Snazzy Suggestions to Spunk Up Your Child's Block Play

    What child doesn't love blocks? I don't even know an adult who doesn't. The simple yet classic educational toy has inspired multiple generations. Over the years they have evolved and been reinvented in many different styles and ways.
     Here are some ideas  to enhance your child(ren)'s creative thought processes and produce more meaningful learning experiences during their block play.

Assemble Family Member Blocks 

Start by taking full body photos of each member of your family. Print them out in a size that will fit on the blocks the children are using. Use clear contact paper to adhere them to individual blocks.  This idea can also be executed by mounting the photos on cardboard and using a black metal binder clip on the bottom of each one so they stand up. Children will love playing with their family and friends inside their block buildings either way.

Make Signs

Encouraging children to create signs to incorporate into their creations will not only expand their thought processes but it is also a great way to exercise their literary skills. Maybe it's an open sign for their grocery story or road signs for their city. This idea can also open the door for your child to want to include their drawings in their block structures as well.

 Include random objects and materials

Want to challenge your child's creative thought process? Try having your child build with recycled boxes and containers, paper towel rolls, old CDs, and things from nature or include some of these materials with the blocks. Other items such as old marker caps, corks, sugar cubes, foam blocks (The foam blocks are a safer alternative to wood blocks for all toddler builders), random wood or plastic pieces for ramps, and pipe cleaners are fun to explore as well.

Paint some blocks

Why not have your child(ren) paint some of their blocks? I suggest acrylic paints for this. This idea will surely add some spunk to their creations and may even be a gateway into more creative ideas. Don't worry it's pretty easy reinvent old designs or touch up mistakes using the magic of a layer or two of white paint. Use Elmer's glue to add glitter if you dare or wrap some blocks in aluminum foil. 

Display Pictures of Famous Buildings From Around the World

 By displaying famous real life architecture from around the world, you will not only inspire your child but you will also provide opportunity to discuss different places. The Leaning Tower of Pisa, The Eiffel Towel, The Golden Gate Bridge, The Arc de Triumph, The Sphinx, The Great Wall of China and The Statue of Liberty are some ideas to get you started. Try including a world map in your display as well so child can decide where they want their structure to be located.

Have Children Draw Creations Before and Afterwards

 I highly recommend children practice transferring their ideas from 2D to 3D and from 3D to 2D. This activity is not easy but practice is key.

    Try including toy animals or toy people in the setup of the toys to inspire new ideas... or incorporate letter blocks into the mix as another way to incorporate literacy. Block play provides a great opportunity to work with your child on shapes, colors, and counting as well. No matter what you took away from this article, remember that this is supposed to be fun for your child(ren) so don't force anything. Their natural interests and curiosities should lead the way and that is the key to meaningful learning.

Stay inspired everyone!

Below I have included links to relevant and recommended materials on Amazon for your convenience.

Exciting Scientific Ways to Explore Colors with Your Child

   Lets be honest... Colors are fun and mixing them... well that's just awesome!  It is also the key to integrating science into your child's art experiences. Here are some colorful experiment ideas for your child to explore:

*Color Changing Flower Experiment: You're going to need white cut flowers (carnations, tulips, roses), a vase, water and some liquid watercolors or food coloring. Your child will be fascinated watching how the flowers transform as they drink up the colored water. What happens if once the flower starts turning red, you place it in blue colored water? Introduce the idea to your child as an experiment and without giving away the result. Remind them that process will take time. This is the perfect activity to incorporate into the discussion of plants, gardening or Spring time. Encourage and/ or assist your child in documenting the changes they notice. They can draw pictures and explain to you their observations as you or they write them down.

*Coffee Filter Color Mixing: Coffee filters are a great and inexpensive canvas for your child to explore blending colors. You can do this in a number ways. Liquid water colors with eye droppers is my personal favorite. Not only does it feel more scientific for your child while they practice using the eyedroppers to distribute colors but the colors come out the most vibrant. An easy alternative would be to use Crayola markers and have you child decorate the filter, then watch what happens when they spray down their designs with water. They will love using the spray bottle! I recommend placing the wet coffee filters on watercolor paper or some kind thick paper. The markings their designs leave are gorgeous.

