Putting The Pretty In Preschool – Page 16 – Finding Beauty In Everyday Early Childhood Experiences

Glam Skeleton Sensory Bin

October 28, 2022 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

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Fall is such a great time to spot seasonal home décor in stores, as it is very plentiful. And one of my favorite things to do is to translate a seasonal trend into an “of the moment” sensory bin. This fall I’m particularly drawn to the beautifully adorned skeletons in wall art, decorations, and tableware. And this theme works well in a glam skeleton sensory bin guaranteed to catch the attention of little learners.

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Follow me on Pinterest for more early learning ideas.

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Supplies To Collect

Skeleton-themed loose parts tray for early learners to explore. Gold and silver accessories add glamour to the tray.

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The color scheme for this elegant sensory bin is silver, gold, cream, and white. Loose parts gathered for the bin are:

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 Sensory Bin

A large square metal serving tray is a good fit for this sensory activity. Brown, white, or gold rice provides a good base. My bin features glutinous rice… I love its super white hue.

To prepare this glamorous sensory invitation, pour a layer of rice into a tub or tray. Then spread gem diamonds and leaves, bead strands and pearl beads, bells, bones, and pumpkins over the rice. Add skeletons. spiders and crown-adorned skulls as a finishing touch.

An oh-so-glam skeleton-themed rice bin featuring gold and silver loose parts. A non-threatening way for little learners to explore the skeleton.

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Setting the loose parts in a smaller metal tray without adding rice is a no-fuss alternate way to offer this sensory activity.

An easy-to-set-up glamourous sensory tub for early learners featuring skulls and skeletons, and gold and silver loose parts.

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And placing a mirror on a stand at the back of the bin adds a double dose of glam.

An ornate mirror adds a double dose of glam to a skeleton-themed rice sensory bin your little learners are sure to love.

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Offering skulls, skeletons, and bones in a sensory bin filled with pretty loose parts is a non-threatening and inviting way for little learners to explore the human skeleton.

Glam up a skeleton-themed rice bin with gold and silver loose parts. Miniature pumpkins and pearl beads complete the bin.

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Black Light Skeleton Sensory Bin

Since there are many white or cream-colored pieces in this bin, it’s fun to extend sensory learning by observing if any of them light up under a black light. Surprisingly, a few gem leaves glow the most when the bin is placed in a dark room under a black light.

Find out what loose parts glow under a black light with this fun glam skeleton rice bin.

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Note: To find out more about what glows under a black light, view my blog post “Glow Art Words Of Affirmation.“

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Fall Leaf Salad Spinner Art

October 27, 2022 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

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Fall is well underway in our area of the world, and the leaves on the trees have turned bright shades of red, orange, and yellow in the past few weeks. The colorful leaves provide wonderful inspiration for art projects, and this fall leaf salad spinner art activity is one of my favorites.

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Follow me on Pinterest for more early learning ideas.

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Supplies to Collect

For this fun and easy art project, gather the following supplies:

salad spinner
white cardstock paper
red, yellow, green, and orange tempera paint
paint pots
teaspoons
leaf tracer
pencil
scissors

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A beautiful painted leaf made with a salad spinner painting technique. This process art project is bound to be a hit with your little learners.

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The Fall Leaf Salad Spinner Art Project

To do this art project, pick a leaf to trace and cut from white cardstock. I feature a maple leaf, as it fits nicely in a salad spinner and has an interesting shape. Cut out a few paper leaves for each child participating.

Next, pour red, yellow, orange, and green paint into small containers, and add a teaspoon to each paint pot.

Then have participants take turns placing a paper leaf in the spinner, dripping paint colors on top, and spinning the salad spinner as fast as they can.

How to make beautiful fall leaves with a salad spinner painting technique. An easy and fun all-ages art project.

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The resulting paint patterns are always a delightful surprise, and the arty leaves are display-worthy. And they make a great addition to year-end school memory albums.

A beautiful way to create painted fall leaves using a salad spinner technique. And it's so easy and fun.

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Note: I previously featured maple leaf salad spinner art in a Canada Day post. You can download a leaf template (available in that post) to use for this art activity if you wish.

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Beautiful fall leaves created with a salad spinner painting technique. The arty leaves are display-worthy and would be a great additions to year-end school memory albums.

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The salad spinner cleans up surprisingly well with soap and water at the end of the art session.

