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Putting The Pretty In Preschool

Finding Beauty In Everyday Early Childhood Experiences

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Annette Kaminsky

Thanksgiving Tablescape Pretend Play

November 23, 2022 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

This Thanksgiving tablescape pretend play setup incorporates loose parts in a big way. It's an easy center to include in harvest celebrations.

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Here’s an easy Thanksgiving tablescape pretend play setup your little learners will love. It incorporates fall-colored loose parts with a few turkey and pilgrim-themed accessories.

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Follow me on Pinterest for more early learning activities.

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Supplies In The Thanksgiving Tablescape

Turkey-themed loose parts are the highlight of this Thanksgiving play tablescape setup.

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The following supplies make this Thanksgiving tablescape a fun place to play:

  • harvest disposable plates and plaque
  • clear plastic glasses, dessert plates, and jars
  • baking pan
  • orange, yellow, and green cutlery
  • gold flowers in a vase
  • green, yellow, red, and orange felt balls and wooden beads
  • turkey centerpieces
  • miniature artificial pumpkins
  • Thanksgiving cookie cutters
  • Pilgrim sticker “cookies”
  • turkey game pieces and wooden beads
  • “Be Thankful” tea towel
  • white tablecloth

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Thanksgiving Tablescape Pretend Play

Arrange supplies for this tablescape in a play kitchen on a shelf, or place them in the play stove, fridge, and cupboards. Your little learners will enjoy incorporating them into festive play.

Loose parts are always a highlight of pretend play setups. Green, yellow, orange, and red-themed felt balls and round wooden beads easily transfer from a fall play tablescape to this Thanksgiving one.

Loose parts are the highlight of this Thanksgiving-themed dramatic play tablescape.

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The turkey centerpieces were a delightful find at a party store and add color and style.

Pilgrim-themed stickers make great “cookies” when placed on a baking pan.

Turkey game pieces and wooden beads help make the play set up super special.

Themed cookie cutters are easy-to-find items that add flair.

Turkey-themed loose parts are the highlight of this Thanksgiving tablescape pretend play setup.

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Disposable plates befitting the Thanksgiving theme are included in the décor, as are artificial miniature pumpkins showcased in clear plastic glasses.

Early learners will enjoy role-playing Thanksgiving dinner events with this festive pretend play setup.

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A “Be Thankful” tea towel and harvest plaque are the finishing touches to this seasonal dramatic play center.

This Thanksgiving tablescape dramatic play setup incorporates loose parts in a big way. It's an easy center to include in harvest celebrations.

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Related:

Fall Tablescape Pretend Play

Pumpkin Play Tablescape

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[Read more…] about Thanksgiving Tablescape Pretend Play

Filed Under: autumn, dramatic play, preschool, pretend play, Thanksgiving Day Tagged With: dramatic play, pretend play, tablescapes, turkeys

Corn Syrup Paint Sunflowers

November 18, 2022 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

Make these glorious, corn syrup paint sunflowers using a taste-safe, homemade, two-ingredient recipe. Download and use the free template.

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If you’ve followed my blog for a while, you can probably tell that I like both sunflowers and corn syrup paint a lot. I regularly post sunflower activity ideas and frequently feature corn syrup paint art. These corn syrup paint sunflowers perfectly showcase the beauty and appeal of this shiny, glossy paint. Prepare to be wowed!

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Follow me on Pinterest for more early learning ideas.

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This shiny, corn syrup paint sunflower art project is easy-to-do and looks gorgeous displayed. A free sunflower template is available to download.

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Supplies To Collect

For this easy-to-do, pretty painting activity, gather the following supplies:

  • white corn syrup
  • blue, red, and yellow food coloring
  • sunflower seeds
  • baby food jars
  • paintbrushes
  • teaspoons
  • 8 ½ x 11-inch white cardstock paper
  • green construction paper
  • scissors
  • glue stick
  • glue gun
  • pencil
  • sunflower template
  • plastic tablecloth

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Making The Corn Syrup Paint Sunflowers

There is always white corn syrup in my art supply collection, as I love using it in painting activities. But you can substitute light corn syrup instead.

Steps to make glorious, corn syrup paint sunflowers using a taste-safe, homemade, two-ingredient recipe. Download and use the free template for this art project.

