Search results matching tags 'art' and 'preschool curriculum'

Kids Ocean Wave Bottles Craft

Anonymous — Sat, 23 Jul 2011 23:28:00 GMT

Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0in; mso-para-margin-right:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}

There is nothing like taking a bit of the beach home with you. As a California girl, myself I love to bring the ocean into the classroom to share with the children.

I used to make wonderful wave bottles for used plastic water bottles, however, times being what they are businesses use much less plastic (great for our environment), but not when it comes to the durability of our kids projects.

The families and I found a great option that the children love; we use these ocean bottles as staple pieces in the classroom, as well gift ideas! Here is a craft I guarantee your preschoolers and families will love!

How to Make Kids Ocean Theme Wave Bottles

More Ocean in a Bottle Ideas!

Cheap clear baby bottles (We go to a local Dollar Store)

Bags of small shells (Any dollar or craft store has these)

Soft clean sand or washed pea gravel (Just enough to settle nicely on the bottom of the bottle)

Small Rubber Sea Creatures (Optional but the kids love them)

Large container of Baby Oil (Optional-give you that wave effect)

Blue Food Color or Bio Color

Silver Glitter (Optional but very pretty)

Masking Tape

Funnel

Water

Procedure: Keep the lids and allow the children scoop in a couple spoonfuls of sand or gravel. Allow children to select 3-5 shells depending to the size and one sea creature to place in the bottle.

Have the children mark a halfway point with the masking tape on their bottle. Let the kids add in their water to the mark and funnel in the baby oil almost to the top. Be sure they are holding it securely so it won’t spill.

Add in one drop of food coloring and a dash of glitter. Now securely tighten the bottle with the bottle plug minus the rubber nipple.

There! Now you're kids have captured the ocean in a pinch!

How to Make Rainbow Stew With Preschoolers

Anonymous — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 12:03:00 GMT

<><>

Celebrate the magic of the rainbow!

Preschoolers are always fascinated with colors and rainbows!
Rainbow Stew is a wonderful activity for any season. It is one of those activities that seem to bring the wonders of magic into the imaginations of preschoolers!

Materials You'll Need For Rainbow Stew

Measuring cups
Large stirring spoon
Small spoons (for each child)
Cornstarch
Sugar
Water
Large pot or pan
3 mixing bowls
Duct tape
Heavy duty plastic baggies (get the gripper zipper kind)
Food Coloring: red, yellow, and blue

"This is how we do Rainbow Stew!"

"We love Rainbow Stew!"

Supervise preschoolers mix the corn starch, sugar and water in the pot or pan until thickened
Carefully remove it from the heat and wait for it to cool
Children separate the mixture in three bowls to make different colors before taking turns to stir or knead
Have children help place each color of the rainbow stew mixture into the Ziploc bags (half way)
Add duct tape for extra security on the baggies
Have kids squish bags to make the different colors

There are many ways to do Rainbow Stew! What are some of your successful tips and tricks?

Kids Bubble Wrap Activities

Anonymous — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 12:03:00 GMT

I have to admit. I have never run out of ideas for kids with bubble wrap. Sure, we save scraps but nothing beats a big roll for tons of activities!

Art: Tape a sheet down and allow the children to freely pain it with tempra paints. I get a clean shett of paper and have the children press the imprint down. It's a lovely effect. The children comment it even looks like a rainbow beehive!

Hopscotch Pop: We cut out squares and tape them down. We let the children create the hopscotch Pop rules. You will be surprised at what they come up with.

The Pop Run: Very young children need lots of bubbles to pop. Bubble wrap has always brought the most reserved toddlers truly come out of their shell!

Guaranteed fun to the last pop! Thanks Rookie Moms

The Trike Bubble Run: Kids are also loving the bubble wrap outside. We drape it across the trike run as they speed across it!

Bubble Wrap Transition Time: I always save a special stash for emergency days. You know, days where you have a phone call you must take or simply need a longer transition. I use bubble wrap as an engaging fine motor activity that keeps them busy and happy. There is something very addicting about popping bubble wrap! Just ask.......anyone!