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Related: Maple Leaf Theme Activities

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Glow In The Dark Pumpkin Art

October 26, 2022 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

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This glow-in-the-dark pumpkin art is easy and fun to do. It’s an all-ages art activity the whole family can participate in, and looks stunning displayed in a dark room with a black light. Mounted on a neon-colored paper background, the pumpkin art project displays nicely in daylight too.

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Follow me on Pinterest for more early learning activities.

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Supplies To Collect

Supplies for making neon pumpkin art to use with a black light and take home afterward.

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Just a few supplies make this arty activity come to life. To get it ready, gather the following:

highlighter markers in a variety of colors
white cardstock paper
pumpkin template
pencil
scissors
neon green pipe cleaners
masking tape
small table
black light

Glow-in-the-dark pumpkin art with white cardstock paper, highlighter markers, and neon pipe cleaners. A stunning art project the whole family can do.

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The Glow in the Dark Pumpkin Art Activity

To prepare this activity, cut out pumpkins and leaves from white cardstock. Feel free to download the template below.

A free pumpkin template to download for glow-in-the-dark art activities.

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Pumpkin PatternDownload

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Then, set out a container with highlighter markers along with a paper pumpkin and leaf for each participant.

Next, invite everyone to color their pumpkin and leaf. Leaving some parts white is fine because it glows in the dark too.

Afterward, wrap neon green pipe cleaners around a pencil, and fasten one around the stem of each pumpkin.

Then set a small table against a wall in a room that can be made totally dark and place a black light on it.

Next, tape the pumpkins and leaves to the wall above the table.

This highlighter marker pumpkin art enhanced with a black light looks stunning in daylight too.

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Finally, invite artists into the room to admire their displayed art in daylight with the black light turned on. Then turn off the room lights. Participants are sure to be wowed by how beautiful their highlighter-decorated pumpkins look under ultraviolet light.

Quick and easy black light pumpkin art with highlighter markers, paper, and a black light. Free printable to download on the blog.

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Note: For an explanation of how black light and highlighters interact with each other, view my blog post “Glow Art Words Of Affirmation.”

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Black light pumpkin art with white cardstock paper, highlighter markers, and neon pipe cleaners. A stunning art project the whole family can do.

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When this art project is ready to send home, mount it on a complementary-colored neon paper background.

Neon pumpkin art for use with a black light, Afterward, mount it on neon paper to take home and display.

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More Pumpkin Activities

Eye Dropper Pumpkin Art

Pumpkin Painting Process Art

Pumpkin Tablescape Pretend Play

Edible Playdough Pumpkins

Pumpkin Color Activities

Pumpkin Playdough Activities

Pumpkin Collage Art

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Pumpkin Tablescape Pretend Play

October 21, 2022 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

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This bright and cheery pumpkin tablescape pretend play setup has a host of loose parts that make it super fun to explore.

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Follow me on Pinterest for more early learning ideas.

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Supplies To Collect

Pumpkin-themed loose parts are the highlight of this hands-on dramatic play center your early learners will be eager to explore.

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Pumpkins are a huge part of fall décor, so it is easy to find accessories for this inviting, seasonal dramatic play activity. Here’s a list of items gathered:

white tablecloth
vase with artificial flowers
a string of pumpkin lights
pumpkin-themed disposable plates and serving trays
non-breakable cutlery and drinking glasses
acrylic gem pumpkins
artificial mini pumpkins
wooden pumpkin beads
pumpkin cookie cutters
pumpkin seeds
reusable pumpkin ice cubes
pumpkin-themed ice cube tray
felt pumpkins
fall-themed mini spatula
wooden harvest/pumpkin plaque
plastic jars and serving bowls
cookie tray
serving utensils

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Setting Up The Pumpkin Tablescape

Set up this colorful pumpkin-themed pretend play center your early learners will love. Loose parts are the highlight of this hands-on dramatic play activity.

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It’s so quick and easy to set up this play tablescape. I keep a large storage container with pumpkin-themed accessories and take out the tableware and loose parts that work for the center.

To get this activity ready, first cover a child-sized table with a white tablecloth. Then, set an unbreakable vase with pumpkin-themed artificial flowers in the center. Add a string of pumpkin lights around the vase.

Next, arrange place settings with fall-themed disposable plates and cutlery on the table.

Then, drop artificial mini pumpkins into clear drinking glasses and include them in the place settings.

After this, set out the rest of the supplies in the open spaces:

tray of felt pumpkin “cookies”
jar of artificial mini pumpkins
bowl of pumpkin/turkey bead “candies”
ice cube tray with reusable pumpkin-themed ice cubes
bowl of pumpkin seeds
jar of acrylic pumpkin gems
fall-themed spatula

Finally, add serving spoons to the play tablescape.

