How to Craft Your Own Graduation Hats with Construction Paper

Are you looking for a creative and budget-friendly way to make graduation hats for your upcoming commencement ceremony? Look no further than construction paper! This versatile craft material can help you create personalized and festive caps that'll perfectly complement your grad attire. Let's dive into the simple steps to make graduation hats out of construction paper.

Firstly, gather your materials: construction paper in your school's colors, scissors, glue stick, ruler, pencil, a small piece of paper or cardstock for the tassel, and a zigzag edge scissors for that classic cap shape.

Creating the Cap Base

The cap base is the foundation of your graduation hat. Let's start by creating this essential component.

Begin by drawing a circle with a radius of about 4 inches on your construction paper. Then, draw another circle about 1 inch within the first one, creating a ring. Cut out this ring to form the base of your cap.

Shaping the Cap

Now that you have the base, let's give your cap its iconic shape. Along the outer edge of your ring, make cuts about 1 inch apart, stopping about 1 inch from the inner circle. This will form the brim of your cap.

Fold the sections outward to create the brim's shape. If you're having trouble, use a glass or bowl to help you form the curve. Be sure to leave the inner 1 inch of your ring uncut so it holds the cap's shape.

Building the Cap's Crown

To create the crown of your cap, draw and cut out a circle from another piece of construction paper. This circle should be slightly smaller than the inner circle of your base. Glue this circle to the inner rim of your base, ensuring the bottom of the cap remains open.

For added height, you can stack two or more circles and glue them together before attaching them to the base. Be careful not to make the cap too heavy, as it might not sit well on your mortarboard.

Creating the Mortarboard's Square Top

Now that your cap has a crown, let's give it a square top, mimicking the shaped part of a traditional mortarboard.

Draw and cut out a square from your construction paper. The square's side should be about 3 inches, which is perfect for most graduation caps. Fold the square in half diagonally to form a triangle, then fold it again into a smaller triangle. Unfold it slightly, and where the folds intersect, make a small hole.

Attaching the Square Top

Apply glue around the edges of the smallest triangle and attach it to the top of your cap's crown. The hole you made earlier should be at the top center, allowing you to insert a stick or pencil (your hat's rim) later on.

Once the glue is dry, trim any excess paper from the sides of the square top, and you'll have a perfect, flat surface to write your name or a celebratory message.

Creating the Tassel

Finally, let's add a festive tassel to your cap. Cut a long, thin strip of construction paper for your tassel's body. Twist it tightly at one end to create a loop for your cap's rim.

Cut several shorter strips of construction paper for the tassel's fringe. Thread these through the tassel's body and tie them together at the bottom. Finally, attach the tassel to the left side of your cap's square top using a small piece of sticky tape.

Your construction paper graduation hat is now complete! Wear it proudly as you walk across the stage and celebrate your hard-earned achievement. Don't forget to put your cap on after the ceremony for those all-important grad photos. Congratulations, graduate!