Kids Space Alien Crafts

Anonymous — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 18:58:00 GMT

Space Themes was never one of my strongest areas for teaching young children. The kids I work with are so hands on and well....the stars are not something we can explore with the five senses. We use lots of real images of planets as well as adding a bit of fun and science in the mix.
The whole excitement about space is the mystery of it all.
We gather as many materials as possible and then have tons of fun with space aliens.
Without further ado, this an Honorable Mention Shout out to all the kid crafty aliens out there! If you have any to share as well please do with a back link to the site! Thanks again!

Silly Soap Box Space Aliens by Craft Jr. Good clean fun!

Water Bottle Top Space Creatures! Make them in a snap by: se7ven!

"Sprouts" The Space Alien by Free Kids Crafts! He'll grow on you!

"Space Blob Bob" by Make and Takes. Add some space juice and make him glow!

Making Kids Crazy Glowing Water

Anonymous — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 02:20:00 GMT

Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0in; mso-para-margin-right:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}

We made crazy glowing water for a science project and decided to take it to a whole new level with the kids! We discovered that making such projects like Flubber, watercolors and virtually any activity that involves water can add a glowing effect!

Materials Needed For Kids Crazy Glowing Water:

OOooOOooo! Look what we did!

One black Light

Clear Cups for each child or one large bowl

Highlighter pens

Wrench (Optional)

Water

Sharpie marker

We allow the kids to label their cups with their names. You can have them make the solution in one large bowl or individually in each cup (this requires individual pens for each child). A worthy donation if this works out!

You can break open the pens to expose the filter or simply have the children sit the pens in a small cup of water. This is a more kid friendly approach and it gives them a day to watch the pens transform the water.

The children love turning of the lights and having the black light shine on their creation. H-mmmmmm? Perhaps we are off setting the cost of the highlighters with all the electricity we are saving?

Four Leaf Clover Kids Craft

Anonymous — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 23:27:00 GMT

For the Four Leaf Craft be sure to have plenty of green paper or foam on hand. this is one of those projects where they just don't stop at one!
Materials You Will Need:

Sheets of green construction paper or foam

Tape or staplers

Rubber bands

Green sequins of jewels (optional)

White glue of a hot glue gun

Ribbon (optional)

The Process: Instruct the children to create folds in the paper (length-wise) of foam about five times and start cutting along the folds. This will create long even strips. Allow the children to tape/staple together individual heart shapes from the strips. Once that is done they may adhere the strips by touching all the points of the hearts together in threes or fours. Fasten a rubber band for hanging and add bows for decoration.
We have hot glued a sequin in the center for a special bit of bling!

Extensions: Instead of a rubber band you can add thematic ribbon and by popular 'wee ones' demands I must suggest green glitter (sigh).

I really think I should get stock in this stuff!

Elmer the Elephant Easy Kids Craft

Anonymous — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 05:30:00 GMT

There is something about Elmer the Elephant all kids seem to relate to and love! I find drawing of Elmer strewn all over the art table after we read this story to the kids. The drawings make a lovely patchwork of their own on the table. Here is a really easy Elmer craft we discovered made from plastic milk the parents we saving for us. They came just in time and the preparation was well worth it!

We recommend doing this with the leftovers!

Material for Elmer the Elephant Easy Kids Craft:

Colored tissue paper the children cut into squares
Large plastic milk cartons (with a handle)
White Glue
Water and Small Cups (enough for everyone)
Paint Brushes
Wiggle Eyes
Scissors

The Process

Pre-cut the milk carton's, just so, and make 1 part water, 2 parts glue solution in cups for each of the kids.

They love helping with this!

After the children have cut out all the tissue squares give them the cartons and cups with paintbrushes.

Ta-Da! Here He is!

After the kids begin gently painting the cartons they can apply the tissue paper and gently paint it down with the glue solution.