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Your little learners will be excited to discover this pumpkin tablescape pretend play center, and I’m sure a lot of imaginative, quality play will take place.

Pumpkins in all shapes and forms are the highlights in this easy-to-set-up pumpkin tablescape dramatic play center little learners will love.

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View this Pumpkin Tablescape Pretend Play Center as a video.

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More Pumpkin Activities

Eye Dropper Pumpkin Art

Pumpkin Painting Process Art

Glow In The Dark Pumpkin Art

Edible Playdough Pumpkins

Pumpkin Color Activities

Pumpkin Playdough Activities

Pumpkin Collage Art

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Neon Finger Paint Tree Art

October 19, 2022 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

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After reading the poetic book “The Tree In Me” by Corinna Luyken, I especially fell in love with the exquisite, gorgeous illustrations. The beautiful artwork is the inspiration for this neon finger paint tree art activity.

Neon colors, especially pink, balanced by soft yellow hues and touches of grey, are used often in the story. Author/illustrator Luyken states that she picked these radiant colors because she has a soft spot for neon, and wanted to give the story a more universal feel. I know that little learners will love using neon colors in tree art too.

A beautiful, picture-book-inspired neon fingerpaint tree art project the whole family can do. A free tree template is available to download.

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Follow me on Pinterest for more early learning ideas.

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Supplies To Collect

For this cheery tree art activity, only a few supplies need to be gathered:

neon pink, red, orange, and purple finger paint or tempera paint
yellow finger paint or tempera paint
paint tray
white or cream 8 ½ x 11-inch cardstock
tree template

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The Neon Finger Paint Tree Process

Steps to create beautiful neon finger paint tree art. A picture-book-inspired art project that is easy to do. A free template is included.

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This painting activity is easy to set up and do, and early learners will get excited about having the chance to finger paint.

Before starting the art project, read the storybook “The Tree In Me,” or view a video version of the story. Discuss the colors used for the illustrations, along with the many tree-related activities the children in the story participate in.

Next, set out a paint tray with neon finger paints or tempera paints. I feature neon pink, red, and orange tempera paints in this art project. I didn’t have neon yellow paint, but bright yellow paint works fine with neon colors.

Afterward, select a tree template to use for the art. Feel free to download this template for the painting activity.

A free tree template to download for art and craft activities.

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Tree Printable

This printable is for individual or one classroom use only.

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Invite early learners to dip a fingertip into the paint colors and finger paint their tree template. While they are working, talk about the colors of paint available and the ones they choose to use.

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Finger Paint Tree Art Benefits

Aside from facilitating language development, this finger paint tree art improves eye-hand coordination and develops fine motor skills. And it offers children a chance to create with unique, dynamic paint colors.

The artwork in “The Tree In Me” is joyful and whimsical, and complements the heartwarming text. Neon finger paint tree art is a terrific follow-up activity to reading the story.

Gorgeous neon finger paint tree art inspired by the picture book "The Tree In Me" by Corinna Luyken. An all-ages, easy-to-do art activity. A free template is included.

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Related: Book-inspired Tree Art

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Color Magic Milk Experiment

October 8, 2022 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

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Have you ever done the color magic milk experiment? It is quick and easy to do, and participants are always in awe of the results. In this version, I add artistic flair by giving the experiment a leafy twist.

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Follow me on Pinterest for more early learning ideas.

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Supplies To Collect

Just a few supplies are needed for this simple but stunning kitchen science experiment. Gather the following:

2 liters milk
red, yellow, and blue food coloring
dish detergent
large round serving tray
maple leaf frame (optional)

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The Color Magic Milk Experiment

Effortlessly perform this color magic milk experiment in four easy steps. A maple leaf frame enhances the kitchen science experiment.

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To do this experiment, start by pouring a layer of milk into a food tray. Using homo milk is recommended, but 1% and 2% will also work.

Note: Outdated milk is a great choice for this experiment.

Next, float a maple leaf frame on the milk. (My frame is a cardboard cutout purchased at a dollar store.)

Note: The leaf-themed frame adds interest to the experiment, but is not necessary for it to work.

Then drip yellow, red, and blue food coloring inside the frame.

This next step is where the magic happens… Squirt a drop of dish detergent onto each pool of colors. Watch the colors instantly race to the edge of the frame, swirling around as they go.