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First, pour the corn syrup into three baby food jars, or paint containers you have handy. Add a few drops of red, yellow, and blue food coloring to one jar and mix it with a teaspoon to make a shade of brown. Add a few drops of yellow to another and stir. Mix red and yellow colors into a third container to make orange.

Note: The more food coloring drops you add, the darker each hue will be.

Next, trace and cut leaves and stems from green construction paper.

Afterward, cut cardstock sunflowers from a template. Feel free to download and use the sunflower template included in this post.

Download this sunflower template to make gorgeous corn syrup art.

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Sunflower PrintableDownload

This printable is for individual or one classroom use only.

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Then set out the paper sunflowers, brown paint, and seeds on a table covered with a plastic tablecloth. Invite participants to paint the circular middle of their sunflower brown, and press in seeds.

Next, set out the yellow and orange paints and brushes. Ask everyone to paint the petals of their sunflower. They’ll love using this bright, slick, translucent paint.

Gorgeous, glossy sunflower art made with a taste-safe, two-ingredient homemade paint recipe. This art project looks stunning when displayed.

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As soon as the artists are finished, move each decorated sunflower onto an 8 ½ x 11-inch white cardstock background, or a cardstock color of choice.  Adhere it with a glue gun. Then with a gluestick or glue gun, add a green paper stem and leaf.

The corn syrup paint is thick and sticky, and completed sunflower art projects should be left to dry for a few days.

Gorgeous, glossy sunflower art made with a taste-safe, two-ingredient homemade paint recipe. This art project looks stunning when displayed.

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Displaying The Corn Syrup Sunflower Art

These syrupy sunflowers have a shiny, firm finish when dry, and look beautiful displayed. The art is somewhat transient, as the paint will melt and drip in hot, humid conditions. But I have had a piece on display for over a year and it is still looking fabulous.

This shiny, corn syrup paint art project is easy to do and looks gorgeous displayed. It's an all-ages art activity everyone will love to try.

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More Corn Syrup Paint Art

As mentioned earlier, I feature lots of corn syrup paint activities on this blog. You may be interested in:

Textured Octopus Craft

Sea Star Art

Sea Turtle Hatchling Art

Painted Turtle And Lizard

Spooky Hands Craft

Sunflower Heart Craft

All these art projects yield gorgeous results.

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[Read more…] about Corn Syrup Paint Sunflowers

Filed Under: art, autumn, fall, gardening, preschool, summer Tagged With: corn syrup painting, painting, sunflowers

Gadget Printmaking Poppy Art

November 10, 2022 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

Try this beautiful gadget printmaking poppy art project today! It introduces participants to a new and unusual way to paint.

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It started with a large dot print made with a pie pan, tempera paint, and a paintbrush. The intent was to make a simple red poppy print with a black round center. But afterward, I decided to add paint markings with gadgets to add more color and definition. The result is super striking gadget printmaking poppy art that’s easy and fun to do.

This poppy art is perfect for a Remembrance Day project. Red poppies are a symbol of lives lost to war since World War I. They especially serve as reminders of this each year on November 11, the Remembrance Day holiday in our country.

How to make stunning gadget printmaking poppy art.

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Follow me on Pinterest for more early learning ideas.

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Poppy Art Supplies

Gadgets used as painting tools make interesting prints, and you can find them all over your home. Here are the gadgets I use for this large-scale art activity:

  • 9-inch round cake or pie pan
  • Jumbo circular bubble wand and tray
  • ground meat chopper
  • spools
  • bottle sponge brush
  • round sponge brush

A few simple supplies complete the list of items needed to make poppy art:

  • tempera paint colors in bright red, yellow, green, pink, and orange
  • 12-inch x 16-inch sturdy white paper
  • green construction paper
  • green marker
  • ruler
  • scissors
  • glue stick
  • flat plate or tray

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Gadget Printmaking Poppy Art Steps

Simple steps to create beautiful poppy art with a gadget printmaking technique. The art project introduces participants to a new and unusual way to paint.

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First, lay out a large sheet of sturdy paper on a table.

Next, pour red paint on a tray or flat plate. Dip the bottom of a round cake or pie pan in the paint, and press it down on the paper background to make the flower head.

