I have a penchant for books that are just plain silly, both in premise and in the delivery (rhymes, alliterations, and made-up words – all great for phonemic awareness). Moosetache by Margie Palatini is that kind of book. In this story, a moose is tormented by his unruly and prolific mustache. His problems are finally solved when he meets the moose of his dreams and she introduces him to a special pot of glue she uses to tame her own crazy locks.
This Could Be the Safest Finger-Paint Ever
I recently had a teacher ask about art projects for the very young, particularly young two’s. She was especially concerned with the safety factor, as the little ones have a tendency to try to eat what they’re working with. I have a long list of suggestions for her, but I’ll share just one with you now!
Bev Bos' Secret to Successful Shaving Cream Art
I do enjoy Bev Bos! That woman is in a league of her own! Well, it’s thanks to Bev that I’ve learned the secret to great shaving cream painting! In the past, I’ve had children paint with colored shaving cream, and they’ve had a great experience, but unless they spread the foam out, once that foam’s dry, it all seems to fall apart. Enter Bev. Her big secret is to add equal parts Elmer’s glue and shaving cream and whip them together. Then add your color and you’re good to go! [Read more…]
Bev Bos’ Secret to Successful Shaving Cream Art
I do enjoy Bev Bos! That woman is in a league of her own! Well, it’s thanks to Bev that I’ve learned the secret to great shaving cream painting! In the past, I’ve had children paint with colored shaving cream, and they’ve had a great experience, but unless they spread the foam out, once that foam’s dry, it all seems to fall apart. Enter Bev. Her big secret is to add equal parts Elmer’s glue and shaving cream and whip them together. Then add your color and you’re good to go! [Read more…]
Fruity Scented Kool-Aid Playdough
I love cinnamon scented playdough, which I listed here, but I also love the fruity scent of Kool-Aid scented playdough! Adding an extra appeal to the senses could hardly be easier! Start with the Classic Playdough Recipe. Add a packet of Kool-Aid to the water before adding it to the pan. Ta-da! Simple, right? Now, if you already have a batch of playdough made up, you can also knead the powder right into the dough. It takes a bit of time to get it mixed through, but because it hasn’t been cooked, the scent may actually be stronger that way. Just be sure that the powder has been worked in completely. You may even want to let it sit overnight to be sure that the powder has been fully absorbed.
Paint You Can See…Smell…and Feel!
If you’d like to incorporate a few more senses into your painting projects, add some regular salt generously to your tempera paint and use as fingerpaint or with a brush. The resulting project will have a bit more texture and grit that becomes even more visible as it dries. Use side by side with “regular” paint for a great texture comparison. This will spark interest as well as encourage the use of new vocabulary words like bumpy, gritty, sandy, smooth, etc. (If you’re not fingerpainting, you might want to use your older brushes for this one, as the salt tends to get into the bristles a bit.)
Scented Playdough–Cinnamon Spice!
If you want great scented playdough, that smells like an actual, natural food scent, try this one out! It’s probably my favorite scented playdough, in large part because it makes your whole room smell like a bakery! In fact, you’ll have to remind your children that in spite of the great scent, it is still not for eating!
Bubble Paint
For the truly brave preschool teacher or parent, looking for a creative art project, I present bubble painting!! This can be a messy project, but very unique and with many opportunities for developmental growth. Directions first, benefits later.