After the initial color burst, check back after ten minutes and you will see a variety of hues slowly starting to fill in the maple leaf shape.

Watch the color magically spread around the maple leaf frame in this kitchen science experiment.

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At this point, you can add a little more food coloring and a tiny bit of dish detergent for more color play.

The colors slowly fill out the maple leaf frame in this color magic milk experiment with an artistic twist.

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View this maple leaf color magic science experiment as a video.

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The Science Behind This Color Experiment

Although milk is made of mostly water, it also contains fat and protein. These are both sensitive to changes in the milk. When dish soap is added to the tray, it breaks up the surface tension of the milk and is attracted to the fat molecules. The fat molecules try to scurry away but end up bonded with the soap molecules. The movement of the food coloring makes this process visible. As more and more soap and fat molecules bond, the color movement slows down and eventually stops.

Since the fat content in milk is super important in this experiment, homo milk works the best. But 2% and 1% milk (which I often have handy) also show stunning results.

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More Leaf Activities

Five Leaf Art Activities

Fall Leaf Salad Spinner Art

Light Table Leaf Exploration

Eye Dropper Leaf Art

Maple Leaf Activities

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DIY Portable Mud Kitchen

October 7, 2022 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

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I am a huge fan of mud kitchens but also love a DIY portable mud kitchen option. A “to go” mud kitchen that can be taken on nature outings or set anywhere in the classroom is economical and easy to set up. And it offers a multitude of imaginative play opportunities.

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Follow me on Pinterest for more early learning ideas.

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Portable Mud Kitchen Supplies

Supplies for a portable mud kitchen that can quickly and easily be set up indoors or outside, Fall leaves are the highlight.

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To make a pop-up mud kitchen, simply use supplies you have on hand. Gather the following:

milk crate
small wire shelves
cardboard box square
play pots and pans
loaf pans and muffin tins
soup spoons
wood slices
pine cones
rocks
leaves
black permanent marker
black crayon
circle tracers

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The DIY Portable Mud Kitchen

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This portable mud kitchen can be set up anywhere. In the classroom, it allows you to bring in natural materials for early learners to explore in an effortless way.

To put it together, start off by using circle tracers (think food container lids) to draw stove burners on a cardboard box square with a black permanent marker. Color in some of the circles with a black crayon.

Place the stove top drawing on an upside-down milk crate. Or draw stove burners on the bottom of a box.

Set the crate and drawing (or box stove) in a sensory table (sand and water table.)

Add small wire shelves (available at dollar stores).

Collect old pots, pans, muffin tins, and serving bowls and place them in the table. Include serving spoons.

Sprinkle in rocks, wood slices, pine cones, and leaves in a variety of colors. Invite little learners to explore the center.

It’s that simple!

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More Mud Kitchen Play

This setup can be taken outside and arranged on the ground or on a bench. Load all the supplies in the crate for easy transport.

A metal bowl “sink”, a pitcher of water, tea cups, whisks, potato mashers, and ladles would add interest and sensory opportunities to this center.

An active world tray positioned on the ground works well as a base instead of a sensory table. Or set up the supplies on a tarp.

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Related: Fall Sensory Play

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Fun Ways To Serve Watermelon

September 29, 2022 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

Four ways to serve watermelon that make snack time more fun. Orange, yellow, and traditional red watermelon varieties are featured.

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Have you ever heard of orange or yellow watermelon, or white? I decided to locate and taste some of these lesser-known varieties this fall. And with a few different colors at my fingertips, I put together four fun ways to serve watermelon.

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Ten Watermelon Facts

Watermelon is a sweet and juicy fruit.
Africa is the country it is believed to have been discovered.
Pink or red-fleshed watermelon is commonly found in stores.
Some watermelons have orange, yellow, or white flesh.
Containing 92% water, this cheery fruit helps people stay hydrated.
The large fruit is high in vitamins A, B, and C, and contains antioxidants.
The seeds of this thirst-quencher are nutritious too.
Watermelon is fat-free and low in calories.
A long growing season and lots of sunshine are needed to garden this fruit.
Watermelon is a popular snack for hot days and picnics.

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Four Fun Ways To Serve Watermelon

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Without any fancy recipes, you can serve watermelon in ways that add creativity and fun to snack and meal times. Including a variety of melon flesh hues will add interest and sensory opportunities, and the different colors are bound to be a conversation piece.

Note: Seedless watermelon varieties are used in this post. Orange, yellow, and red kinds are featured.

Below are four ways to serve watermelon that make snack time more fun.

