art

Paper Plate Easter Basket

April 2, 2023 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

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This paper plate Easter basket craft is inspired by an Easter purse spotted on a shopping trip. I wanted to make one for each of my preschoolers as part of their Easter party favors, and here’s what I came up with.

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Supplies To Collect

There are only a few supplies to collect for this bunny and carrot-themed craft. Gather the following items:

paper plates
green dot markers
orange and green construction paper
stuffed bunnies
scissors, ruler, and pencil
glue stick and glue gun

Stuffed bunnies cut from garland and paper carrots are highlights of a paper plate Easter basket craft that is sure to please.

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Making The Paper Plate Easter Basket Craft

The first thing to do in making a few of these paper plate Easter baskets is to cut out sections of paper plates to create half-circle openings and handles. There are different kinds of paper plates, and I recommend choosing a sturdy version.

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Next, give two of the plates to each child who will get a basket, and ask the little charges to decorate the bottom half of their plates with a green dot marker.

Note: Instead of using dot markers, participants can decorate the basket sides with crayons, paint, and/or Easter stickers.

Afterward, cut carrots from orange construction paper, and carrot tops from green construction paper. With a glue gun or glue stick, adhere the carrot tops to the carrots.

Just insert Easter grass and a few chocolate eggs into this paper plate Easter basket. It is sure to be a big hit as a party favor.

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Cutting and putting together the paper carrots take a little time. When this task is done, the basket sides will be dry and ready to be assembled. Use a glue gun to carefully adhere the decorated half of each pair of cut plates together so that the openings and basket handles match. Leave the handles unglued.

Then glue two carrots on each side of every basket. Make sure the carrots on one side of the baskets align with the carrots on the other side.

Next add a small stuffed bunny to each basket. My bunnies are from a disassembled Easter garland snapped up at a party store. Fortunately, it was easy to remove each bunny from the garland, and the yellow, pink, and blue stuffies are safe to use in the paper plate Easter baskets.

Before handing out the baskets to your little charges, add Easter grass and wrapped chocolate eggs to them. The children will be delighted with the craft and treats!

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To help make this craft, feel free to download this basket, bunny, and carrot template to use as a guideline. Happy crafting!

A free Easter basket template to make a paper basket with carrot decorations and a bunny inside.

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Bunny and Basket PrintableDownload

This printable is for individual or one classroom use only.

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Related:

Spring Basket Cupcakes

Bunny Candy Art

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[Read more…]

Ombre Bunny Art

March 25, 2023 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

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When doing a similar bunny art project year after year it’s nice to vary the color scheme. In this spring painting activity, shades of teal and blue are used to create ombre bunny art.

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Supplies To Collect

Shades of blue tempera paint are used to decorate this ombre bunny, This is an easy-to-do art project that you are sure to love.

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For this simple painting project, gather the following supplies:

teal and deep blue tempera paint
white tempera paint
paint pots
paintbrush
paint palette
bunny template
manilla tag paper
wiggly eyes
black pipe cleaner
blue button
cotton balls
spoons
scissors and pencil
white glue or glue gun

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The Ombre Bunny Art Project

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To start off, pick a bunny template to trace and cut out from manila tag paper, or another sturdy kind. My bunny design was traced from a dollar store wall plaque.

Then select a deep color of teal paint and add it to three paint pots. In two of the pots, stir in varying amounts of white paint. Pour dark blue paint into a fourth paint pot and mix in some white.

Afterward, spoon the blue paint shades and a little white into a paint palette.

Set the paint palette, bunny template, and paintbrush on an art table protected with newspapers or a disposable tablecloth.

Brushing on blue shades from dark to light or light to dark will create an ombre effect.

When the painting is dry, use a glue stick or glue gun to adhere two wiggly eyes, a button nose, and a bent pipe cleaner mouth to create a bunny face.

Wiggly eyes, a button nose, and a pipe cleaner mouth create a bunny face.

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Or glue one or more cotton balls to the bottom of the bunny to fashion a bunny tail.

A cotton ball tail accents this easy-to-do ombre-painted spring bunny art project you are sure to love.

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A pink, purple, or green color palette would also look pretty on this ombre bunny art project.

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More Bunny Art

Spring Bunny Canvas Art

Bunny Rolling Pin Art

Silhouette Bunny Art

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[Read more…]

Shamrock Leaf Print Art

March 12, 2023 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

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Shamrock leaf print art is an activity I’ve wanted to try for a few years now, and this spring I carved out time for it. The art project is easy and enjoyable to do, and I am sure you will like it too.

