Putting The Pretty In Preschool

Finding Beauty In Everyday Early Childhood Experiences

summer

Balloon Painting Flower Art

by Leave a Comment

_______

This balloon painting flower art is quick and easy to do and can make a room look cozier in no time. It is an unexpected, novel way to create art. Since children love activities with balloons, they’ll surely enjoy participating in this art invitation.

_______

Supplies To Collect

Gather the following supplies for this large-scale art project:

  • round balloons
  • tempera paints in a variety of colors
  • paper plates
  • 18-inch x 24-inch sturdy paper
  • paintbrushes and paint pots
  • sponge dish wands
  • thin metallic garland
  • white glue and glue paddle
  • scissors
  • waterproof table cover

_______

_______

Balloon Painting Flower Art Set Up

To set up this art project, start by covering an art table with a waterproof table cover.

Next, blow up round balloons to about 1/3 their usual size. Small balloons work fine for this project.

Then pour tempera paint in a variety of colors onto paper plates.

Afterward, drop paint into small plates or paint pot lids and add a sponge dish wand into each one.

Set out the paint trays, balloons, dish wands, and large sheets of sturdy paper on the art table. Your painting invitation is now ready to go.

_______

The Balloon Painting Flower Art Project

_______

To create eye-catching balloon art flowers, press a balloon into one of the paint colors, lift it off, and carefully press it down onto a piece of sturdy paper.

Tip: The firmer a paint-dipped balloon is pressed on paper, the bigger the print. Pressing the balloon down gently creates a smaller print.

_______

Continue to make balloon prints. It’s fun to create flowers in hues of blue and green in addition to more commonly seen colors.

_______

Afterward, dip a sponge dish wand into a contrasting paint color and stamp a circle in the center of each flower-shaped print.

_______

When the roundish prints are dry, cut them out.

Then dip a paintbrush into a pot of green tempera and paint leaves and stems on a large sheet of cardstock paper.

For a shimmery look, add a line of white glue to each leaf and press on a strip of thin metallic garland.

_______

Next, glue the round, bold, balloon-painted flowers on top of the stems using white glue or a glue gun.

To embellish the flower centers, add a circle of glue to each one and affix a strip of thin metallic garland to each of them.

_______

You will have large-scale, stunning flower art ready for display.

_______

_______

Related:

Tulip Art Painting Project

Dish Wand Print Flower Art

Flower Theme Activities

Mother’s Day Crafts and Gifts

_______

[Read more…] about Balloon Painting Flower Art

Tea Party Water Play

by Leave a Comment

_______

Set up this oh-so-simple tea party water play sensory invitation in minutes. Children love to pour water from a tea pot into cups, or from one cup to another, so will be super excited to explore it. Easily add in or change supplies to further extend the play experience.

_______

_______

Supplies To Collect

Just a few supplies will have your little learners eagerly engaging in a tea party sensory experience. Gather the following:

  • bus tub
  • liquid food coloring
  • water
  • miniature tea sets
  • flower-themed confetti
  • spoons
  • waterproof table cover

_______

_______

The Tea Party Water Play Set Up

To set up this low prep sensory invitation indoors, cover a table with a waterproof table cover. If you plan to offer the activity outdoors on a warm weather day, you can skip this step.

Next, pick a sensory tub to use. My go-to tub size is a white bus tub. It comfortably allows two to three children to play in it at one time and is easy to transport to any location. It is also very sturdy.

Then add lukewarm water and squeeze in a few drops of liquid food coloring.

Sprinkle in flower-themed confetti to add a dose of sparkle.

Lastly, drop in a miniature tea set for each child participating, and include a few larger spoons.

_______

A sensory play invitation couldn’t be easier to offer.

_______

Variations of the Tea Party Water Play Experience

To add interest and extend the tea party sensory play experience, include flowers and buds. These peonies look beautiful and offer a tactile experience.

_______

Note: Peonies are safe to touch but should not be consumed. If the children in your care are prone to explore by putting things in their mouths, choose edible flowers such as roses (featured below) for this activity.

_______

Rose flowers and buds are an exquisite choice for the bin. All parts of a rose plant are safe to eat. Just make sure there are no thorns on the rose stems as they are very prickly!

_______

Changing up the color of the water from a neon pink to a neon turquoise adds interest too.

Additional water play ideas for the bin are selecting a larger tea set, and offering play food desserts.

And finally, instead of filling a tub with colored water, simply set a miniature tea set on a low-edged tray and add a small bottle filled with water. Little learners will delight in transferring water from the bottle to the tiny teapot and cups.

_______

Benefits of the Tea Party Water Play Invitation

Practicing the skill of pouring, developing eye-hand coordination, enhancing fine motor skills, labeling flowers and parts, color recognition, experiencing beauty, and having a pleasurable play experience are all benefits of this simple and economical tea party sensory set up.

_______

_______

Related:

Tea Party Sensory Play

Teacup and Peony Sensory Tray

Lilac Flower Sensory Trays

Petunia Flower Sensory Tray

Flower Theme Activities

_______

[Read more…] about Tea Party Water Play

Bee and Sunflower Sensory Bin

by Leave a Comment

_______

It is common to see bees hovering around sunflowers, as bees love the generous supply of nectar and pollen that sunflowers produce. Bees pollinate sunflowers so are helpful to these giant-headed flowers in return. Their relationship is the inspiration for this bee and sunflower sensory bin.

