You know how some kids get excited when you mention “paint?’ This week, I was that kid.

 
I unpacked my new set of water paints and took them for a swish to see how they felt and looked. It was so exciting! I was probably smiling like a goofball the whole time. My excitement was contagious as my sons (who are normally not excited by painting) asked if they could also paint with me. How could I say no to that?

 
Here are three fun painting ideas from last week’s Kids’ Co-Op  to get you and your household excited about painting:

• A Fun and Easy Way to Paint Pumpkins!! by In Lieu of Preschool
• Dot Art: Itsy-Bitsy Spider by Home Learning Journey
• Copaceii Fall by Mommy, play with me!

October 2012

 
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Only a year ago he happily sat wherever we plopped him.

 
Now, his little feet take him where his curiousity wills, which has been to the art & craft table.

 
Set up the invitation to play with block printing:

 
Toddlers innately want to explore the world around them. They’re figuring out cause and effect relationships. When doing arts and crafts with them, expose them to as many different materials and processes as possible.

 
Place a variety of small dishes with different coloured paints and blocks on the table.

 
Vary the paints each day. Use different colours. Use paints with or without glitter. Offer thick or thin paint.

 
Use different kinds of paper. You can use plain, coloured or textured paper. Don’t forget to use three dimensional mediums like boxes or rocks for variety.

 
Helpful things to remember when doing arts and crafts with toddlers:

 
It’s about the process, not the product.

 
Step back and let him do the whole project himself.

 
Repeat experiences are invaluable so resist the urge to pack things away.

 
What about block printing for older children?

 
To extend the activity for Big Brothers N and M, we explored the beginnings of patterns and algebra with block printing.

The post Art for Toddlers: Block Printing by Pauline appeared first on Lessons Learnt Journal.

Edible Straw Painting for Toddlers by Kids Creative Chaos
Teach toddlers to blow through a straw. If they accidentally suck in some paint it’s okay because the paint’s edible. Brilliant.

Rainbow Cupcakes by One Perfect Day

Rainbow cupcakes; for those times when you can’t decide on a colour. (I wonder if this principle will work with wardrobe decisions too?)

 

Carrot Cookies by Famiglia & Seoul

Smiles like that are what it’s all about. Check out how Gina & Grady spent their day making carrot cookies and reading The Carrot Seed.

The post The Weekly Kids’ Co-op: Into The Kitchen We Go! by Pauline appeared first on Lessons Learnt Journal.

Painting Feet: Painted Socks

 
There’s something odd about the experience of putting paint on ourselves. I find it calming and relaxing. Eg, when painting my nails, I forget about the world for about 15 minutes. Likewise, face painting my kids keeps them still for 15 minutes. All we see and feel for those 15 minutes is the paint on our bodies.

 
One day, while Master N and M were at preschool, I decided to take out our face painting box to paint Master E. We were just about to have lunch so I didn’t want to paint his face. I saw his chubby little feet and couldn’t resist the idea of painting feet.

 
So, instead of face painting, we painted on some socks.

Materials

Face paint
Small makeup brushes & sponges
Towel
Wipes

Method

Lay down a towel to protect your floors.

Start painting socks, avoiding the soles of the feet.

Try different patterns. Just wipe off the paint and start again.

Master E admired his painted socks.

 He even had a go himself.

 
Painted Socks. Instead of face painting – try painting feet. It’s easy for toddlers to see and try themselves.

Another Keep It Short & Simple (KISS) play idea.

E: 1 year, 9 months

The post Painting Feet: Painted Socks by Pauline appeared first on Lessons Learnt Journal.