* Moving Colors in Milk Experiment: You'll need a small plate (with some dip to it so it can hold the milk), food coloring, milk, dish soap and Q-tips. Pour some milk onto the plate so it covers the entire bottom surface. Allow your child to drop colors into the milk with food coloring. They can choose how they want to arrange the colors, but encourage them to keep them fairly close together. Talk to them about creating patterns. When their design is finished, allow the child to dab dish soap into areas of their design using a Q-tip. Make sure to take it slow and experience the results of each dab. Watching the colors move and swirl is always exciting and designs will vary every time.

*Blending Colors on Cloth: You'll need an old bed sheet for this one, along with some Sharpie markers, spray bottle or dropper and rubbing alcohol. Depending on the child(ren)'s age, this one definitely requires supervision. Cut the sheet into a manageable size (maybe a little smaller than a washcloth). One sheet will provide for multiple works of art. Have your child decorate the material using the Sharpies. Encourage the child to fill the entire space. Decorating a white t-shirt could also be fun. After the design is complete use a dropper or spray bottle to distribute the rubbing alcohol on the material. If you decide to do a t-shirt, make sure to place a piece of thick cardboard or cookie sheet pan inside the shirt to prevent colors from blending onto the back. Watch and enjoy as the magic happens!

*Coming Together of Colors Experiment: This one is easy. All you need are two glasses, liquid watercolor or food coloring, some paper towel and water. Fill each glass with different colored water. I recommend starting with two primary colors to investigate how to make secondary colors. Place the glasses side by side and connect them using a rolled up paper towel with one end tipped in each glass. Where the colors meet after being absorbed by the paper towel will answer their color mixing questions. I definitely recommend using this as a tool to discuss how different colors are made, primary vs. secondary colors as well as cause and effect.

    These ideas are fun no matter how they are presented but the more thoughtful and excited you are about them, the more excited the children will be. Use words and terms such as: investigate, observations, experiment,  cause & effect, and results to enhance the experience.

Good luck and have fun!

Nine Nifty Non-Brush Ways For Your Child(ren) to Paint

     Ready to challenge your child's creative mind? Try replacing their paint brushes with these unusual materials. I bet they'll love the randomness and  they may conjure up some ideas of their own. No matter what, their artwork will feel like an adventure.

So lets get started.

1. Nature- Incorporating nature into your child's learning experiences is truly the "Reggio Way". If you are unfamiliar with the Reggio Emilia philosophy I highly suggest you look into it. By giving your child(ren) the opportunity to paint with flowers, pine cones, pine needles, twigs / sticks, leaves, acorns, or any other natural material, they will not only discover beautiful new kinds of markings and strokes but they will also gain a greater appreciation for the beauty in the nature that is around them.

2. Balloons- Balloons are fun... period. Balloons + Painting... Now that is going to be the best time ever! Perhaps suggest this idea as a way to settle down after a birthday party or an exciting game of "Don't Let the Balloon Touch the Ground".

3. Bubbles- This activity will have your child blown away. Add watercolor to your child's bubbles and teach them how to aim when they blow their next masterpiece.

4. Toy Cars- You can really play up this idea by providing children with  materials to experiment with such as ramps and different sized toy cars with different kinds of patterns on their tires. I definitely wouldn't let your child use their favorite toy cars for this.

5. Yarn- I love the effect of this when the strokes of the yarn stay visible on the paper. Trust me, there are plenty young artists who will use the yarn as an excuse to go hands all in... and all the power to them. That's awesome and it definitely speaks to their personality.  Remember, it is their experience and exploration that matters most, not the final product.

6. Hands and Feet- Mentally prepare yourself for this one because it sure can get messy. That's what makes it so fun though! Your child will either love or despise this activity depending on their sensory tolerance. Offer plastic gloves as an alternative to bare hands. I recommend this be an outside activity and have plenty of paper on hand.

