preschool

Castle Theme Playdough Tray

August 24, 2025 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

When planning a new theme, including a playdough tray is always a huge win. With its jewel-tone and glistening loose parts, this castle theme playdough tray is sure to attract eager participants in a flurry.

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Playdough activities are a favorite of preschoolers and children in early elementary grades. They encourage open-ended play and the chance to be creative in endless ways. Adding loose parts maximizes the learning potential, and there are plenty of them on the castle-themed tray.

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Feature Playdough Supplies

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The following castle-themed supplies are included in this eye-catching playdough tray:

playdough in turquoise, pink, and purple hues
large buttons
transparent pebbles
transparent jewelry connectors
castle-themed table confetti
metallic bead necklace strips
gold jingle bells
crown-themed rubber stamps
heart bracelets
star wand party favors
compartment serving tray

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The Castle Theme Playdough Tray

The featured dough in this sensory tray play invitation is store-bought playdough in pink, purple, and turquoise colors. The vibrant playdough hues work well in this quick setup.

Transparent jewelry connectors in crown, heart, flower, and high-heeled shoe shapes, castle-themed table confetti, and crown rubber stamps are prized loose parts for the royal theme.

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Large gold, pink, and purple buttons, transparent light pink acrylic pebbles, gold jingle bells, and metallic bead necklace strips make sparkly treasures.

Star wand party favors and heart-shaped bracelets round out the supplies in the tray.

All supplies are presented on a white six-compartment serving tray, making it easy for children to choose loose parts for their playdough creations.

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Variation of the Castle Theme Playdough Tray

The above playdough tray uses store-bought playdough, which is a great alternative when preparation time is short. This next playdough tray houses the same accessories along with my favorite basic homemade playdough recipe.

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A few drops of neon pink or purple food coloring added to the dough recipe create a soft, pretty hue that coordinates well with the castle-themed loose parts. Pink and gold glitter sprinkled on the dough adds even more glam.

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Additional Castle Theme Playdough Supplies

Castle-themed cookie cutters would be a great addition to this glitzy playdough tray, along with rolling pins and disposable knives. What other supplies would you add?

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More Playdough Activities

Apple Playdough Tray

Easy DIY Black Playdough

Glam Skeleton Playdough Tray

Reptile Theme Playdough Tray

Circus Playdough Tray

Candy Cane Playdough Tray

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[Read more…]

Chalk Paint Cave Art

August 16, 2025 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

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Chalk paint is easy to make and oh so fun to use. It is a superb choice for a chalk paint cave art project, as it dries with a powdery finish that looks a lot like the natural pigments used in real caves.

Cave art was created by people who lived long ago. Deep inside caves on walls and ceilings, our ancestors made pictographs and etchings of wild animals such as deer, horses, bears, mammoths, and rhinos. They also created symbols, geometric patterns, handprints, and people.

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Creating Cave Drawings

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Before introducing the chalk paint cave art project, an optional activity is to show children pictures of ancient cave art and explain that people long ago made pigments from natural materials like minerals, charcoal, and finely ground clay. Then set out pastels and chunky crayons along with a sheet of brown Kraft paper, and invite participants to create cave drawings.

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Introducing Chalk Paint

After children are familiar with cave art and have participated in the drawing activity, mix chalk paint colors in paint pots or a tempera cake tray. Since cave artists often used the hues black, white, yellow, red, and brown, these are paint colors in my tray.

Find the chalk paint recipe here: Homemade Sidewalk Chalk Paint

Then place a large sheet of brown cardboard on the ground, along with the chalk paints and brushes. Or position the large cardboard sheet against an outside wall or fence to simulate cave painting. Invite children to do a collaborative art project using the paints.

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With these bold colors, the chalk paint looks super bright at first. As the paint dries, it transforms into earth tones with a soft, matte finish. The chalk-like look resembles some of the materials used by Earth’s earliest artists.