Try not to soak Elmer or the tissue will slide off.

The children are guaranteed to be delighted! Be sure to put on his eyes after he is dry!

Kids Homemade Classroom Valentine Garland

Anonymous — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 07:08:00 GMT

It seems like most gorgeous art projects never stay in the classroom longer than a day. Sometimes, I actually have to plan for festive classroom decorations and really get the kids excited about it, as well. This can be a bit tricky but long-term projects can go on for months!
The children used the same crayon muffin technique and I simply place metal paper clips inside as soon as the come out of the oven.

Materials You'll Need For the Homemade Valentine Classroom Garland:

Lots of Shaved Crayons
Heart Muffin Tins
Paper Clips
Oven
Long Ball of Twine
Colored Ribbon or Yarn
Nature kids collect from home, nature walks, etc.

All photos from Resurrection Fern

The Process: Check out the crayon muffins link and just after you take them out of the oven place a paper clip inside them just before they cool. As a class, we have this activity open all week. We get quite a few hearts. Unfortunately, one year a preschooler came up with the brilliant idea of making them into crayon necklaces. Brilliant idea, and there went the garland...sigh.

Making It Meaningful: I encourage the children to bring bits of nature from home. Pine cones, acorns, twigs and leaves. We make it a special show and tell where the children tell how and where they found the prized possessions just before we hang it on the garland.

These valentine garlands are very beautiful and natural looking. And best of all the children love adding to them and telling stories about it!

How about you? what would you have your class add?

Ten Fabulous Fall Leaf Activites For Kids!

Anonymous — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 02:18:00 GMT

Take advantage of these ten fabulous fall leaf ideas for kids! Whether you work in a classroom or are looking to keep a little one busy; these ideas will surely warm up the chilly days of Fall!

Ten Fall Leaf Activities to Look Forward to This Season:
1. Make a leaf compost for a garden!
2. Make a lovely fall wreath by painting a shaped paper plate with orange glue paint. The more leaves the better!
3. Make a leaf collection to display. We love to have the children create a graph and we work to categorize them by shapes and colors!

4. Go on a fall nature walk to crate a leaf bouquet. We love to wrap our bouquets in orange and yellow tissue paper and tie them off with raffia bows or corn husks. Many fall leaves are very fragrant and the children are always excited to give them as gifts!
5. Use contact paper or packing tape and seal the leaves inside to make a special book mark. Adding bits of fall confetti or stickers add a special touch!
6. Create leaf rubbings! Place them under white paper and use the edge of a crayon to shade them in. It's an instant masterpiece even for very young children to try.
7. How about raking up a pile and simply jumping in! A great way to get the wiggles out as well as laugh with all your friends.

8. Make a fall collage with leaves, sticks, and corn husks on a small sheet of tag board. We add to it throughout the week as the children cut out fall images from magazines. Got a story to tell? When the project is finished be sure to take dictation from them about their beautiful fall art.
9. Feeling really crafty? How about decoupaging fall leaves on a votive glass to make special gifts for the holidays.
10. Make your own fall leaf print handkerchiefs. Simply cut squares on muslin fabric from a fabric store (very inexpensive). Lay the fresh picked leaves in a pattern on the floor and place the fabric over it. Now gently pound the leaves with a mallet and the colored moisture from the leaves will show through on the hanky! Yes, it's washable but avoid 'bleaching' the lovely colors by using a color safe bleach detergent.

Silly Spider Craft Cards for Kids

Anonymous — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 12:42:00 GMT

I love crafts!

I personally don't do tons of crafts with very young children but many of the benefits are having kids follow basic instruction as well as working together in small groups. I have always loved variety as a child. Being an artist myself I never really wanted my crafts to look like everyone's.
Some children absolutely love crafts and following exact directions.
I was a bit of the blank-paper-and-crayons type of kid.
I do offer crafts when I plan preschool curriculm. How every child's craft turns out is definately another story.
What has been your experiences in crafting with children?