7. Bottles- This is a trash to treasure story, especially when your child realizes the bottoms of bottles stamp fun flower shapes. They can explore the difference in markings when they roll the bottle, stamp the bottom and stamp the top. I'm sure they'll have plenty of new techniques of their own. I recommend this as Spring time activity for its flower shapes and easy translation into an Earth Day learning experience. Every day should be an Earth Day.

8. Q-tips- This is an easy clean up activity. I recommend tying the experience to learning about Pointillism and exploring Australian art  (Australian Dreamtime Art). Showing children different kinds of art from different countries makes the learning more meaningful (and fun of coarse). It also provides a vehicle for inspiration for future projects and learning.

9. Kitchen Utensils- Your child will surely cook up some fun artwork with these tools. Why not do this activity after a morning or afternoon of baking together? I would say a rolling pin, spatula, fork, spoon and a whisk would be my first go to. I would recommend purchasing plastic utensils that the child(ren) can continue to play with afterwards... in their art, play kitchen or with their play dough.

Now off you go! Have some fun!

Good Luck everyone! Please share your thoughts, other ideas and experiences below!

Enhance Your Child's Play Dough Experiences

     What child doesn't love play dough? It's actually pretty easy to make at home too! Your child's experience helping you stir up this fun mixture will be just as rewarding as the time he/ she spends playing with the play dough itself.

      Check Out this Blog for a Great Recipe: http://kidsactivitiesblog.com/206/play-dough
Below I have included links to purchase relevant pieces for each theme. Remember talking to your children about the figures they are playing with can provide an open window into inspired learning about space, nature, animals, dinosaurs, counting, colors, etc. Use your child's interests to keep them engaged.

1. Intergalactic Themed- Your child(ren)'s imagination will surely blast off if you use black liquid water color to dye the play dough dark grey... Add silver glitter and it becomes 100x better. Small plastic astronaut and spaceship toys and some cool looking rocks from outside will make their playtime out of this world.

2. Dinosaur World Themed- I recommend tan play dough for this one! Add sand to the batch for some fun texture. With small plastic dinosaur toys, some twigs, rocks and other interesting pieces of nature, I promise your child will be fascinated. I also recommend having a small basket of extra nature accessories for your child to apply to their play scene.

3. Under the Sea Themed- Picture this... Blue play dough (another great one to add sparkles to), ocean life animal toys and some beautiful sea shells. These materials with the right setup will have your child(ren) diving into their imagination. Plastic toy boats, mermaids, and pirates may apply.
4. Little Bakery Themed- I suggest pink or yellow play dough for this one... with a cute inexpensive bakery toy set of coarse . Birthday candles, a rolling pin, cookie cutters and mini muffin tins will definitely be a  hit! Try providing the child(ren) with empty sprinkle and cinnamon shakers to fuel their play.
5. A Bug's Life Themed- I would go with green play dough for this one. Plastic bug toys, artificial flowers / petals, and pieces of nature will work wonders. This would be a great opportunity to engage in meaningful conversation about insects and nature.
    Some other ideas would be hiding pennies or jewels in the play dough for the children to find as a way to exercise their fine motor skills.
Try supplying feathers, buttons and those plastic google eye cupcake toppers as play dough accessories. You'll be amazed at the little creatures your child comes up with. The sky is the limit. Dry pasta, pipe cleaners, beads or small wooden pieces can also be fun additions. Have fun with it!

    I've provided some relevant links to items to help you create the play scenarios listed above.

Feel free to comment below with your play dough ideas and experiences.
Stay inspired everyone!


    

Top 5 Educational Toys for Little Creative Engineers

     A young engineering mind is not hard to spot at an early age. You can practically see the wheels in their head turning as they learn and explore new ideas, tools and materials. If you're looking for a toy kit that he or she will love AND learn from, here are my top five suggestions.

