Create postcard-sized Mixed Media paintings, get inspired by the seasons, have an epic, two day Collage Craft Party like we did or collect your children’s mini creations throughout the year to make a calendar! This is my absolute favorite, toddler approved project to experiment with materials and Mixed Media layering techniques! Materials Sharpies Oil pastels or crayons Watercolor paper cut in small rectangles to fit your calendar Art calendar printouts
Leaf Banners
After observing and talking about the changes outside in nature and reading various books about autumn, the children started to notice how many different leaves there are and wondered more about leaf veins and why leaves fall off the trees. Their thoughts and questions about autumn are constantly present while playing and creating. Through art projects that are based on children’s interests and accommodate their inquiries, thoughts and ideas, we can
Leaf Tracing
Every leaf speaks bliss to me, flattering from the autumn tree. – Emily Bronte Collecting and creating art with pieces of nature can be a great way to observe and discuss the changing seasons. As we move into autumn we observe and discuss how the weather and the plants are changing. We talk about the changing seasons and explore our surroundings. During nature walks we notice the colder mornings, children with
Spring Shadow Boxes
We love making Shadow Boxes! They create the perfect depth and backdrop to capture any little keepsakes and lend themselves perfectly to display miniature scenes, three dimensional artwork and other found treasures! You can hang them on the wall or place them on a shelf and they’ll always look neat and finished! Inspired by the various spring books we’ve been reading (“Turtle Spring“etc.) we created our own Spring Shadow Boxes. We asked
Mother’s Day Banner
Mother love is the fuel that enables a normal human being to do the impossible. – Marion C. Garretty Ever since seeing Meri Cherry’s lovely Mother’s Day Banners (head over to her website for a full list of materials and instructions) I wanted to give them a try myself, adjusting them slightly to suit a younger age group. Since my toddler art group was into drawing and color-mixing this project seemed
Magical Fairy Potions
Do your children love playing with water and anything else that involves pouring, scooping, dripping and stirring? Making ‘fairy potions’ provides some great sensory and fine motor opportunities. When stirring their concoctions children get to squeeze, pour, scoop, smell and explore properties like texture, flexibility and fluidity. Plus, it’s a perfect opportunity to welcome spring, go on a nature walk, collect and look at the plants that are blooming while
Earth Day: Litterbug Banner
The child is not a citizen of the future; he is a citizen from the very first moment of life and also the most important citizen because he represents and brings the ‘possible’ […], a bearer, here and now of rights, of values, of culture. It is our historical responsibility not only to affirm this but to create cultural, social, political and educational contexts which are able to receive children
Funky Easter Bunnies
Meet our funky Easter bunnies and head over to teachstarter to get your own fabulous and free template! This project is not only fun but also perfect for discussing lines and patterns. With younger children I often use Cassie Stephen’s wonderful introduction to creating with lines. She uses a poem and a plush snake to introduce different kind of lines which younger children LOVE! Before drawing your Easter bunnies you
Tracing Drawing Activity
Tracing can be fun and beneficial for all age groups. Younger children get to practice hand-eye coordination, fine motor skills and learn to control their lines in order to be able to write later on. Older children might enjoy the opportunity to draw realistically without having the skills to do so yet. While younger children might engage in imaginative play as they draw to communicate a story or idea, older