art
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Awesome Markers
I have this problem… I LOVE art supplies. Markers are my weakness, mostly because I refuse to use a dried out marker, oh, and because I love markers that have a perfectly new tip. I’m the teacher who hoards a box of markers so that they are always in new condition when I need to use them. So it should come as no surprise that I love shopping for markers – any kind of markers. Here are some fun products that would be great for the classroom! All links are affiliates. Super Tips – These are the best markers! They have a fine tip, but you can also draw with the broad…
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Friday Freebie – Creative doodling
Happy Friday!!!! I’ve been sharing great ideas for art projects that use markers all week, and I have one for you today that you might even try this weekend. This graph paper drawing idea is a great way to encourage creativity. Children can use their imagination and express what the graph paper looks like to them. The best part is that Kate from Picklebums shares where she got her free graph paper, that comes in all different fun shapes! Enjoy your weekend and feel free to share your students doodles (or your own!).
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Marker Tie Dye
Marker tie dye is one of those activities that I can count on to keep children engaged no matter what. It’s a science experiment disguised as a magic trick and it requires very few supplies or materials. The idea is simple; children use washable marker to color on a coffee filter and then they spray their coffee filter with water from a spray bottle. When the children spray the coffee filter with water the colors from the markers bleed together, creating a tie dye look. Once the coffee filters dry they are perfect for hanging in windows where light will shine through, or for other projects. Over the years I’ve…
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Elements of art: line
We know that when children are drawing they are practicing pre-writing skills, but did you know that they are also learning about elements and principles of design? I stumbled across this amazing ABCs of Art Booklet (on Pinterest of course) a while back and it has become one of my favorite things ever. The pages provide incredible inspiration for the children as they draw. My favorite page in the booklet is the page on line. It is the perfect poster for the art area, or to leave in the middle of the table while the children work. When it comes to playing with lines, I think markers are the best!…
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Experimenting with permanent markers
Yes, you read that title right, permanent markers. Think about it – all of those other art supplies you use make a colossal mess, so why not use permanent markers too? Sure, they might get on your tables, or on the children’s hands, but if you take the same precautions that you would for paint – covering the table or using a tray, making sure the children wear smocks, etc. – then you can minimize the mess. Plus, it’s a great opportunity to talk to the children about using the markers appropriately, and expressing your expectations clearly. If you want to be prepared with a few clean up tricks up…
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Friday Freebie – Art Supply Labels
Happy Friday! I have been waiting for this day since January because as of 2:30 this afternoon I am officially on vacation!!!!! I’m sure many of you are in the same boat, so therefore, today we are celebrating together! I also have a fabulous freebie for you. These art supply labels from Joanna Minor are amazing because they include real photographs of the supplies. These are perfect for organizing your art supplies, which somehow have a mind of their own – I know, I’ve been there! Download these labels and have a wonderful holiday weekend!
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Friday Freebie – Art Activities
Yay for Friday! Thank goodness, I am so ready for the weekend! I have the best freebie for you today, This Art Lesson Plan book from Pink and Green Mama includes 20 different art activities for little ones. The ages range from preschool to second grade, so you may have to make some adaptations to make sure that the activities are completely appropriate for you preschoolers, but they look like tons of fun. Hopefully this will help you in the lesson planning departments and spark some creativity in the classroom!
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Great big list of things to paint on
If you’re looking for a way to spark your students’ interest in painting, consider giving them something a little unusual to paint on. This is a great way to learn about new materials; children can explore absorption, experiment with using different amounts of water, and see how different brushes work on different backgrounds. Painting on a specific kind of material can also encourage children to explore the texture and detail of the material because the paint will intensify these details. Here is a great big list of things that you can paint on: Aluminum foil Waxed paper Saran wrap Press and Seal wrap Bubble wrap Canvas Velvet Leather Flannel Denim…
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Tips and tricks for keeping things neat while painting
I honestly have no problem with a little bit of a mess, and I think it’s inevitable when you’re painting with preschoolers. That doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t use strategies to make cleaning up easier. Here are some great tricks for prepping your painting space so that clean up is a breeze. Store your paint in disposable containers with lids like baby food containers. If you need to clean up before the kids are finished you can just snap the lids on the paints, and then once they are done you can toss the containers. This is also a great way to make sure that you aren’t wasting paint. Cover tables…
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Products for painting activities
I’m going to share some fun painting ideas this week, but before we get to those I wanted to share a few of my favorite paint-related products. These are all my personal favorite paints, supplies, and clean up helpers! This post includes Amazon affiliate links. When it comes to watercolors, Crayola is hands down the best brand. The colors are bright and the packaging is easy for little ones to use independently. Crayola 8 Count Watercolors Are my favorite because half the fun of watercolors is mixing new colors, but they also have an 16 count set. I am personally not a fan of liquid watercolor simply because they are so…
