If your design does not entirely flatten, make sure it is is good and hot, and then place an acrylic block or another ceramic tile on top of it, to flatten it while it cools. As more areas of the shrink plastic shrink down, it should start to straighten out. The shrink plastic is quite brittle, so it is best to use small, sharp scissors for this, though most rough edges will be hidden once shrunk. Once your shrinky dink has fully shrunk, and is flat, leave it to cool before you handle it. Initially, your shrinky dink will curl up, but keep heating, moving the heat gun around, and it will flatten out as more of the shrink plastic shrinks fully. Use a wooden skewer (or any heat-proof tool) to gently hold the image down while you apply heat from a heat gun.
Free Printable Christmas Stickers
Kids and adults love watching their designs curl, twist, and flatten in the oven, turning a simple drawing into a sturdy keepsake in just minutes. As they heat, they shrink to about one-third their original size, becoming thicker and more durable. The next day, the students in my small groups made necklaces from their cell cycle art with plastic jewelry making string that I picked up at the craft store. Here they are on the same sheet of poster board so that you can see the size difference. While they were still warm, I flattened each with a metal spatula. Look at the size difference in how they shrink in only 1 – 2 minutes!
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The colors become darker and more vivid, and the final piece is thick and sturdy. Within just a couple of minutes, the flat pieces twist, curl, and shrink to about one-third of their original size. Shrinky Dink projects are easy to prepare, budget-friendly, and customizable for any theme you’re teaching.
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And for more think kids can make, check out these other Christmas gifts that kids can make themselves. For more ornament ideas, check out twig star ornaments, superhero ornaments, and clear glass ornament ideas. (And she took the photos, Everchange Productions, so photo cred goes to her too!)
Cards are assigned to the person who applies and must be used by that person, photo ID may be required. Just be cautious you don’t rub off your beautiful colors when you are done. (I also made some “Paw Patrol” ones because I https://shrinky-dink.com/ have children who LOVE “Paw Patrol” and because we are working with a clear medium, you can trace!)
- The hole will also shrink to a perfect size.
- Below will give you an idea of the finished product size.
- When it came out your drawing had turned into a hardened piece of art, one third of its original size.
- Originally I’ve seen these made from recycled plastic containers.
- Having said that, we did notice some alcohol markers product more vibrant colors better than others so you will have to experiment with your set and see!
- When you click the photo, the PDF will open up in a new tab.
Cutting Your Shapes
The basic idea while creating all these products is to decorate a piece of polystyrene and bake it in the microwave so that it shrinks down in size. Shrinky dinks gained immense popularity in the 1980s, but now you can bring them back to life and have a blast while making them with your kids. If you’re still confused about how to go about creating a free printable download, just think about this for a second.
Just remember to color boldly, as the colors will intensify but darken during baking. Always test your shrink ratio with a scrap piece if you’re unsure. A general rule is to make your design about 3 times the size you want the finished product to be. If you’re drawing by hand, use a pencil to sketch out your design, then color it in with permanent markers or colored pencils.
Whatever you choose, check your cuts before unloading your mat. You won’t be able to add the hole afterwards. Be sure to punch a hole with a standard size paper hole punch BEFORE baking your shrink plastic. Then I removed the rectangle, selected both deer and clicked Attach. Then I placed my deer images onto the rectangle so I could maximize my images without wasting materials.