Saint Isidore Harvest Garden Papercraft

May 15th marks the feast of Saint Isidore the farmer.   To help remember his feast, we put together a simple papercraft based on his occupation: farming! 

This craft is somewhat Montessori inspired.  With several members of our family having experience in a Montessori classroom, we thought this project is would be perfect for perfecting fine motor skills as well as learning patterns.

This papercraft is pretty straightforward.  It could be assembled by older kids or by moms would think their younger ones might enjoy a quiet activity.  For this project, you will need:

–this free printable template
-one piece of blue cardstock
-one piece of brown cardstock
-one piece of white cardstock
-colored pencils or markers
-scissors
-glue

(Note: a stiff construction paper works well in place of cardstock)

Template consists of three pages.

Page #1 is the “dirt” and should be printed on the brown cardstock.

Page #2 has different images to be colored and should be printed on white cardstock.

Page #3 is blue sky with a prayer asking for the intercession of Saint Isidore.
Once the template has been printed and color, cut along the longest solid line on the brown cardstock.  Carefully cut on the smaller solid lines as well.  It is important that only slits are made here.  This will end up being “pockets” for the vegetables to sit in.
After all solid lines have been cut, run a glue stick along the dotted lines.   This step must be done carefully as well.  Gluing too far away from the dotted lines will make it harder to slip the vegetables in and out of the garden.
Attach the glue side of the brown paper to the blue cardstock.  Align the corners so that the prayer is not covered by dirt.   Press down very firmly and let dry.
Next, cut out all the colored images from the white cardstock.  Turn the basket colored side down and carefully glue along the bottom line and the two sides.  (The blue arrows in the image below indicate where the glue should go.)

Attach the basket at the top of the dirt.  Since the top edge of the basket hasn’t been glued, the vegetables should easily slip into the basket.

Glue the colored Saint Isidore on the image as well.  According the story of Saint Isidore, angels were often seen the field assisting this holy man with his work.  After coloring our angel, we glued him hovering over the field, watching Saint Isidore in his work. 🙂

This leaves the vegetables.  Carefully cut out the sixteen colored vegetables (4 onions, 4 pumpkins, 4 radishes, and 4 carrots).

Your project is now complete!  The vegetables can be placed in the basket next Saint Isidore or they can be placed in the slits in the dirt.

Since all the slits are the same length, any vegetable fits in any slit.  Children can practice both sorting and patterns.

If you are placing this project in a classroom or anticipate that it will get a lot of use, consider laminating the vegetables.

Be sure to ask Saint Isidore for his intercession!  He is frequently petitioned for the virtue humility.