Get Our Latest Updates: Download a FREE Set of Coloring Pages! ⇾

Friends Art Lab

Friends Art Lab / Blog / Tissue Paper Rainbow Craft with Contact Paper

Tissue Paper Rainbow Craft with Contact Paper

Author:         

This tissue paper rainbow craft is a cheerful way to turn a window into a bright, colorful little masterpiece! This activity is playful, simple to set up, and perfect for preschoolers who love color, and a project that looks extra pretty when the sun shines through.

A child stands beside a window placing a yellow tissue paper square onto the orange and yellow side of a large tissue paper rainbow craft. The rainbow is mostly filled with overlapping tissue paper squares in bright rainbow colors, and both cloud shapes at the bottom are covered with layered white squares. The contact paper sheet is taped to the glass with blue painter’s tape, and the outdoor fence, hedge, red flower decoration, and concrete patio are visible through the window.

Make a tissue paper rainbow craft

This tissue paper rainbow craft is one of those activities that looks fancy when it’s finished, but the setup is wonderfully simple.

You draw a rainbow, hang it in the window, and let kids cover it with colorful tissue paper until the whole thing *glows.* It feels bright, busy, and a little magical once the light starts shining through.

This is also a easy rainbow craft is also delightful for St. Patrick’s Day, spring, and weather units!

A child stands at a window reaching toward the center of a large rainbow outlined in black and taped to the glass with blue painter’s tape. The rainbow is filled with tissue paper squares in red, orange, yellow, green, teal, blue, and purple, and the child is placing a purple square near the lower inner arc while holding a bright pink piece in the other hand. White tissue paper squares cover the cloud shape on the left side, and a striped rug is visible outside below the window.

This tissue paper rainbow craft feels extra fun (and here’s why)

Part of what makes this project so good is the setup itself.

Working on a big window feels different from working at a table, and that simple change can make the whole activity feel fresh.

Kids get to reach, stretch, press, and move while they work, which is great for little bodies.

This kind of contact paper craft also gives you that nice balance of structure and freedom. The rainbow outline gives enough direction to get started, but kids still make choices the whole time about color, placement, overlap, and pattern.

⭐ We are sort of contact paper experts. 😂 Try these other seasonal designs:

A large blank rainbow design drawn in black marker is attached to a window on a sheet of contact paper and bordered with blue painter’s tape. The rainbow has multiple curved bands and two cloud outlines at the bottom corners, with no tissue paper attached yet. The glass shows a blurred view of greenery and outdoor shapes behind the window.

Materials

Friends Art Lab is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Read more about these links in my disclosure policy.

How to make a tissue paper rainbow craft with contact paper

  1. Unroll a piece of contact paper but do not peel it off of the backing (yet). Just unroll a piece that will whatever size rainbow you want.
  2. Use a black marker to draw the outline of a rainbow with clouds at the bottom.
  3. Peel the contact paper off the backing.
  4. Hang it on a sliding glass door or large window with the sticky side facing out. I use blue tape on the corners first to get it in place.
  5. Add more tape around the edges like a frame to help hold it securely.
  6. Cut or tear tissue paper into smaller pieces.
  7. Invite kids to stick the tissue paper onto the rainbow until the whole design is filled in.
Side-by-side collage of two photos showing a child standing beside a large window with a rainbow design taped to the glass with blue painter’s tape. The rainbow is filled with overlapping squares of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple tissue paper above two outlined clouds with white tissue paper pieces attached. In the left photo, the child looks down while holding a yellow tissue paper square. In the right photo, the child reaches up to place another square onto the rainbow. The backyard fence, green hedge, red flower decoration, and striped outdoor rug are visible through the glass in this tissue paper rainbow craft.

Ways to switch this contact paper craft up

You can keep this classic, or you can change it depending on the age of the kids and the look you want.

Use bigger tissue pieces for toddlers who want fast coverage, or smaller pieces for older kids who like detail.

You can make a huge rainbow across a sliding door or a smaller version on a single window pane.

You could also add a challenge by encouraging kids to keep colors in order, fill one stripe at a time, or overlap colors to see what happens in the sunlight.

A child stands to the right of a finished tissue paper rainbow craft displayed on a sliding glass door. The rainbow is fully covered with red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple tissue paper squares, and both clouds are filled with layered white pieces. Blue painter’s tape frames the entire rectangle, and sunlight shines through the glass while the child faces the rainbow with hands near the chest.

How sunlight helps make real rainbows

A rainbow happens when sunlight shines through water droplets in the air. The light bends as it enters the droplet, bounces around inside, and then comes back out separated into all the different colors we see.

That is why rainbows usually show up when there is sun and water at the same time.

This is such a fun thing to talk about while kids work!

You do not have to turn it into a full science lesson, but it is neat for them to hear that rainbows come from real light doing real things.

It gives your easy rainbow craft a little extra sparkle because kids are creating something based on a real natural phenomenon, not just a cute design.

A child stands beside a large window working on a tissue paper rainbow craft taped to the glass with bright blue painter’s tape around all four sides. The rainbow has rows of colored tissue paper squares in red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple, with white tissue paper pieces layered over both clouds at the bottom. The child points to the yellow row with one hand and holds a yellow tissue paper square in the other. Outside the window are a wooden fence, a dark red tree, a green hedge, a red flower decoration, and a striped rug below.

Frequently Asked Questions

What age is this tissue paper rainbow craft best for?

Every age that is past putting things in their mouths. From little artists to adults, this one is irresistible.

What kind of tape should I use?

Painter’s tape or masking tape works well because it helps hold the contact paper in place without being too hard to remove. Always test your own window first.

What skills does this activity help with?

It supports fine motor skills, color recognition, hand-eye coordination, and creative decision-making.

Friends Art Lab Best Resources:

GIANT 10-Foot Coloring Banners 🎨
Printable Coloring Pages for Kids ✍🏼
Learn About Virtual Preschool 🖥️

Let’s Stay Connected!

Get our favorite ideas and news sent directly to your inbox.

Reader Interactions

LEAVE A COMMENT

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

For security, use of Google's reCAPTCHA service is required which is subject to the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.