A good time to try this leaf print art activity is around St. Patrick’s Day, as shamrock plants are plentiful in stores then. The compound leaves on the plant look like the shamrock symbol that the country of Ireland is known for. Irish people think shamrocks represent good luck, and they are prominent in clothing, decorations, and tableware during St. Patrick’s Day celebrations.

An Oxalis Regnelli shamrock plant with compound leaves composed of three triangular leaflets.

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The shamrock plant I found is called Oxalis Regnellii, which comes from Africa and some parts of the Americas. It has delicate leaves with three triangle-shaped leaflets. The leaves fold up neatly on overcast days and anytime it is dark, and open up when they are exposed to sunlight. The tiny, white, long-stemmed flowers have five petals.

A tiny white flower on an Oxalis Regnellii plant.

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Follow me on Pinterest for more early learning ideas.

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Supplies To Collect

Gather the following supplies for this nature-based art project:

shamrock plant
green and purple acrylic or tempera paint
paint pots
paintbrushes
purple and green pencil crayons
all-purpose art paper
green and purple construction paper
newspaper or manila paper
magnifying glasses

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Making The Shamrock Leaf Print Art

Before using the shamrock leaves for printmaking, give participants a chance to study the plant. Offer magnifying glasses to view the leaves and dainty flowers with yellow stamens. Set the plant out in a sunny place and then put it in a dark area to see how its leaves fold down and spread out depending on how much sunlight the plant is getting.

To prepare the art activity, snip a few leaves off the plant to use for making paint prints.

Steps to make beautiful shamrock leaf print art. This is an easy-to-do all-ages nature art project

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Next, lay down newspaper sheets or a large piece of manilla paper for participants to work on.

Then add an art station with a sheet of all-purpose art paper, leaf sprig, paintbrush, and green acrylic paint for each participant. My paper size is an 11-inch x 14-inch inch sheet cut in half, creating a 7-inch x 11-inch piece to work on.

Note: Non-toxic tempera paint is a good choice for young children taking part in the activity.

Afterward, invite participants to brush the tops of the leaflets on their sprig thoroughly with green paint, flip the leaf over, and carefully press the painted sides down on the paper. Have them gently rub their fingers over the leaflets and pat the edges down to transfer as much paint to the paper as possible.

Beautiful shamrock leaf print art with leaves from the Oxalis Regnelli plant. This is a nature art project that is perfect for St. Patrick's Day.

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Then ask everyone to slowly lift their leaf off the paper canvas and repaint it to make more leaf prints. The shamrock leaves are delicate, but when handled gently they can be used a few times. If someone’s leaf tears, offer a new sprig to use.

When the paint prints are dry, ask participants to use a pencil crayon to add stems to the leaves.

As a finishing touch, mount each shamrock leaf print art project on a similar-colored construction paper background.

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Making Purple Shamrock Leaf Print Art

A purple shamrock, called Oxalis Triangularis, has similarly shaped leaves and flowers as the Oxalis Regnallii. This purple shamrock showcases deep purple, dark-edged leaves that respond to darkness and light in the same way.

A purple shamrock plant with compound leaves composed of three triangular leaflets.

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With purple acrylic or tempera paint, let participants create shamrock prints just as they were made in green.

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If there are any leaves left on the plant after the printmaking activity is done, add them to a playdough activity. Or have someone without pets take the plant home to care for.

Note: All Oxalis plants are toxic to dogs, cats, and grazing animals such as horses and must be kept out of their reach. These plants are slightly toxic to humans. Make sure to supervise all shamrock leaf activities closely so that no one ingests the leaves.

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More Shamrock-themed Activities:

Shamrock Paper Plate Lion

Shamrock Dissolving Candy Experiment

St. Patrick’s Day Painted Shamrock

Shamrock Rolling Pin Art

Scissor Skill Shamrock Collage

[Read more…]

Squeegee Painting Heart Art

March 10, 2023 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

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This super fun squeegee painting heart art project is bound to be one of your children’s favorites. Using a squeegee instead of a paintbrush offers participants a new way to move paint around a canvas.

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Follow me on Pinterest for more early learning ideas.

