art

Pumpkin Color Activities

November 23, 2020 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

Pumpkin facts and color activities. Anatomy, color matching, and art activities.

Although orange pumpkins are traditional, and most grocery stores focus on selling them, these dramatic fruits come in many other hues. Diversely colored pumpkins can be scouted out at farmer’s markets and garden centers in autumn. They are intriguing in pumpkin color activities for little learners.

Pumpkin Display

First, set out pumpkins on a shelf for little ones to view. The contrasting colors make a striking display. Discuss pumpkin color, size, shape, and texture.

Pumpkins in mint, cream, black, yellow, and green colors.

Color Matching

Move the pumpkins to a table and invite early learners to add color words.

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Sunflower Seed Sensory Bin Activities

November 21, 2020 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

Three sunflower seed sensory bins. Dinosaurs, sunflowers, pumpkins, sand toys, and loose parts are highlights of the bins.

A sunflower seed sensory bin is a fantastic way for early learners to explore these edible seeds, and use them in play. The seed base is a natural fit for fall and pumpkin-themed accessories. Here are three sensory bin suggestions brimming with these dramatic seeds.

Sunflower And Sand Toy Bin

Sand toys, sunflowers, and fall-themed gems in a sunflower seed sensory bin.

Add shovels. pails, sieves, watering cans, leaf gems, round fall-themed gems, and craft sunflowers in different sizes and colors to a sunflower seed base. This bin works well as a spring gardening center. Or extend summer into fall by offering the bin to your little learners in September.

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Butterfly Sunflower Papercraft

November 15, 2020 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

This butterfly sunflower papercraft is easy to make and is sure to be a parent pleaser. It’s an all-around showy harvest craft. I did it with my preschoolers this fall and sent it home around Canadian Thanksgiving Day. I’ve included a downloadable pattern for the craft in the post.

Supplies To Collect

Paper supplies needed to make a butterfly-themed sunflower craft.

8 ½ x 11-inch cardstock paper in various shades of yellow

9 x 12-inch green and yellow fade-resistant construction paper

12 x 18-inch fade-resistant construction paper in shades of blue

brown construction paper

brown tissue paper

butterfly paper punches

white glue

glue stick

scissors

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Fall Scissor Skills Activities

November 12, 2020 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

One of the things preschoolers are most excited about when starting school in the fall is using scissors. It’s an activity many early learners have not yet had exposure to, so they are delighted to have permission to cut. Offering beautiful materials with unique textures enhances fall scissor skills activities.

Fall Scissor Skills Supplies

Collect art supplies in yellow, orange, red, and brown hues, and sort them into a tray with compartments.

Fall scissor skills tray with red, yellow, orange, and brown craft supplies. Invitation to cut materials for collage or a sensory base.

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Remembrance Day Butterfly Craft

November 11, 2020 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

This Remembrance Day butterfly craft combines squish painting and beadwork and is accented with a poppy. It’s easy and satisfying for little learners to do.

Remembrance Day is celebrated in Canada on November 11 each year. On this day, people remember the many soldiers who died to give us freedom. The efforts of present-day soldiers are acknowledged and supported.

Red poppies are a symbol of Remembrance Day: people wear them and/or display poppy themed arts and crafts on this notable day.

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Flower Theme Activities

November 8, 2020 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

Flower theme art, sensory, and pretend play activities. Early learners will love the winged creatures (dragons, unicorns, and an angel) featured in the theme.

Last spring I picked up two voluminous begonia plants that had large wing-shaped leaves. One plant was called “dragon wing begonia,” and the other was a double pink-flowered variety with similar wing-like leaves. The vigorous plants inspired dragon and flower theme activities for early learners, and angel and unicorn play.

Nonstop Pink Begonia Flower Activities

Nonstop pink begonia still blooming after Canadian Thanksgiving Day. — Nonstop Pink Begonia

Begonia “Through The Seasons” Sensory Tray

Around Canadian Thanksgiving Day, the nonstop pink begonia was still blooming profusely. At the same time collecting pine cones was on my list of tasks to do. By the end of the week, snow was in the forecast. Our area didn’t get snow, but many places in our province did. The mingling of elements of summer, fall, and winter in that week was the inspiration for this sensory tray for little learners. Included are flower leaves and blooms, pine cones, and cotton ball snow. Rocks, stone eggs, and a show-stopping dragon round out the tray.

Three seasons sensory tub with pine cones, begonia leaves and flowers, and cotton ball snow. A dragon and stone eggs complete the tub

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Maple Leaf Activities

November 1, 2020 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

Maple leaf paint print activities. Art, math, and display ideas for maple leaves.

Maple trees flourish in eastern Canada and turn vibrant colors in autumn. But I happily settled for these deep green maple leaves from a tree that can survive our harsh Alberta winters. When painted, they produce striking leaf prints. The prints look stunning displayed but can also be used for other maple leaf activities.

Maple Leaf Activities

Leaf Prints

Early learners can join in making maple leaf prints. Set out orange, yellow, and red tempera paints, paintbrushes, and large pieces of sturdy paper. Invite your little learners to paint the leaves, turn them over, and press them onto the paper. Encourage them to gently rub all over each leaf before removing them.

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Spooky Hands Craft

October 29, 2020 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

This shiny spooky hands craft is effortless to do and uses easy to gather materials. The supplies for this project can be found at your local grocery and dollar stores.

Supplies Needed

white corn syrup

orange, green, and purple food coloring

paint containers and brushes

spoons

spider-themed fake nails

skull-themed fake nails

polka dot fake nails

Q-Tips

spider gems

sturdy white paper

black permanent felt pen

scissors

Taste safe corn syrup paint ingredients.

Traced hands and supplies needed to make spider, skull, and skeleton hand-themed crafts.

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Toilet Paper Roll Monsters

October 21, 2020 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

Toilet paper roll monster craft and activities. Easy to make watercolor painted monsters to use with stacking blocks or a red split lentil-based sensory bin.

For most of the year, there has been a plethora of recycled crafts and activities posted on blogs and social media, and toilet paper rolls have been a “hot” material for craft and sensory projects. Debuting in this post are spunky toilet paper roll monsters. They are so simple to make and can be used with toys or in sensory bins for imaginative play.

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Horse Chestnut Leaf Art Activities

October 12, 2020 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

A horse chestnut leaf featured in five easy to do art projects that are suitable for all ages.

Horse chestnut tree leaves are sizable and showy and have that “wow” factor. They are deep green compound leaves with five to seven leaflets that live on a tree that is beautiful throughout the seasons. The palmate leaves are showcased along with large, spiked flowers in spring. They turn golden yellow in autumn and are accompanied by dramatic, prickly lime green fruits that are coverings for ultra-smooth nut-like seeds called conkers. The leaves are a spectacular subject for art. Featured in this post are five horse chestnut leaf art activities that are easy to do with your early learners.

Horse chestnut tree flowers in spring. — Flowers in spring.

Horse chestnut tree with fruit in autumn. — Leaves and fruit in autumn.

Horse chestnut tree conkers on the left, and broken fruit casings on the right. — Conkers and empty fruit casings.

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