Then dip a bubble wand into orange paint and press it in the middle of the dot. The bubble wand tray holds the paint perfectly for this step.

Afterward, press a sponge bottle brush into the green paint, and make a print in the center.

Then dip a spool into black paint, and press it into the very center of the flower.

Bubble wand, sponge bottle brush, and spool paint prints add color and definition to this gadget printmaking poppy art project.

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Next, draw on a stem with a green marker. If desired, use a ruler to keep the stem line straight.

Finally, cut a simple leaf from green fadeless construction paper, and glue it onto the stem.

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Poppy Art Color Variations

The gadgets and paint colors used for enhancing the red poppies can be varied. In this art project, a bubble wand, bottle brush, and two spools are the gadgets used.

Try this beautiful gadget printmaking poppy art project today! It introduces participants to a new and unusual way to paint.

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A ground meat chopper paint print adds detail to the flower center below.

A bubble wand and ground meat chopper paint print add color and definition to this gadget printmaking poppy art project.

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Remembrance Day Poppy Art

Simple steps to create beautiful Remembrance Day poppy art with a gadget printmaking technique. The art project introduces participants to a new and unusual way to paint.

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This next project employs the bubble wand tray for the large dot print. The tray is not as big as the cake or pie pan, so can be used with a smaller-sized paper base. And it has a scalloped edge, adding character to the poppy dot. This design is my pick for the official Remembrance Day art project for this year.

For the flower center, dip a round sponge brush or small round sponge into black paint, and press it in the middle of the red dot print. Then press a sponge bottle brush into yellow paint, and make a print on top of the black circle. Finish off with a black spool print in the center of the flower.

Tip: Letting the red and black paint dry for a few hours helps the yellow sponge bottle print stand out and remain bright.

Create this beautiful Remembrance Day poppy art with a gadget printmaking technique. The art project introduces participants to a new and unusual way to paint.

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More Gadget Printmaking Poppy Art Ideas

Instead of using only red for the large flower petal dot, introduce a few more color choices, such as yellow and orange. The colors will blend in nicely to make red-orange hues, adding shading and texture.

And since poppies come in a variety of colors, you could choose an entirely new color scheme for this project.

Bubble wand, sponge, meat chopper, bottle brush, and spool prints add highlights and detail to the poppy flower art. And the gadget painting technique introduces participants to a new and unusual way to do painting and printmaking.

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How to make stunning gadget printmaking poppy art.

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Bubble wand, sponge bottle brush, and spool paint prints add color and definition to this gadget printmaking poppy art project.

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More Remembrance Day Art Projects

Remembrance Day Butterfly Craft

Remembrance Day Poppy Art

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[Read more…] about Gadget Printmaking Poppy Art

Filed Under: art, autumn, fall, gardening, preschool, Remembrance Day Tagged With: flowers, poppies, printmaking, Remembrance Day

Glam Skeleton Playdough Tray

October 30, 2022 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

Skulls, bones, and spiders are non-threatening in this glam skeleton playdough tray, ready for early learners to explore.

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For the longest while I stayed away from featuring skeletons in activities for little learners. But you wouldn’t know it by all the posts about them on this blog. That’s because in recent years I’ve seen so many glam skeletons in home décor, inspiring a host of ways to showcase them in fun, non-threatening ways. This glam skeleton playdough tray is my latest bone-filled play invitation. It is an extension of a post I did last week about an elegant skeleton sensory bin.

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Follow me on Pinterest for more early learning ideas.

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Supplies To Gather

Silver and gold loose parts complement the neutral palette in this glam skeleton-themed playdough invitation.

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The same loose parts used in the skeleton-themed sensory bin work wonderfully in a playdough party tray:

  • skeletons
  • skulls
  • bones
  • spider figurines
  • pearl beads
  • gem leaves
  • bead jewelry strands
  • crown hair combs
  • mini pumpkins
  • bells

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The Glam Skeleton Playdough Tray

This playdough tray can be offered with a basic playdough recipe or one that is colored. Black and white playdough contrast each other in the tray below. There are links to the dough recipes further on in the post.

A skeleton sits atop black and white playdough in this inviting party tray. Other loose parts include pumpkins, spiders, skulls, and bones.

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This next tray features white playdough made with my go-to basic playdough recipe.

