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Sand Art Mandala Craft: A Wonderful Art & History Project

August 22, 2019

Children, teens, and adults generally love working with materials they don’t encounter regularly, and colored sand is one of those materials!  The vibrant colors and soothing texture make sand a fantastic addition to any art project.  And, when a project contains a strong connection to another area of learning, the experience is enhanced further.  This paper plate sand art mandala craft does just that – blending art and history into one incredible project for people of all ages!  Kids and teens will love making colored sand art mandalas with paper plates! This great craft blends art and history so it's extra educational!

What are Mandalas?

Before jumping into this project, we thought it might be useful to explain what a mandala is!  In its most general sense, a mandala is a circle with designs inside.  More traditionally, however, mandalas are religious symbols (typically in Buddhism) that usually depict an ideal universe.  Mandalas are often created with intricate designs, using colored sand, and then demolished upon completion in an act that represents the impermanence of everything.

This is just a brief overview, and to learn more about mandalas, read this article from The Asia Society.  It would be an amazing addition to this mandala craft project to give some historical context.

Supplies Needed to Make Sand Art Mandalas

The supplies listed here are the ones we used to create the project as shown in this post.  As with all posts on Paper Plate Fun, we encourage you to modify the supplies to fit your needs!

  • Paper plate
  • Pencil
  • Glue
  • Small paint brush
  • Colored sand
  • Suggested: aluminum baking pan

How to Make Paper Plate Mandala Crafts

This project is so fun!  It’s also very simple to make, especially if the designs drawn are not too intricate.

Step One

Begin by drawing a design onto a paper plate with a pencil.  If you need creative inspiration, look up mandala designs on the internet and you’ll find lots of ideas for patterns. Or,just draw any design you like!

Draw a pattern on a paper plate to begin creating a mandala craft.

Step Two

Squeeze a little bit of craft glue into a section of the design drawn on the paper plate.  Use a craft paint brush to spread the glue in that area.  Make sure the glue is not too thick, and try to get it to be as even a layer as possible.  Spread a thin layer of glue on the paper plate. This will form the base of the pattern of the mandala.

Step Three

Sprinkle sand over the glue – just like you’re sprinkling glitter!  Once the glue surface is covered, shake off the excess colored sand into a trash can or a disposable aluminum tray.  Sprinkle colored sand on the paper plate mandala.

Step Four

Repeat the glue and sand process until the entire mandala design is complete.  Use colored sand to create a bright sand art mandala.

Kids love this paper plate sand art mandala craft.

No mandala looks alike!

Step Five

Once all of the sand has been applied to the mandala craft, set aside to dry thoroughly.  Paper plate sand art mandalas are a great craft that blend art and history.

Perhaps surprisingly, the sand sticks to the paper plates very well and does not come off easily!  Definitely a bonus for keeping the mess controlled.

Use paper plates and colored sand to create beautiful sand art mandalas.

This paper plate craft can be modified to fit any age group or activity, making it a definite win!

You May Also Like This Recycled Ring Toss Game Craft

   

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