Friday, June 6, 2014

Milk painting
Today we explored science and created gorgeous paintings at the art table!
I set out cookie sheets with a rim. I like the cookie sheets
from the dollar tree.They are smaller than regular cookie sheets
and work well at the art table.I also set out food coloring,small bowls of liquid 
dish soap and q-tips. I poured enough evaporated milk onto the cookie sheet to 
cover the bottom of the cookie sheet.The kids then dropped small drops
 of food coloring onto the milk.Now the fun begins!The kids dipped their q-tips 
into the soap and then gently touched the q-tips next to the food coloring drops.
The food coloring started to move and "dance". The kids were so excited to watch
 the food coloring spread and blend making an explosion of colors! After the colors
 stopped blending I gently laid a piece of paper onto the tray of colors and
 then carefully lifted the paper off the cookie sheet and set the 
pictures out in the sun to dry.
Such fun! Such beautiful paintings!
Supplies needed
cookie sheet or shallow dish
paper cut to fit the cookie sheet or dish
food coloring
dish soap
q-tips
evaporated milk 

Tuesday, June 3, 2014

Fun with straws.
Today I set out bowls of cut up straws and school 
glue. I made each child a name plate,writing their names lightly 
with a pencil and let them add the white glue and straws to build their names.
 ( I did the glue for my 2's and 3's)They enjoyed searching for 
just the right size straw to fit on each letter perfectly.
They had such fun with this activity they wanted  to make more pictures. 
This time I had them just be creative and  put their glue where they wanted and create 
want they wanted. They came up with all kinds of ideas-- water pipes, houses, 
the beach, a castle! Still after spending a good hour gluing they wanted to 
make necklaces!So I  cut out circles,wrote their names on them  put the circles onto 
curling ribbon and they made their necklaces. This is a great fine motor skill, and works
 best with curling ribbon and short pieces of straws. The ribbon is stiff and the 
short straws are easy to string. I like to tape one end of the ribbon down so as they
 string the straws don't all fall off the end they are not putting their straws on. 
A great activity that is great on the budget!
Supplies needed
colored straws
construction paper
school glue
curing ribbon


Monday, June 2, 2014


Bouncing balloon prints
It was 110 degrees outside today in Phoenix! That 
meant I needed to find some creative inside activities for the kids! 
They had so much fun bouncing balloons through
florescent colored paint and onto white 
paper.  The paintings came out super cute! I gave each
child a paper plate with 4 puddles of paint and a
 balloon (don't blow them up to big). Then I showed them how to dip 
the balloon and bounce it over the paper until the paint was gone. 
They giggled as they painted picture after picture!Once the pictures  
were dry I stapled their paintings together and we made bouncing 
balloon books. I set foam stickers out  for them to add to
 each page of their book and had them dictate a story line
 for me to write on each page. They came up with such cute stories!
This was definitely a  fun and entertaining activity that keep us all nice and cool!

Supplies needed
florescent paint (a fun change from primary colors)
paper plates
balloons
white paper
optional --stickers