What you need

  1. Coloured poster paints
  2. Peacock templates - download resource
  3. Large thick card
  4. Picture of a peacock - use the image on the activity

Intro

The peacock has long symbolised beauty, regality and pride. When they fan out their colourful plumage – and shake their tail feathers – it’s a sight to behold!

This activity is an opportunity to recreate these amazing birds. You don’t have to stick to blue, green and gold though – you can be as wild and creative as you like. Who said you couldn’t have a pink and yellow peacock?!

This is quite a large project, so it’s good for a group or to do over a number or weeks. You can also work on it with a friend or loved one

Top tip

Just working with one person? Print out the templates smaller so the peacock is more manageable.

You will need to enlarge the template of the body of the peacock, or draw out to the size you wish using the image as a guide

The Activity

  1. To prepare, print off the peacock body template and cut it out
  2. Print off around 50 peacock feather templates and cut them out
  3. Sit around a table and show everyone the picture of the peacock
  4. Draw attention to the patterns and colours of the feathers, to help inspire the painting
  5. Explain that you will be recreating this stunning bird
  6. Talk about what colours each person would like to use
  7. Give each person a feather template and their chosen coloured paints and begin painting
  8. Encourage everyone to be as creative as they like!
  9.  Keep painting feathers if enjoying themselves – and don’t forget to get someone to paint the peacock body too
  10. Pick the activity up another time if you can’t finish it in one session
  11. Once everything has been painted, it’s time to put it all together
  12. Glue the body of the peacock to the middle bottom of the card
  13. Layer and glue all the feathers in a rainbow style around the peacock, starting from the body and working outwards
  14. Display the peacock somewhere where everyone can admire it – and you can feel as proud as a peacock about how it looks

PDF Resource