How To Make 3D Letters And Shapes

Learn how to make shapes and drawings come to life with this super fun and exciting activity! You can turn any drawing into a 3D tangible figure to make playtime super fun!

Look, I’m not going to lie, the letters took a really long time. But, you know when you start something and are already committed and you have to finish? Yeah, well, that’s how my brain works anyway. And that’s exactly what happened. BUT, I am so glad I did finish them. They came out so cool and my little ones absolutely loved them!

The shapes, on the other hand, are just as fun and much less time-consuming. Your little ones will be so excited to have their drawings pop off the paper with color! With this hot glue and parchment paper technique, you can make anything into a 3D figure that your kids can create and enjoy during playtime!

To make these DIY letters and shapes into a fun sensory activity, just add the 3D shapes and letters into a sensory bin! You can use any dry sensory base or even make colored rice for a more exciting activity. Ask your little ones to fish for a specific letter or shape to practice the alphabet and numbers or work on their fine motor skills! You can even do lowercase/uppercase letters, block letters, and other fonts to really test your little ones letter recognition skills!

A cool idea would be to have your kids draw 3D letters, shapes, or anything they want and then transform their art into 3D shapes! Follow these step-by-step instructions to enjoy this activity with your child!

Materials For DIY 3D Letters

Parchment Paper

Parchment paper will be your canvas for this project! You need something that will allow you to easily pick the letters off when they have dried. However, you also need to use something that you can draw on which is why parchment paper is much more suitable than wax paper. But, if you only have wax paper on hand, it’ll work just fine.

Permanent markers

I love that permanent markers are hardy enough to stay on a huge range of surfaces, but also come in so many colors! Permanent markers are perfect for outlines, adding in little details, or adding in a pop of colour. You can add patterns, shades, or intricate designs that won't smudge over time.

Hot Glue

Hot glue is what pulls this activity together! You use the glue gun to add a layer of hot glue over the 3D letters or whatever you or your little one have drawn. The hot glue help you make lasting letters, numbers, and drawings and will ensure a firm hold. It's also useful for adding embellishments securely! To add a new sensory element, you can add some dots, lines, or other types of texture on the letters.

Glitter

Glitter is the perfect extra touch to add to this activity! It makes it so much more fun and adds a sparkly element to your activity. Just glue over your drawing on the parchment paper and sprinkle a fine layer of glitter on top. I really like doing this for my little ones because it creates a really cool extra layer to the letters, numbers, or drawings.

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Draw anything you want on the parchment paper using permanent markers.

2. Add a layer of hot glue over the shape.

3. Wait for it to dry.

4. Peel it off.

5. Add to your favorite sensory bin.

Enhance playtime with this cool activity!

If you’ve ever wondered how to make playtime a little more fun or boost your sensory bin by adding something cool, this is the way to do it! Not only does this activity help you bring cool shapes, letters, and other drawings to life, but it also helps you enjoy multiple activities with your child. I love it for the interactive element it has in many different ways.

If you liked this activity, you should definitely check out some more on the Mothercould Blog. If you’re looking to kick it up a notch and support your kids development on a new level, the Mothercould In Your Pocket resource is fantastic. It has printable activity packs, sensory ideas, and so much more right at your fingertips for a one-time price of $44!