Sensory Bin Supplies

_______

In searching for supplies, my first stops are always at discount or dollar stores. This is often all that is needed to add specialty items to a sensory setup. The following locally found supplies are in this insect and flower sensory bin:

  • honeycomb ice cube tray
  • honey pot and dippers
  • sunflower-themed spatula
  • bee figurine
  • artificial sunflowers
  • bumblebee stickers
  • pompoms
  • pearl beads
  • spatula
  • bowl and spoon

_______

Follow me on Pinterest for more fun early learning ideas.

_______

The Bee and Sunflower Sensory Bin

White glutinous rice, one of my favorite supplies, is the bee and sunflower sensory bin base. The bin itself is a bus tub, another favorite accessory.

A honeypot and honeycomb ice cube tray are eye-catching feature accessories.

_______

Artificial sunflower heads and a sunflower-themed spatula represent the sunflower theme.

_______

In addition to one life-like bee figurine, bumblebee stickers without the white paper-backing removed provide opportunities for counting and sorting.

_______

Pearl beads and pompoms in various sizes add interest and offer fine motor and eye-hand coordination opportunities.

Preschoolers love sensory play, and setting up a bee and sunflower-themed sensory bin for your little charges will surely have them buzzing with excitement.

_______

Related:

Honeycomb Cereal Necklace Lacing

A fun honeycomb cereal "snowflake" necklace lacing activity that is great for fine motor control and eye-hand coordination practice.

_______

Spider Theme Activities

Green Huntsman Spider Activities

_______

[Read more…] about Bee and Sunflower Sensory Bin

Dish Wand Print Flower Art

by Leave a Comment

_______

This dish wand print flower art project is so easy to do. Grab some round sponge dish wands at a dollar store and a few basic art supplies and you are good to go.

_______

Supplies To Collect

Gather the following for this dish wand print flower art activity:

  • round sponge dish wands
  • tempera paint in a variety of colors
  • fade-resistant cardstock or construction paper
  • paint dishes
  • markers
  • table cover

_______

Follow me on Pinterest for more early learning ideas.

_______

_______

The Dish Wand Print Flower Art Project

To begin this pretty flower art project, pour tempera paint on paint dishes in colors of your choice. Add a little bit of white or yellow paint to your hues to lighten and brighten them if desired.

Next, place a round sponge dish wand in each paint-filled dish.

Then set out 9-inch x 12-inch sheets of construction paper by the paint trays. 8 1/2 x 11-inch cardstock paper works fine too.

_______

Invite participants to make flower prints with the sponge dish wands by dipping them in a color of paint and pressing them on the art paper.

After the dish wand flower prints dry, ask children to use markers to draw a stem below each sponged flower.

_______

Two different paint colors for each flower look nice. In the art piece above the two-toned flower prints are created by using yellow paint first. Afterward, each flower gets an additional color with a wand dipped in orange paint.

_______

Swirling a little magenta and purple paint into white paint before using a dish wand is another way to create two-toned flower art.

_______

Finishing Touches

Enhance this dish wand print flower art project by adding a saying or including paper embellishments.

_______

Add a “Happy Mother’s Day” greeting for a beautiful Mother’s Day keepsake craft.

_______

Glue on a few paper-punched butterflies in a complementary hue for an elegant look.

_______

More Activities With Flowers

Contact Paper Flower Art

Petunia Flower Sensory Tray

Flower Stand Dramatic Play Center

Lilac Flower Sensory Tray

Flower Planting Sensory Tray

Flower Theme Activities

‘

_______

[Read more…] about Dish Wand Print Flower Art

Paper Plate Sun Craft

by Leave a Comment

_______

A few weeks ago, I was looking for tableware for a space kitchen dramatic play center and found speckled and silver supplies that fit the bill. These metallic rainbow plates gleamed next to the iridescent silver ones I chose, and caught my attention. It was a no-brainer to use them in an easy and cute paper plate sun craft.

_______

Supplies To Collect

Just the following few supplies are needed for this simple sun craft:

  • 9-inch metallic rainbow party plates
  • bright yellow cardstock paper
  • marker
  • glue stick
  • scissors and pencil

_______

Follow me on Pinterest for more early learning ideas.

_______

Preparing The Paper Plate Sun Craft

_______

Craft preparation is easy for this paper plate sun craft. First, use a marker to draw lines along the ribs on the edge of 9-inch rainbow plate backs. The lines will be about two inches long.

Next, cut circles from bright yellow cardstock, about 6 inches in diameter.

Then choose a marker in a matching color to use for creating sun faces.

Set out a paper plate front side down and a pair of scissors for each child participating.

_______

The Paper Plate Sun Craft

For this craft, invite children to cut along the lines on the back side of their plate. This is great scissor skill practice.

_______

Next, have each participant draw a face on their yellow circle using a color that matches one of the metallic plate hues.

_______

After turning their paper plate right side up, give each child a glue stick to affix their yellow paper face to the center of their sun.

Finally, encourage participants to bend up every other fringed section on the edge of their plate to enhance the sun’s rays and create a 3D effect.

_______

The shiny, adorable paper pate suns beg to be displayed and will look cute together tacked to a bulletin board or wall.

_______

Variation of the Paper Plate Sun Craft

As an alternative to using metallic plates for this craft, offer plain white paper plates. Invite children to paint or color their plate yellow or orange, snip sun rays around the edge, and then glue on a round yellow paper face.

_______

Related:

Scented Moon Playdough

Outer Space Pretend Play

_______

[Read more…] about Paper Plate Sun Craft