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Chalk Paint Cave Art Follow-up Activity

Our ancestors did not have the paints and paintbrushes we have access to today. Aside from creating paints from natural materials, they used sticks, leaves, feathers, and animal hair to apply the paints. As a next activity, invite children to design paintbrushes from these materials and use them with the chalk paint.

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Homemade Sidewalk Chalk Paint

August 12, 2025 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

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For quite some time now, it has been on my list to make homemade sidewalk chalk paint. I’ve seen people rave about it online, so I was eager to give it a try. My version is slightly different from recipes I’ve seen, but it has equally stunning results.

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Homemade Sidewalk Chalk Paint Supplies

For this bright sidewalk chalk paint, gather the following supplies:

tempera paint in a variety of colors
cornstarch
water
paint pots
tempera cake trays (optional)
paintbrushes
paper towel sheets

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Making the Sidewalk Chalk

There are only two ingredients, in addition to water, needed for this simple sidewalk chalk paint. So easy!

To start, pour a layer of tempera paint in different colors into paint pots. My paints are black, white, orange, yellow, red, and brown. I chose the bold hues so I could also use them in a cave art activity.

Note: Food coloring or liquid watercolors are typically used in chalk paint recipes. Tempera paint is a fine substitute and was perfect for my color choices.

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Next, add water to fill the pots about half full and mix well.

Then spoon a few tablespoons of cornstarch into the colored liquid and stir well again. Aim for a thickened liquid that doesn’t turn into oobleck. Add a little more cornstarch or water if needed to make the proper consistency.

Invite children to help make the paints…they’ll love the opportunity to participate.

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The Sidewalk Chalk Paint Art Process

When the paints are mixed, add paintbrushes to the paint pots. Or pour the paints into tempera cake trays for an attractive presentation.

When the homemade sidewalk chalk paint colors are mixed, add paintbrushes to the paint pots. Or pour the paints into tempera cake trays for an attractive presentation.

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Invite participants to paint a section of a sidewalk. If using tempera cake trays, have them wipe their brush on a section of paper towel between colors to keep the hues bright.

The paint goes on thick and bright, offering a satisfying result. The paint colors look chalky when they dry.

When the painting activity is complete, simply spray down the decorated sidewalk areas with a garden hose. Or leave the artwork as is to fade away over time.

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More Process Art Activities

Recycled Cardboard Process Art

Pump Bottle Watercolor Art

String Painting Snake Art

Pumpkin Painting Process Art

Valentine’s Day Process Art

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Rhubarb Sauce Snack Tray

August 9, 2025 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

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As a teacher, I am always on the lookout for hands-on activities that are economical and have educational value. This rhubarb sauce snack tray activity offers a valuable sensory and cooking component, and is easy on the pocketbook.

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Rhubarb thrives in cooler climates and is plentiful in temperate, northern locations of the world. The hardy plant is technically a vegetable, but is classified as a fruit when used in cooking. Its thick, edible stalks are either red, green, or a combination of the two colors. The large, spinach-like leaves are toxic when consumed in large quantities, so they should not be eaten.

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Rhubarb Sauce Supplies

It’s easy to make a simple sauce with just rhubarb stalks and a sweetener such as sugar or honey. To give the children more to do in the activity and to add taste and nutrition to the sauce, this recipe includes strawberries and a banana in the mix.

Ingredients to gather are:

2 cups rhubarb
2/3 cup strawberries
1 ripe banana
3 tablespoons honey

Food preparation supplies to gather are:

cutting boards
disposable knives
measuring cups
tablespoon
crockpot
stirring spoon
whisk
hand blender (optional)

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Rhubarb is fun to explore in a sensory activity on its own. Before preparing the sauce together, show children a picture of a rhubarb patch. Bring samples of washed rhubarb stalks with leaves attached. Invite children to describe the size and color of the leaves. Explain that they contain a toxin and should not be eaten.

