not an easy concept for kids to grasp. This whimsical mobile, which looks wonderful suspended above a child's bed, puts basic lineage into perspective. Your child's portrait is at the top, supporting three generations: you, his grandparents and his great-grandparents. It's exciting for him to look up and see that because Great-Grandmother met Great-Grandfather at a church social in 1903, he is here today! To make the mobile, you need to find old family photographs and simple materials, then do a balancing act.
MOBILE MATERIALS
1 portrait each of the child and the child's parents, grandparents and great-grandparents15 4- by 5-inch pieces of acid-free thin cardboard or poster board
16 3 1/2- by 4 1/2-inch pieces of acid-free colored paper, 8 of one color and 8 of another
Glue
Hole punch
22 foot-long pieces of lightweight fishing line
2 markers the same colors as the colored paper
4 5-inch dowels
2 10-inch dowels
1 20-inch dowel
Tempera paint (optional)
Modeling clay or Handy Tack
1. Gather information for each photograph, such as full name, nickname, birth date, and, if appropriate, date of death.
2. At a copy shop, resize the photos so that they fit in a 2 1/2- by 3 1/2-inch area (try to make each head about 2 1/2 inches tall.) Use a color copier or a black and white one.
3. Glue colored paper on one side of the cardboard pieces, seven with one color and seven with the other (to represent both sides of the family tree). For the last piece of cardboard--your child's--make one side one color and the other the second color. For variety, cut some of the pieces into ovals and polygons.
4. Trim the photos 1/4 inch smaller than the colored paper. Center and glue the photos to the colored side of the cardboard.
5. Write the personal information on the back of each photo card using the assigned color.
6. Punch a small hole in the top center of each photo. Make a similar hole in the bottom center of all the pieces except the great-grandparents'.
7. Attach the fishing line to each one of the holes. Mark the line 2 inches above the tie. This will later help you create equal distances for the hanging photos.
8. Paint the dowels, if desired.
9. Notch the dowels with scissors 1/2 inch in from the ends. As you gently cut into the wood, hold the scissors as you twirl the dowel.
10. Lay the photos on the floor like a family tree with the child at the top. Place the dowels between each generation and above each set of parents. Start attaching the photos to the dowels. Start with the bottom pictures and 5-inch dowels, making sure that each section balances before you move up. Keep the knots at the center of each dowel a little loose to help you adjust the balance. Use a dab of clay or Handy Tack where needed to help with the balancing as well.
11. Dab on glue to fix the fishing line once the section is balanced.
TESTER'S TIPS: Balancing the mobile can be tricky for little hands, so be sure to involve small kids at the beginning to choose photos and gather information.