Silver and gold loose parts complement the neutral palette in this glam skeleton-themed playdough invitation.

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Although there’s a whole lotta glam in the sensory tray, an ornate mirror adds just a little more.

A mirror adds elegance to this glam skeleton playdough invitation early learners will be excited to explore.

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The loose parts spark the imagination and children can use them to make unique designs. They make interesting prints in the dough.

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Playdough Recipes

Find the recipes for the playdough here:

Black Playdough Recipe (from the blog “Left Brain Craft Brain.”)

This black playdough was featured in my “White Lilacs And Black Playdough” blog post a few months ago. Believe it or not, the playdough is still pliable.

Basic Playdough Recipe

The basic playdough recipe can be made in a big batch to use with a group of children.

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Four different ways to feature skeleton-themed loose parts in sensory play. Black and white playdough recipes are included.

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Related:

Skeleton And Eyeball Waterplay

Skeleton Preschool Theme

Q-tip Skeleton Craft

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More Themed Playdough Trays

Circus Playdough Tray

Watermelon Playdough Tray

Pumpkin Playdough Activities

Santa Claus Playdough Tray

Pet-Themed Playdough Tray

This pet-themed playdough tray is filled with cat and dog supplies little learners will love to imagine and create with.

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[Read more…] about Glam Skeleton Playdough Tray

Filed Under: autumn, fall, playdough, preschool, science, sensory Tagged With: loose parts, my body, playdough, skeletons

Fall Tablescape Pretend Play

October 30, 2022 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

Seasonal loose parts are the highlight of this fun fall tablescape pretend play setup. Imaginative play is sure to happen!

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Living in Alberta, Canada, it seems a little late to feature a fall activity post. The leaves have almost completely blown off the trees, by fierce winds that seem determined to knock every last one to the ground. But although fall has nearly left us, we are not ready to leave it behind. So here’s one last colorful autumn post…an inviting fall tablescape pretend play center.

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Follow me on Pinterest for more early learning ideas.

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Supplies Collected

Pretend play is super fun and imaginative in this fall tablescape pretend play set up early learners are bound to love.

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Fall colors, leaves, and animals feature prominently in this list of gathered supplies:

  • leaf-themed paper plates
  • green, yellow, and orange forks and spoons
  • fall cupcake liners
  • orange ice cube tray
  • bowl with owl, leaf, acorn, and apple game pieces
  • jar with yellow, orange and red felt balls
  • container with leaf, acorn, pumpkin, and diamond gems
  • felt animal decorations
  • orange artificial flower sprig
  • artificial sunflower heads
  • large felt maple leaf
  • muffin pan
  • cookie sheet
  • potholder and spatula

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The Fall Tablescape Pretend Play Setup

The list of supplies seems long, but this play tablescape is quick and easy to set up. I started out by setting out the red maple leaf and vase with flowers. Next, I added the plates and cutlery. Then I added the rest of the supplies.

Pretend play is super fun and imaginative in this fall tablescape pretend play set up early learners are bound to love.

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Loose parts such as gems, felt balls, and game pieces allow children to use their imagination. Little learners love incorporating them in pretend play. For instance, wouldn’t the felt animal decorations make super fancy cookies?

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Seasonal loose parts add a host of imaginative possibilities to this easy-to-put-together fall tablescape pretend play setup.

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Loose parts such as game pieces and felt balls add imaginative possibilities to this easy-to-put-together fall tablescape pretend play setup.

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Can you think of anything I’ve forgotten to set out on the table? It’s fall-themed cups! I didn’t realize they were missing until after I had taken all the pictures.

Seasonal loose parts are the highlight of this fun fall tablescape pretend play setup. Imaginative play is sure to happen!

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Little learners relish playing with seasonal accessories. And it’s especially fun to see their excited response the first day they notice a new play kitchen theme.

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View this Fall Play Tablescape as a video.

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Related: Kids’ Winter Wonderland Tablescape

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[Read more…] about Fall Tablescape Pretend Play

Filed Under: autumn, dramatic play, fall, preschool, pretend play, sensory Tagged With: fall, loose parts, play kitchen, pretend play, tablescapes

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Hi, I'm Annette Kaminsky, a preschool teacher who loves sharing learning through play activities for young children. Thanks for visiting my site. Feel free to stay awhile!

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