I've provided links to these toys on Amazon below.

1. Marble Genius Marble Run- We have this set in our preschool classroom (3-4 year olds)  and let me tell you... It is a hit!  It continues to be a hit in the Pre K classrooms as well. The marble is definitely a chocking hazard for anyone younger but under supervision an older two year old would love this just the same. The pieces are brightly colored and connect easily. The company offers different sized kits as well.

2. SASRL Magnetic Blocks Toys- This set allows your child to explore building, shapes, colors and magnets in one experience. Your child(ren) will love inventing with these colorful pieces. It is also a great tool for generating meaningful conversations with your child(ren) about their creations and the thought process behind them.

3. Learning Resources Gears! Gears! Gears!- I love when we put this toy out for our preschoolers. It exposes the children to concepts such as cause and effect, trial and error, design and motion. The gears come in different sizes and colors, with endless opportunities for creation.

4. Kids First Automobile Engineer Kit- Young children love to create! Their imaginations are running wild and it is important that we fuel that. As a passionate early childhood educator, I've noticed that children are always drawn to the wheel pieces of any building set. Making their creation move is exciting for them. This kit caters to just that and also offers kits to make aircrafts, robots and amusement parks.

5. Waterfall Discovery Wall Set- I love this new take on the traditional discovery table you would typically find in an early childhood classroom. This toy does take some assembling but is definitely worth it. Anything with water is fun, try experimenting with using sand or rice as well. I love the problem solving element children explore while enjoying this toy.

    Your child(ren) will definitely learn from and enjoy these toys on their own. These experiences will surely be enhanced when paired with meaningful discussions about what they are noticing, their thought processes and their overall ideas about their creations. Open ended questions are key here rather than direct instruction.

Stay Inspired Everyone!

                                                               

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Five Crucial Elements to Creating a Reggio Inspired Art Space

So You're Looking to Apply Some Reggio To Your Child(ren)'s Art Space....

The Reggio Emilia Philosophy is known for its art based approach. The philosophy refers to a children's art space as an atelier.

.   “The atelier is a separate room or area for the use and understanding of materials. It gives children opportunities to explore and become experts with materials in a place designated for this.” (Hendrick, 211)   Working with the light table, exploring manipulation of clay and sculpting with wire are some popular material studies that take place within this workspace. “What is done with materials and media is not regarded as art, per se because in the view of Reggio educators the children’s use of many media is not a separate part of the experience. It is an inseparable, integral part of the whole cognitive / symbolic expression in the process of learning.”(Hendrick, 22)

Here are 5 Easy and Beneficial Tips to Applying The Philosophy To

Your Child(ren)'s Atelier

1. Art Materials On Display & Easily Accessible to Children: Reggio-inspired rooms are known for keeping art materials on display within children’s reach to empower and inspire them. “The materials are carefully selected and arranged to invite exploration. On low shelves, the child can find “transparent jars of shells, buttons, beads, wires, tiny pine cones, dried rose metals, sequins in the shape of flowers, and spiral shavings from colored pencils,” all of which “reflect the light and reveal their enticing contents” (Cadwell, 2003, p. 117).

2. Natural Light & Living Plants: From a child’s perspective, such small changes animate the environment, making it feel “electric and alive” (Cadwell, 2003, p. 118).” (Strong-Wilson, p. 42)

3. Freedom to Create: This area needs to be less controlled. The child(ren) should feel free and encouraged to use and experiment with the materials in their own way without worrying about how it "should" be done or how it "should" look. The Reggio philosophy encourages open ended art that plays emphasis on the ideas, techniques and process that the child uses rather than their final product.

4. Make It Feel Homey: Using baskets and clear jars to display and store materials is a great touch. Display photographs of the children with their family to unite their two worlds together. Room lamps, vibrant and earthy fabric to cover backs of bookcases, soft seating, colorful area rugs and drapery that dangles safely from the ceiling are some other ideas to consider. 