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Supplies To Collect

Gather the following supplies for this abstract art project:

tempera paints in a variety of colors
paint pots and spoons
cardstock paper
squeegee
heart template
pencil and scissors
newspapers or a plastic tablecloth

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Preparing The Squeegee Painting Heart Art Activity

How to paint with a squeegee to create beautiful heart art. This is an all-ages process art activity with collaborative possibilities.

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To prepare this unique process art activity, trace and cut hearts from sturdy cardstock paper.

Then cover an art table with newspapers or a plastic tablecloth.

Next, set out a workstation for each participant with tempera-filled paint pots. Add a teaspoon to scoop paint into each one.

Note: I feature paints in red, pink, magenta, and white hues. Any color scheme would work wonderfully with this art project.

Afterward, add a paper heart canvas and squeegee to each workspace.

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The Squeegee Painting Heart Art Process

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Invite participants to spoon blobs of paint on different areas of their hearts. The blobs can be large or small. They can be dotted randomly or placed strategically around a heart.

Note: Paint can be squirted from paint bottles instead of spooned from paint pots. Smaller-sized bottles work best for this method.

Afterward, have them use a squeegee to move the paint around. You can suggest sliding the squeegee downward or from side to side. Using the squeegee in random motions is just fine too.

A super fun squeegee painting technique to create a hombre heart. This is an a;ll-ages process art project.

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Note: The longer the squeegee scrapes over the paper, the more the colors will blend.

An oh-so-fun squeegee painting activity that offers participants a new way to spread the paint. It is a top ten process art project.

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After participants have had a chance to paint one or more heart-shaped canvases, set out large sheets of sturdy paper for them to work on.

Squeegee painting on huge sheets of paper is a great process art project to take outdoors. The canvases can be set out on a flat ground surface or tacked to a fence. Large canvases also lend themselves to collaborative art projects.

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What do you think about this squeegee painting project? Do you think it is a top ten process art activity for children? Let me know in a comment below.

This super fun squeegee painting heart art activity offers participants a chance to spread paint with a squeegee instead of a paintbrush. This is an all-ages process art project.

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Related:

Salad Spinner Heart Art

Eye Dropper Heart Art

Valentine’s Day Process Art

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[Read more…]

Salad Spinner Heart Art

February 27, 2023 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

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This salad spinner heart art activity is so easy, and it’s super fun to do. From dripping paint into the basket to turning the spinner to taking the lid off to view the interesting heart designs, the project is fascinating for little learners from start to finish.

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Follow me on Pinterest for more early learning ideas.

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Salad Spinner Heart Art Supplies To Collect

A must-try easy and fun salad spinner heart art activity your little learners will love, This is process art at its best.

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Gather the following supplies for this exciting process art invitation.

salad spinner
tempera paints
paint pots
spoons
white cardstock paper
heart template
scissors
pencil
old newspapers or plastic tablecloth

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Preparing The Salad Spinner Heart Art Project

Super fun salad spinner heart art that results in unique process art projects every time. Pick your tempera paint colors and have fun spinning.

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To set up this art activity, first, select a salad spinner. It’s a good idea to have one set aside just for process art projects. I promise it will get well used.

Then draw heart shapes that just fit into the basket on white cardstock paper, and cut them out. Prepare enough paper hearts so that each participant can use at least two as a canvas.

Tip: Trace the bottom of the salad spinner basket on a piece of paper first to figure out the right size for the heart shape. Then save it for future activities.

Next, select tempera paint colors and pour them into paint pots. I feature turquoise, magenta, green, and pink hues, but the color possibilities are endless.

Then cover a table with old newspapers or a plastic tablecloth. Set out the salad spinner and paper hearts, as well as the paint pots with a spoon in each one.

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Creating Salad Spinner Painted Hearts

Gorgeous spin art heart created with a salad spinner and tempera paints. It's a process art activity your little learners will love.

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Invite a little learner to place a paper heart in the spinner and spoon a variety of paint colors on the heart.

Note: As an alternative, paint can be squeezed directly from paint bottles. Smaller tempera paint bottles are a good size for little ones to work with.

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Afterward, fit the lid snugly on the salad spinner and invite the little artist to turn the knob to spin the basket around. The faster the salad spinner spins, the better.

Now comes the most exciting part. Lift the lid off the spinner and view the painted heart together. You’ll discover a stunning and unique spin art project.

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Carefully take out the spun-painted heart and let it dry on a flat surface. The salad spinner is now ready to be used for more spin art heart paintings.

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Spin Painting Maple Leaf Art

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