Make your own polystyrene Elephant stamp!

A Wheels of Time E-Badge activity

Did you know that a factory in Edenbridge made products from polystyrene?

Read our story in Object of the Month here and find out what elephants had to do with it.

This project can earn you a Wheels of Time E-Badge, to find out how go to the bottom of the page.

You will need:

  • sheet of craft polystyrene foam, Styrofoam plate or or polystyrene packaging
  • tracing paper or baking parchment
  • paper
  • thin card or strong paper for printing
  • acrylic craft paint
  • glycerine
  • Sellotape
  • pencil
  • biro
  • scissors
  • brayer or foam roller
  • washable flat surface for rolling paint

Instructions

Using a pencil, draw an elephant on a piece of paper.
When you’re happy with it, transfer the image onto tracing paper
Cut out a piece of polystyrene foam slightly larger than your picture - This piece was cut from a polystyrene plate.
Place the tracing paper image on top of the polystyrene and secure with Sellotape at each corner. Draw round the image again using a biro. Press down firmly with the biro to make an impression in the polystyrene. Remove the tracing paper. The images is now impressed into the polystyrene.
Go round the image with the biro again, pressing firmly.
Squirt a blob of acrylic paint (and a drop of glycerine) onto a washable flat surface. Roll the roller over the paint, making sure the roller is evenly coated. Then roll over the image on the polystyrene foam. Lastly, press the polystyrene image face down on a sheet of thin card. Rub over the back of the polystyrene with your fingers and then remove it carefully.

Now, how to earn your Wheels of Time E-Badge!

The Wheels of time is a great programme by the Museums of Kent which encourages people of all ages, and particularly children, to get involved and learn more about history.

At each Museum in the programme a child visits they can collect a badge.

In addition to these normal awards Wheels of Time have now launched a E-Badge scheme open to all ages – each of the Museums taking part has a special activity to earn a virtual badge. Some may have a word search or quiz, others (like us) a fun activity to take part in. Once you have completed each activity you will be given a special code which will allow you to claim your E-Badge on the Wheels of Time website – can you collect them all?!

Once you’ve made your Elephant print send us a message showing us how you made your own to education@evmt.org.uk and we will send you a special code you can use to claim your badge on E-badge scheme – Wheels of Time

We look forward to seeing your print designs and creativity!

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