This engaging activity
will bring the whole family together to create a festive garland of jockey
silks that showcase your Derby spirit in your home! Create your garland with as
many or as few jockey silks as you like. Allow personalities to showcase
themselves in bright colors as each person decides what they would want their
racing silks to look like if they were a jockey in the Kentucky Derby!
This activity can be
adapted to suit all ages. Young children and toddlers can work using felt
shapes, while adults can paint or use a combination of the two!
Items you will need:
- Mounting board or
poster board
- Acrylic paints in
various colors
- Crafting felt, cut
into shapes
- Glue
- Ribbon
- Paintbrushes
- Decide
the size and shape of your jockey silk. It can be any size you choose. Draw the
shape on your mounting board or poster board and cut it out. Tip: Be sure that
everyone uses the same size for the garland to look it’s best!
- Plan
your design. What do you want it to look like? Use your imagination! You can
get inspiration from history by looking at these colorful jockey silk from
years past.
- Get
to work! Create your unique design using
paintbrushes and paint, felt shapes or a combination of the two to make an eye-catching
display that shows off your Derby spirit. Toddlers and young children can still
have fun arranging shapes and having them glued by a parent.
- Once
each piece has dried, use ribbon and string each jockey silk should-to-shoulder
and proudly display the garland for all to see! Share pictures of your work on
social media using #DerbyAtHome
We can’t wait to see all the fun you have experiencing the Kentucky Derby 147 with your loved ones on
May 1st, 2021!
Catherine Jones
The Southern Gloss
Photo Credit: Andrew Kung Group