your cardboard on two clothespins. We draped a bit of batting over ours to make it puffier.

If you are going to attach a bell, do it before you begin wrapping the lamb with yarn, securing each side of the ribbon with the bell with the front clothespin.

Adults and children loved this activity and worked together on blankets spread on the warm sand.

Wrap yarn around and around. When you get the the rump area you will need a way to attach the yarn. We used staples for the ones we created outside and a hot glue gun for those created indoors near a power supply.

Ideally, you place the legs on first and wrap the yarn around, but it also works to wrap the body with yarn and then apply the legs. 

Some of the children skipped the yarn and were happy simply with the look of the batting and a ribbon.

Feel free to draw a face if you like. The children at the event didn't have access to markers but improvised with bits of ribbon and glue.

Welcome Spring!