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Next. cut the leaves off and discuss the color and thickness of the stalks. Give each participant a cutting board and a child-friendly knife. Allow children to explore the fruit by peeling off the skin, cutting the stalks into pieces, and smelling and tasting as they go.

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Making the Rhubarb Sauce

To make the rhubarb sauce, invite each participant to use a child-friendly knife to slice the stalks on a cutting board, aiming for small pieces.

Next, measure two cups of cut rhubarb into a crock pot. A small pot will work fine for this recipe.

Afterward, give each child a few washed strawberries to slice up, enough for 2/3 cup. If leaves are attached, have them cut them off first.

Then give a few children a peeled banana section to slice.

Have children take turns adding strawberries and the sliced banana to the pot, along with three tablespoons of honey.

Next, allow everyone to stir the mixture.

Then put the lid on the crockpot and heat it on low or medium for three or more hours.

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After the rhubarb is cooked, invite participants to blend the cooked ingredients with a whisk. For a smoother consistency, use a hand blender.

Taste the cooked sauce and add more honey or a little sugar if desired.

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The Rhubarb Sauce Snack Tray

Rhubarb is tasty served warm or cold. It is delicious spooned over ice cream or custard, or offered as a dipping sauce on a snack tray. A rhubarb sauce snack tray is superb for children who have never tried rhubarb before, as they can sample it in small amounts with familiar foods.

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Along with inviting children to help prepare it, attractively offering a new food encourages them to try it. This sun-shaped serving tray and these pretty disposable plates are great for presentation. On the tray, a bowl of rhubarb sauce is surrounded by mini toasts and semi-sweet cookies.

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Invite children to spoon a little rhubarb sauce on a plate and dip cookies and crackers into it for a delightful snacking activity.

What do you think?

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More Activities With Food

Cauliflower Theme Activities

Green Bean Theme Activities

Beet Science and Sensory Activities

Fun Ways to Serve Watermelon

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[Read more…]

Recycled Cardboard Process Art

June 22, 2025 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

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If you are looking for an easy-to-set-up, inexpensive, intriguing art activity, this recycled cardboard process art invitation fits the bill. It is an effortless art invitation that yields beautiful results. The activity is a good choice for Earth Day or anytime of the year.

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Supplies to Collect

Cardboard pieces with interesting shapes are perfect for this unexpected process art painting activity. Gather the following:

cardboard protective packaging
egg filler flats
thinned tempera paint
paint pots and brushes
large sensory tray

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Preparing the Recycled Cardboard Art Activity

A large active world tray is my go-to for this art activity. Place it indoors or outdoors on a stand or table. Or use an art table with a protective table cover.

Next, set recycled cardboard pieces in the sensory tray. Protective packaging and egg filler flats are good choices.

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Then pour paint into paint pots and mix in a little water to make it thinner. Add brushes, and set the pots around the cardboard molds. That’s it!!!

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The Recycled Cardboard Process Art Activity

A group of children can participate in this open-ended art activity with recyclables. Invite them to pick a spot to paint the three-dimensional shapes in the tray.

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When two children work on one cardboard shape the art activity is collaborative. While working on different sections of a piece, one child creates a frigid northern landscape, while the other chooses contrasting paint colors.

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A square egg filler flat inspires creating mini volcanoes with bright orange paint.

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The thinned tempera paints use fewer resources, cover the textured cardboard easily, and allow for spatter painting.

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Children may use the recycled cardboard pieces in other art projects when the paint dries.

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Benefits of the Recycled Cardboard Art Activity

In this cost-effective recycled cardboard art activity, children

participate in a relaxing, calming process art activity.
paint on novel, textured three-dimensional objects.
recognize patterns and design them with paint.
mix colors to create new ones (making brown is always a favorite.)
build hand strength and coordination while using paint and brushes.
have the freedom to paint without feeling pressure to produce a completed art project.
experience a collaborative art environment.
learn the value of recycling and reusing materials creatively.

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