Activity for Children: How to Make a Colourful Paper Ruler?

You must have seen people making all sorts of beautiful and colourful stuff in television programmes. Here is one such tip for you. This article tells you how to make a colourful paper scale of your own. You can use this paper scale to draw margins to your books and papers, tear the paper etc. Colourful rulers are always fun. So just imagine how fun it would be if you have your own homemade scale? Here are some tips to make your own colourful paper ruler. Follow the steps closely:

Step 1: Take a cardboard sheet which is thick enough to make a paper ruler. You have to take a cardboard sheet of medium thickness. A too-thick cardboard sheet will be hard to cut. A too-thin cardboard sheet will make a flimsy ruler, which will get ruined easily. So remember to use a cardboard sheet of medium thickness.

Step 2: Take your geometrical ruler for a model. Place the geometrical ruler over the cardboard sheet and trace out the outline of the ruler on the cardboard sheet. When you trace the outline, make sure that your fingers don't shake. A slight shaking of your hands will ruin the sharpness of your ruler. To make a perfect ruler, the rectangular outline also have to be sharp.

Step 3: Cut out your paper ruler through the outline you have made, using a scissors. If you find it difficult to cut out the shape, ask your parents to do it for you. [WARNING: Never use blade or knife by yourself to cut out the ruler. It is very dangerous.] While cutting them out, make sure that all edges are sharp and make sure that there are no edges projecting out. This is very important, because you have to use the ruler to draw images later.

Step 4: Your paper ruler must be brown in colour if you made it from cardboard. You can paint on it only if it is white. So apply white acrylic paint to one side of the ruler and wait till it dries. After drying, paint the other side too white. Now you have a white ruler. While painting, apply paint smoothly using a paint brush. Finish one coating. A single coating of white paint will be enough, because you are supposed to colour it further using different colours.

Step 5: Colour your ruler beautifully. You can follow the model given in the picture below if you want. Or you can borrow design ideas from internet or from books around you. First, give the outline of the design. Then mark the outline with black coloured acrylic paint. Then fill the design with paints of different funky colours. Your ruler is ready!

If you like, you can also add markings to your ruler. But don't use a hand-made ruler in your measuring works, especially in geometry. Hand-made markings won't be accurate. Otherwise you can use the ruler to draw margins, shapes which do not need a measure etc. Handle your ruler with care. You have to bear in mind that it is made of paper. Do not apply too much pressure to the ruler while drawing. Always put the ruler in a pencil box. Paper rulers easily get folded and ruined.

You can also customise your ruler by adding your name and class to it. Even if the ruler goes missing, you can find it easily because it will have your name on it! It is a simple paper craft idea for children. It is a good vacation DIY idea. Children can use the paper scale to draw small pictures, draw margins, tear paper etc. But the ruler cannot be used for measuring. Yet, it is a fun craft for children. Try it out – a homemade ruler made by yourself!