Toddler art is great to display

This isn't a new idea or even my idea but I wanted to document this idea in my blog because I think it is fabulous.

I am often asked for activities that toddlers can do that will also be great to display. Sometimes this is referred to as "refrigerator art." I hesitate to focus too much on refrigerator art because first and foremost I want to express  how important it is to make sure theprocess of creating is emphasized more than the outcome.





Process over product is a term used over and over again by early childhood educators in hopes to help parents and others realize that young children learn through the doing. In my last post I shared the experience of Wy discovering the tools to create and exploring the process. In this post, Wy explored the process of painting with Q-tips which resulted in a colorful non-distinctive painting (shown above).

This painting (shown above) was another simple painting Wy created using sponge brushes. This painting may not look like a masterpiece but it can be displayed to look like a masterpiece and yet still preserve the process that Wy explored.

I took an old picture frame I had around the house.

Chose the part of the painting I wished to display and then trimmed around the edges to fit the back of the frame.

I then inserted the painting into the frame which resulted in a terrific piece of art to display and yet the learning process was preserved!

After trimming away the edges of the painting, I had one of Wy's little hand prints left over.

I cut out the hand print, dated it, and gave the handprint to Wy's daddy which he gently folded up and tucked into his wallet.

Bird nests your preschooler can make!

This week was a week about spring and spring always reminds us of birds.

The children made their own little bird nests with eggs.

The children spread glue all over their paper then sprinkles brown confetti strips on top of the glue.

Then the children dipped their finger tips or thumbs into the stamp/ink pad and made little finger/thumb print eggs inside the nest.

Farm Week in Preschool

The children in this class spent the week exploring all about the farm. They explored a variety of activities including how to create the form of a tractor out of shapes.

For sensory, the children drove tractors in (and around) the dirt.

The children discovered the feel and shape of lima beans. The children then added water to their lima beans and let them sit overnight to see what would happen next. The next day, the beans absorbed the seeds and expanded. The children tried to predict what they thought would happen and many of them predicted the beans would get smaller.

Some of the children explored haystacks. The children sprinkled glue and shredded wheat on the print out.

For science, the children made butter from whipping cream. They poured whipping cream in a jar and shook it throughout the morning. After the butter was formed, they poured off the extra milk. Then the butter was refrigerated and later the children put a little of their home made butter on crackers to taste.

Organizing your preschoolers art supplies

I thought I would share some of the ways teachers organize their student art supplies. Above is a caddy that holds markers, scissors, a stapler, crayons, and glue.

This little caddy also has a side pocket where crayons are kept. The caddy would be placed in the center of the table and the supplies shared by a small group of students. This is also a good way for children to store their supplies at home.

In this classroom, each child is given a plastic baggy to store their own set of supplies. Each baggy contains a glue stick, crayons, and the child's name card. The baggies are kept in a basket on the shelf and the children find their baggy with their name inside then take it to the table to participate in structured activities the teacher has planned.

There are additional art supplies kept in the art center as well such as scissors, paint, play dough, and so on.

The name cards are always included in each baggy.

The name cards are available for children to practice printing their own name and for promoting name recognition.

The children in the Kindergarten room each have a school box that they keep their basic art supplies in.

The children have glue, scissors, pencils, crayons, erasers, and rulers in their boxes.

The kindergarten children have name cards to but they are mounted to the tables.

Each child has their own space during structured classroom activities.

Keep in mind that the supplies kept in individual containers are used for specific learning activities. There are always many other types of supplies available to the children throughout the day in the writing, creative art, science, and other centers.

Q-tip painting with toddlers in preschool

What started off a Q-tip painting quickly turned into full finger and body painting. This was Wy's first time exploring painting with Q-tips.

I started by having Wy sit across from me. I showed him how to dip the Q-tip into the paint and then swirl it around on the paper. Wy watched with interest but he would not touch the paint or Q-tips.

I decided to have Wy come and sit in my lap instead. For some reason, while sitting in my lap, Wy was more willing to explore the idea. Wy was more interested in exploring the cup and the Q-tip at first. I knew that before we could move onto any painting, I needed to let Wy explore the materials first.

It wasn't long before Wy was ready to try putting the paint on the paper. I held the cups and offered each color and  Wy dipped his own Q-tip in the paint and rubbed it on the paper. At this point, Wy was simply exploring the process. Exploring the process is part of developing the creative process.

Occasionally, Wy would decide to get up and walk away for a minute then he would come back and try the process out some more. He was progressively getting more interested in the marks he was making on the paper. I could see him focus more on the design and less on just wanting to explore the cups and Q-tips.



The final outcome doesn't represent a rainbow or words or even an intended design. What the final outcome does represent is Wy's successful first experience at exploring the process of painting with Q-tips!

Easel Painting with twos in the preschool classroom

In this twos classroom, easel painting is part of the daily routine. The children know how to get their own paint smock, slip it over their head, and then they head over to an open easel where paint, brushes, and paper is ready and waiting for them.

Some days they paint on short paper and other days they paint on large sheets of easel paper. The teachers change the kind of paper routinely. As the children start to paint, the teacher places the child's name at the top of the paper.

The children like to mix the paint colors and many of them enjoy painting the entire page - reaching up high to paint the top seems to be a favorite.

Easel painting is something these two year olds have mastered over time and with a great deal of practice. By giving the teachers opportunity to explore the paint and practice painting on the easel, it has become a natural part of their day. A child who has never explored painting at the easel is likely to paint on everything but the easel the first few times but don't give up - instead continue to offer the opportunity to try and see the growth and development improve.

Recipes for home made art products

Each photo below will take you to a great craft recipe that you will want to hang onto!

Mama Jenn: Colored Rice

Delicious Ambiguity: Sensory Bottle

Crunchy and Green: Salt Art

Preschool-What Fun We Have: Flour Finger Paint"

Centers and Circle Time: Pastel Colored Rice

The Artful Parent: Salt Paint

Pink and Green Mama: Cornstarch Sidewalk Paint

Quirky Mamma: Bubble Art

Delicious Ambiguity: Rainbow Science

A Handmade Childhood: Egg Tempera Paint

Teaching 2 and 3 Year Olds: Rainbow Milk Painting

Not Just Cute: Shave Cream Paint

Excellence in Early Childhood Education: Sweet Glue

Too Busy for TV: Home Made Fingerpaint

Frugal Family Fun Blog: Bubbles