Art trays are fantastic! What’s an art tray you ask? Well, once you use one, you’ll wonder how you ever got along without one. An art tray is any tray you can use to contain mess and define space while the little ones work on their creations. You could get the fantastic ones from Oriental Trading that I have (click on the picture above to link to their site), or use old cookie sheets or plastic trays from your own collection or your favorite thrift store. Just choose something that is leak proof and large enough to contain your general project size, yet small enough to accommodate the space you are using. Set the art trays down, put the supplies on the tray, and let those little fingers go to work!
The advent of writing is a momentous time in any child’s life. It is important to realize that the process preparing a child to write begins very early in life; long before she puts pencil to paper. I view the development of writing as having three major components: 1. Fine motor control, 2. Understanding that print carries meaning, and 3. An increased awareness of the alphabetic principle, leading to more conventional spelling. 