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Watermelon Skewers

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For an easy way to add novelty to a snack, cut different colors of watermelon into bite-sized pieces and thread them onto wooden skewers. The small chunks don’t have to be perfectly cubed to work. And although the yellow and orange pieces look like pineapple and cantaloupe, they are actually chunks of orange and yellow watermelon.

While snackers eat the fruit, discuss the color and taste of each kind. I found that my purchased yellow and orange watermelon tasted quite similar to red. And my taste-testers were fine with each color.

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Watermelon Popsicles

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Watermelon is often served in triangular shapes, which works well for popsicles. After cutting the triangles, use a knife to make a slit in the rind of each piece. Next, push in stick handles.

Then freeze the watermelon triangles overnight in a single layer to turn them into popsicles. Or skip the freezing part and serve them immediately.

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Watermelon Suns

Three colors of watermelon are featured in these juicy suns. Blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries fill in the centers.

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For this eye-appealing watermelon snack version, berries are added to the mix.

To make the juicy suns, first cut the watermelons into triangle shapes.

Next, lay slices of each watermelon color on a dinner plate in a circular design, leaving room in the middle for berries.

Then add blueberries or raspberries to the center of each plate.

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Watermelon Sunflowers

Large square serving trays work well for creating watermelon sunflowers.

To create them, start off with the same design as the watermelon suns.

Then add a different colored watermelon leaf, and a stem made with skin-covered rind pieces.

Make this sunflower-shaped snack with yellow and orange watermelon and raspberries. Add strawberries and blueberries for garnish.

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On the tray above, yellow watermelon serves as the sunflower petals. The leaf is a slice of orange watermelon, and raspberries are the “seeds.” Blueberries and strawberries complete the tray.

Make this sunflower-shaped snack with orange and yellow watermelon and raspberries. Add strawberries and blueberries for garnish.

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On this second tray, the sunflower has orange petals and a yellow watermelon leaf.

Create a juicy sunflower with red watermelon petals, a yellow watermelon leaf, and a blueberry seed center.

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Traditional red watermelon is featured in this third design. The leaf is yellow watermelon. Blueberries are the “seeds.”

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Purchasing Watermelon Varieties

Red watermelon is easy to spot in grocery stores. Orange, yellow, and white varieties are harder to locate, and will likely be more expensive. I was able to find the yellow watermelon in a tray of precut slices and purchased the orange one whole. Tasting a white watermelon is on my list to do next summer!

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Watermelon Recipes

Ready to add more flavor and variety to your watermelon snacks? Check out the recipes in the blog post “45+ Watermelon Recipes” by Country Living.

And how about some watermelon pizza, featured on Mom On Time Out?

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Related: Watermelon Playdough Tray

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Glow Art Words Of Affirmation

September 20, 2022 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

This black light "Words Of Affirmation" Glow Art activity is a must-try. It is a science, art, and language self-esteem-building project.

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Words are powerful, and they can be super uplifting to early learners. At the beginning of the school year, supportive, self-esteem-building words help students get off to a good start. A creative and oh-so-easy way to introduce them is by inviting little learners to use highlighters to color around positive ones printed in heart shapes. Afterward, the fancied-up words can be viewed and discussed in a “Glow Art Words Of Affirmation” language and science activity.

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Follow me on Pinterest for more early learning ideas.

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Supplies To Collect

For this confidence-boosting glow art activity, gather the following supplies:

chisel-tipped highlighters in a variety of colors
white cardstock paper
black felt marker
scissors
tape
portable black light fluorescent tube and holder
small coffee table

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Glow Word Art

First, draw heart shapes on white cardstock paper with a black felt marker, and add a word of affirmation to each one. Or design the project digitally. The words chosen for my art project are:

creative
friendly
kind
brave
helpful
teachable
awesome
unique
cherished

Steps to perform a black light "words of affirmation" glow art activity. The art project is perfect for the beginning of the year, the end of the year, or anytime in between.

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Next, invite little learners to decorate a word heart with highlighter markers, and then cut their hearts out. Leaving some parts of the designs uncolored is fine, as white will glow too.

Note: Highlighter ink is a tiny bit toxic, but using it is not considered a health risk. If your little charges are prone to sticking things in their mouths and/or coloring on themselves, it is advisable to choose another art medium for this activity.

When decorated, tape the embellished hearts to a wall in a room that can be made totally dark.

Afterward, place a fluorescent tube black light on a small table next to the art wall, and turn it on.