5. Display Child(ren)’s Artwork:  Doing so will strengthen their confidence and in turn inspire them to create more. Artwork should be displayed with no wild borders or colored backgrounds. Black borders for each piece is most appropriate if it's felt to be necessary. The display area itself should be neutral to keep the focus on the work.

Art is a language that breaks all language or cultural barriers. It is a means for children to express all that they have going on inside of them. The materials they choose to use speak to the message they are trying to get across. These artistic experiences assist the children in sorting out their thoughts on the subject and makes learning more meaningful.

I invite you to comment below with your thoughts and experiences of creating an art space.

Resources

1. Cadwell, L. (2003). Bringing learning to life the Reggio approach to early childhood education. New York: Teachers College Press.

2. Hendrick, J. (2004). Next steps toward teaching the Reggio way: Accepting the challenge to change (2nd ed.). Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Pearson/Merrill/Prentice Hall.

3. Strong-Wilson, T., & Ellis, J. (2007). Children and Place: Reggio Emilia's Environment As Third Teacher. Theory Into Practice, 46(1), 40-47. doi:10.1207/s15430421tip4601_6

4. Wurm, J. (2005). Working in the Reggio way: A beginner's guide for American teachers. St. Paul, MN: Redleaf Press.

 

Seven Stellar Ways to Put Your Child(ren)'s Artwork to Good Use

Is your child producing more artwork than you can keep up with? Is the refrigerator out of space and your special drawer or box spilling over?

I get it. It can be difficult for you or your child to let go of these cherished pieces. Below I have provided a list of seven ideas to put your children’s art to good use.

1.       My first and personal favorite is sending it to Operation Gratitude; a non-profit that sends care packages to our beloved troops. By adding a small note of gratitude to any cute and colorful drawings or paintings, thanking those brave men and women and sending them off to this organization, you are sure to make a difference.

2.       If you can’t show off their artwork on the fridge, why not show it off on your clothing? Or their clothing for that matter… www.picturethisclothing.com gives you and your child the chance to strut your stuff showing off the artwork you both love on a t-shirt or dress (Dresses are only available for children).

3.       Are your child’s drawings of animals, monsters or even people absolutely heartwarming? Why not have the drawings made into stuffed toys? www.budsies.com will bring your child’s artwork to life as a cuddly replica of your child’s design. What a great way to boost your child’s confidence and fuel their beautiful imagination!

4.       Try spreading the love with your child’s artwork as the next design for your mailing stamps! www.pictureitpostage.com can make that happen. This will not only put a smile on you and your child’s face but anyone and everyone you send mail to. This is also a great way to encourage your child to practice writing.

5.       As for all those colorful paintings your child is cranking out, why not use them as giftwrap for when you give your most loved relatives their own copy of a coffee table book featuring a collection of family photos and pictures of your child’s artwork. You can have beautiful quality book of made at www.artimusart.com

6.       Here’s another great way to make a difference with their heartwarming pieces! http://ilovemykidsart.com/kids-art-for-the-cure/ : Kids Art for the Cure. This organization calls for donations of children’s artwork to transform into a variety of products to sell as a way of raising money for a cure for cancer.

7.       Last but not least would be to use their work as a memorable fashion accessory. www.tottallyoutofhand.com will transform a drawing into a charmed necklace that will go nicely with your child designed tote bag from www.snaptotes.com.

     No matter what you decide, make sure when the time comes that you do need to start letting these pieces go... be mindful not to let your child(ren) find their work in the garbage. Whether that means disposing of it at your job or burying it the trash can when they're not around, please take the extra time to do so.

Five Fabulous Books to Fuel Your Child(ren)'s Creativity and Imagination

My Five Favorite Books to Stir Up Your Child(ren)’s Creativity and Imagination

It doesn’t matter what the topic is, books are always a great tool for getting through to your child. Try incorporating these titles into your story time to inspire your child(ren).

Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson – This book is a classic! Through Harold’s story, children learn how it is possible to find excitement in the art they create. After reading this book with your child(ren), ask them to draw a picture then have them tell you a story about the picture they made. Be sure to document what they say. This is a great way to incorporate teaching literacy skills into their art time. They will love seeing their words come to life on paper and practicing reading the stories they made up.

Beautiful Oops! by Barney Saltzberg:  One of the great lessons art has to offer is that it is possible to make mistakes beautiful. Sometimes a mistake can be transformed into the most interesting part of a picture.

Iggy Peck, Architect by Andrea Beaty and David Roberts: Talk about a fun, rhyming story! The book’s main character, Iggy Peck, demonstrates creativity and determination in a way that children are sure to enjoy and even be inspired by. Creativity doesn’t always have to be exercised with traditional art materials. Building with blocks and Legos also involve an element of creativity. Ask your child to draw a picture of the structure they want to build or to draw a picture of the creation they already made. Also have them try building with materials they wouldn’t expect like recycled containers and materials or Model Magic with objects from nature. These types of unexpected challenges will only fuel their creative thinking skills.

The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds:  This lovable story shows us how imagination can flourish from just the simplest mark. Rather than over think, it encourages children to just begin with a simple stroke or mark and to go with the flow from there.  This concept can be translated into a fun game with you kid(s) by taking turns adding small markings to a picture you are creating together. Without discussing what it is, the process will be exciting for both you to see where it goes and what you come up with. Try this game on your next airplane or car trip or even while waiting at a restaurant.

The Artist Who Painted A Blue Horse by Eric Carle:  Eric Carle paints a beautiful picture of the kind of beautiful adventure your imagination can take you on and shows his readers how much fun using your imagination to draw things your own way can be. Appreciate and encourage children to experiment presenting the subjects of their pieces in colors or ways you wouldn’t normally see them in real life; a blue dog for example or a horse wearing clothes.

10 Fun Projects to Exercise Your Chid(ren)'s Creativity Over the Summer Break

Ready... Set... Create!

 

Here is a list of ten awesome art ideas for your child to enjoy during their time away from school. (I don't blame you if you want to try some out too.)

1. Decorate a box. I know it sounds simple but children love boxes; big ones, small ones… They are all fun! You can purchase treasure / jewelry sized boxes at Michaels that are easy to decorate. Recycled boxes from your own home are equally as exciting. Old appliance boxes can easily become racecars, spaceships and forts. Children can add fabric, yarn, magazine cut outs, and their own drawing to their pieces.

2. Embellish a piece of nature. This can be painting a fallen branch, leaf or rock, stringing beads on twigs or creating a sculpture out of nature. Just a walk outside can inspire your child in all sorts of ways.

3. Paint with something unusual. Try painting with balloons, pieces of nature, pom-poms, toy cars, feathers… the sky is the limit.

4. Decorate a picture frame. This makes a nice gift for relatives or a heartwarming keepsake to display a special memory.

5. Create a stained glass window. This concept can be done in a variety of ways. Two of my favorites are collaging colored tissue paper on clear contact paper or coloring with sharpies on wax paper. Both look really nice with a frame made out of black construction paper.

6. Finger Paint! Doing this activity outside cuts down the cleanup and gives your child more freedom to have fun. Who knows, maybe they’ll want to paint with their feet too! The final product works great as wrapping paper as well.

7. Draw a Self Portrait. Self-portraits are a great opportunity to build your child’s self-esteem and confidence as well as for you to get an idea of how your child sees him or herself.

8. Create something from recycled materials. This is usually a favorite and puts your cycled materials to good use. With just some tape, glue, scissors, markers and a bunch of old containers… your child will have a ball.

9. Make some jewelry. Children love to string beads. Not only does this activity strengthen their fine motor skills, but you can also practice patterns with them. Your child will enjoy making pieces they or a loved one can wear.

10. Decorate a t-shirt. Creating is fun but wearing what you make is exciting too. I highly recommend puffy paints and/ or sharpies for this activity. They also sell a fabric glue so your child can include pom-poms, and sparkles on their piece.