ROMKids Show: The One About The Coral Reef

Audience

Families, Kids

Age

Audience

Families, Kids

Age

Tune in every Tuesday at 2 pm on Instagram Live as ROM Kids Coordinator and Camp Director Kiron Mukherjee combines his passion for children’s education with storytelling to bring to life science, history and art for you and your loved ones in the comfort of your own home. Kiron will share activities, easy at-home crafts, behind the scenes anecdotes and fun facts—all connected to the ROM collections.

This time on the ROMKids Show we dive into ocean to learn all about coral reefs. Dr Sebastian Kvist, Curator of Invertebrates, joins us to take your questions about these underwater homes full of curious critters. Then we’ll make our own paper towel art that magically changes right before your eyes!

ROMKids Show: The One About The Coral Reef

washable markers
Sharpies
paper towel
shallow and wide container filled with water

Step-by-Step

Step 1

Take a double sheet of paper towel and place it down. The bottom sheet will be your habitat, or whatever you want to appear once you place your art in the water. I drew a coral reef. Use washable markers and colours other than black.

Step 2

Now flip your entire sheet over. The one at the bottom is now your top sheet. Make sure they match up. Now draw your animal. Use your black sharpie here. Remember that the sharpie will go straight through, so make sure your habitat page is not directly under your new drawing. Consider making a silhouette. This will make your animal really pop in it’s home!

Step 3

Once both sheets are done, you’ll need to fill your shallow container up with water. The container should just be a bit bigger than your art. A baking pan, or tray, or something you put a roast in. Fill it up maybe halfway, not too much. Consider putting a towel underneath.

Step 4

With your habitat underneath and your animal on top, carefully lay your animals into the water. (Maybe take a pic of your artwork first, because it’ll change once it goes in the water!)

Step 5

Watch your magic paper towel art come to life!

As the ROMKids Coordinator & Camp Director, Kiron is the public face of the Royal Ontario Museum’s family and children’s programs. Kiron started volunteering at the ROM at age 14 and has never looked back. Though he majored in history at York University, Kiron also considers his early years as a ROMKids camper to be a highly formative part of his education. Now, he strives to provide engaging and educational kids’ programming so that future generations can look back on their ROM experiences as fondly as he has.