Then invite everyone to the room to view the art with all lights on. Discuss how the words apply to your little learners.

This "positive words" glow art activity incorporates language and science. It is a confidence-boosting art project perfect for any time of the year.

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Lastly, make the room dark and leave just the black light on. Students will be wowed by the glowing, worded hearts.

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Safety Tip: Tell children that they should only be near a black light for a short period of time. Prolonged exposure may lead to eye and skin damage.

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Discussing The Glow Art Words Of Affirmation

Here are some ideas for discussing decorated word hearts with the children:

Assure early learners that they are brave in coming to school and meeting new friends.
Affirm the specialness of each child by saying they are “unique, awesome, and cherished.”
Compliment students for being creative and teachable.
Highlight that being “friendly, helpful, and kind” are ways to work as a team and get along with each other.

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The Science Behind Black Light

Black lights are designed to block out visible light and emit invisible, ultraviolet (UV-A) light. They illuminate natural and man-made materials that contain phosphors. Phosphors convert the energy in UV radiation to visible light by re-emitting it at a different wavelength, one that our eyes can see.

The dyes from highlighter pens contain phosphors. When highlighter art is positioned in a dark room near a black light, it glows.

This black light character trait art activity incorporates language and science. It is a confidence-boosting art project perfect for any time of the year.

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Glowing Names

Instead of focussing on words of affirmation, invite your little learners to color around their names with highlighters. This is also a terrific beginning of the year activity. And it works well at the end of the school term to remind children that they have been valued members of the class.

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Related: Scented Moon Playdough

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Skull And Crossbones Art

September 15, 2022 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

Most years a pirate theme finds its way into our curriculum offerings. The theme involves action figures, boats, and lots of treasure, so what’s not to love? This year we included skull and crossbones art, which led to interesting discussions!

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Oh, so easy skull and crossbones art project your little learners will love. Two free printables are included for the scissor skill activity.

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Follow me on Pinterest for more ideas.

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What I like most of all about a pirate theme is the way it enhances children’s language. Near the beginning of the school year, dramatic pirate language (demonstrated in storybooks) helps draw children out of their shells as they practice it in pretend play. Later on, it presents opportunities to work on sounds children may still be having difficulty with (think letter R / “arrr”.)

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International Talk Like A Pirate Day

An International Talk Like A Pirate Day is held every year on September 19. Celebrating it in the classroom fits in well with the benefits of imitating pirate talk at the beginning of the school term (which is in September where I live.}

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The Skull And Crossbones Art Project

Near the end of my latest pirate theme, I offered a little skull and crossbones art activity. (A skull and crossbones symbol was one of the designs used on pirate ships.) Although the main goals were to discuss symmetry and practice scissor skills, the activity also inspired lively group conversation.

Oh, so easy skull and crossbones "creepy art" activity your little learners will love. Two free printables are included for the scissor skill ainvitation.

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Children cut out a skull and crossbones from a printable and then used felt markers to decorate it.

Invitation to create "creepy art" with two free skull and crossbones printables. Scissor skill practice is also a goal.

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My preschoolers loved the decorating phase. And they called their designs “creepy art.” That term (which rolled off their tongues numerous times) was the inspiration for drawing spiders and dripping blood. (There were a few hearts to soften the look.)

This led me to tell them that there is such a thing as creepy art and that it is perfectly legitimate. Skull and crossbones art fits the label, and some of it is even described as “gorgeous” and “pretty” online.

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Skull And Crossbones Printables

The simple pirate-themed art activity was so well-received that I thought it was worth sharing in a blog post. It’s easy to pull out on International Talk Like A Pirate Day, or any time of the year.

Here are two free printables to download so your little learners can make creepy art too.

This first printable can be cut out and decorated. Or you can skip the cutting phase.

Skull and crossbones template to download for scissor skill practice and art.

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Skull And Crossbones PrintableDownload

This printable is for individual or one classroom use only.

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The second printable is designed to be folded in half lengthwise and then cut. It’s a good activity to discuss symmetry.

Skull and crossbones template to download for scissor skill practice and art. Learning about symmetry is also a possibility.

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Skull And Crossbones Scissor Skill PrintableDownload

This printable is for individual or one classroom use only.

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The work of Salvador Dali is an example of exquisite creepy art. An artist theme on Dali would be a great follow-up to this skull and crossbones art activity.

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And for more pirate-themed fun, try this “Exploding Treasure Chests” science experiment by FUN-A-DAY.

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Related: Pirate Treasure Bin

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