rubber boots and elf shoes

Process art is a way for kids to explore art and their artistic selves. The action of creating is more important than the finished product. Fun-A-Day can tell you all about it.

It's a bonus round, when process art looks knock-your-socks-off, fantastic-amazing.

Sandi

Self portraits are a time honoured way to assess development and growth in kindergarten.

They are also a wonderful tool to exercise observation skills, a vehicle of self expression, and way to develop the artist self.

They also transform a bulletin board into a gallery.

Sandi

Vincent Van Gogh's Starry Night has captured countless imaginations.

It captures ours.

We learn about Mr Van Gogh, his work, and how he painted with his feelings as well as his eyes, in kindergarten.

James Mayhew's book Katie and the Starry Night helps introduce children to Starry Night, and some of Van Gogh's other work. We read it, and then picked up our paint q-tips.

Katie and the Starry Night

written and illustrated by James Mayhew
published by Orchard Books, 2012

Sandi

Christmas is full of amazing sights, sounds and scents.

One of the best ways that we remember things is through the sense of smell.

A brilliant friend of mine created an interactive Scents of Christmas centre in her classroom last year and shared her trade secrets with me this year.

Sandi

a growing collection of play dough and loose parts invitations

ocean playdough invitation

play dough: blue Wilton's food dye

small aquarium rocks

assortment of Toob sea creatures

ocean coloured gems

laminated ocean pictures from Nurture Store

fall playdough invitation

play dough: copper food dye, nutmeg and cinnamon, gold glitter

plastic leaves from the Thrift Shop

gold and copper garland

small sticks

fall coloured buttons

fall coloured gems

fall table scatter/vase filler from Michaels

spider playdough invitation

play dough: purple food dye, purple and fushsia glitter, lavender essential oil
googly eyes
black, orange and purple pipe cleaners
cut up straws
laminated paper spiders
plastic spiders
next time will add small sticks and cut up bead garland

dinosaur play dough invitation

play dough: purple food dye, purple and fuchsia glitter, lavender essential oil
big dinosaurs
little dinosaurs
little rocks
bigger rocks
sticks
glass gems

galaxy play dough invitation

play dough: black liquid watercolour and food dye, blue and gold glitter, tiny stars
space printables from Picklebums
plastic astronaut figures
cut up garland
glass gems, beach glass, plastic disks from Christmas tree garland
star cookie cutters

gingerbread play dough invitation

play dough: recipe from Mama.Papa.Bubba. with the addition of copper and gold glitter
buttons
gems
cut up garland
mini cookie cutters
gingerbread friends cookie cutters
extra plates and trays for cooking and serving cookies

Christmas tree play dough invitation

play dough: kelly green Wilton food dye, green and blue glitter
I did not have vegetable oil in the house, so found a recipe using coconut oil at come on ilene
buttons
gems
cut up garland
gold and silver decorations
mini cookie cutters
tree cookie cutters (many available at Bulk Barn)

snowman play dough invitation

play dough: bleached flour play dough, iridescent glitter

cut up bead garland

big bead garland cut into individual beads

sticks

small rocks

buttons

gems

googly eyes

cut up orange pipe cleaners

Chinese New Year play dough invitation

play dough: red icing dye with red and gold glitter
red and yellow craft sticks
red, gold and black cut up bead garland
red and black buttons
red gems and diamonds
red and yellow lids
gold coins (would love to get some Chinese coins)

Gruffalo play dough invitation

reused the gingerbread play dough
purple - lids, craft sticks - prickles all over his back
green -lid, beads, buttons - wart at the end of his nose
white - glass gems, rocks, shells, lids, golf tees - claws, horns, teeth
orange - lids, glass gems - eyes
brown lids, beads, glass gems - fur
black - lids, spools, glass gems - tongue

Valentine's play dough invitation

play dough: pink play dough with red and pink sparkles
cedar boughs
twigs (arbutus)
red twigs
leaves
googly eyes
glass gem hearts
cut up heart garland

green play dough invitation

green and nature play dough creations
play dough: green with bitter
cedar boughs
twigs (arbutus)
red twigs
ferns
cedar branches
nuts (with the shell on)

Sandi

Spiders make the most amazing fall decorations. Their webs just fascinate me. So intricate and delicate - get strong. And beautiful in the morning dew.

The kindergarten kids and I decided to make like spiders and create webs.

supplies
• coffee filters
• black jiffy marker
• eye droppers
• liquid water colour paints

1. Watch spiders create webs. It is amazing.

2. Draw a web on a coffee filter.

We chatted about how the spider makes the radial threads first, and then creates the spiral threads. Not all the kindergarten spiders followed the traditional spider web formula.

The kids drew on the coffee filter with pencil, and I traced over their lines with a jiffy marker.

2. Add colour.

I absolutely love liquid water colour paints. They are easy for the kids to use, and produce such beautiful, vibrant results.

We put a bit of slightly diluted red, yellow, orange, blue and purple liquid water colours in plastic cups (recycled snack size apple sauce containers are perfect). We did not put too much in the cups, since the kids did not need a dropper full of paint - just drops. A little goes a long way on a coffee filter.