flowers

Balloon Painting Flower Art

July 28, 2024 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

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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.

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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

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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.

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The Balloon Painting Flower Art Project

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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.

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

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

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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.

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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.

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

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Tulip Art Painting Project

Dish Wand Print Flower Art

Flower Theme Activities

Mother’s Day Crafts and Gifts

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[Read more…]

Tea Party Water Play

July 18, 2024 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

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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.

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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

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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.

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

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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.

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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.

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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!

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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.

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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.

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Tea Party Sensory Play

Teacup and Peony Sensory Tray

Lilac Flower Sensory Trays

Petunia Flower Sensory Tray

Flower Theme Activities

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[Read more…]

Dish Wand Print Flower Art

May 5, 2024 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

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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.

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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

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Follow me on Pinterest for more early learning ideas.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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

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Finishing Touches

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

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

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

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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

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[Read more…]

Black History Month Hair Decorating Art

February 24, 2024 by Annette Kaminsky 2 Comments

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These Black History Month hair decorating art invitations are inspired by the photos of beautifully decorated classroom doors that frequently go viral online and a recyclable shopping bag design. The two art invitations are easy for little learners to participate in and are suited for people of all ages.

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Follow me on Pinterest for more early learning ideas.

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Black History Month has been celebrated in the US every year since 1926. Classroom door artwork displaying beautiful hairstyles with embellishments is a stunning way to draw attention to the celebration. Often, the artwork is accompanied by pictures and information about past role models and their contributions.

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Black History Month Transient Art

A variety of craft supplies in gold, silver, pink, white, and tan hues provide the color scheme for a simple Black History Month transient art hair decorating invitation.

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Supplies To Collect

18 x 24-inch sturdy white paper
12-inch x 18-inch black fadeless construction paper
brown and pink construction or scrapbook paper
gift bows
pipe cleaners
bead garland strips
clip on tree decorations
buttons
pom poms
dangling earring
glue stick and glue gun
glue stick
pencil and scissors
compartment tray

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Black History Month Transient Art Set Up

For this glitzy art invitation, start by selecting the above easy-to-find supplies in a color scheme of choice, and placing them in a compartment tray. My color scheme has plenty of gold and silver, which black people wear so well. It is balanced by neutral and light pink hues.

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Cut and wrap pipe cleaner pieces around a pencil to make curly adornments, and tie other pipe cleaners and bead garland strips into bows.

Next, draw and cut a side view of a human head from brown construction paper, hair from black construction paper, and the shoulders of a top from fabric or colored construction paper. Fadeless construction paper or cardstock holds color the best.

Afterward, using a glue stick or glue gun, adhere the profile head, top, and hair onto a large sheet of construction or art paper. Slide in a dangling earring if desired.

Note: You may want to trim a small piece off the upper edge of the paper background to eliminate unnecessary white space.

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The Hair Decorating Transient Art Invitation

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Once the design is glued together, set out the compartment tray and invite one or two children at a time to pick supplies and decorate the hair of the arty profile. Make sure to snap a picture of each child with their finished design before you invite someone new to embellish the profile image.

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Children may decide to decorate the clothing in addition to the hair.

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After everyone has a chance to participate in the Black History Month transient art activity, give each child an opportunity to contribute a few pieces to the design. Afterward, use a glue gun to affix the shapes permanently. You will have a beautiful wall art piece to display.

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Hair Decorating With Flowers and Butterflies

This second Black History Month hair decorating invitation gives participants a chance to complete a finished art project to take home, using a similar profile image as above.

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Supplies To Collect

14-inch x 17-inch art paper
craft flowers and butterflies
construction paper
flower and butterfly paper punches
self-adhesive gem stickers
scissors and pencil
glue stick

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For this next black History Month art invitation, put together a smaller-sized profile image for each child participating. A 14-inch x 17-inch sized background piece of paper is a good fit for the project.

Paper punch flowers and butterflies from a few different colors of cardstock paper, and add self-adhesive sticker gems. Or use purchased craft flowers and butterflies.

Note: I am a huge fan of paper punches and use them all the time. They save oodles of preparation time and give art projects a professional touch.

Set out a profile image and butterflies and flowers on an art table for each child participating. Invite everyone to use a glue stick to embellish the hair of their paper person with the craft supplies.

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More Black History Month Activities

Three Black History Month Crafts

Five Black History Month Crafts

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[Read more…]

Starry Sky Sensory Bin

September 22, 2023 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

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Just as vegetables that come in a variety of colors are always a happy find, so are interestingly colored flowers. These award-winning, starry sky petunias are a new discovery for me, and they caught my attention at a hardware store! Their varying color patterns and space-themed name make them perfect for a starry sky sensory bin.

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Starry Sky Petunias were introduced about eight years ago, and their spectacular speckled white and purple flowers are a reminder of the cosmos. Each individual flower varies in shade of color and placement of white dots and splotches. The super pretty petunia plant is also named Night Sky Petunia and Galaxy Petunia.

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Follow me on Pinterest for more early learning ideas.

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Supplies To Collect

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This flower-inspired starry sky sensory bin contains the following loose part supplies:

starry sky petunia flowers
astronaut figurines
toy planets
glow in the dark moon and stars
toy spaceships in varying designs
pink and purple buttons
large and small marbles
purple and pink tumbled stones
turquoise, pink, and purple acrylic gems
silver spray painted rocks
agate slices

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The Starry Sky Sensory Bin

The supplies in the starry sky sensory bin are offered in two different containers.

This first bin for the sensory play loose parts is a food bus tub. It is super user-friendly and can be set up anywhere. Two or three little learners can play in the tub at the same time.

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Water with a little fluorescent purple food coloring added is the base for the bin. Breathtaking, other-worldly Starry Sky Petunias are the “stars” of the sensory play invitation.

Space-themed toys such as astronaut figurines, spaceships in varying sizes, glow-in-the-dark moon and stars, and toy planets complement the petunias.

Marbles in varying sizes are space rocks or pretend planets.

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Loose parts such as silver spray-painted rocks, agate slices, pink and purple tumbled stones, and acrylic gems add beauty to the bin.

Complementary-colored buttons are a welcome addition to any sensory bin.

This next water-based bin is a round, edged serving tray. It can also be offered anywhere and is suitable for one or two little ones to use at a time. The water level is a little lower, allowing for a large toy spaceship to stand upright in the bin.

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Petunia flowers in any color provide beautiful, cascading blooms all growing season long. Solid pink, purple, or white petunia flowers would also work wonderfully in this starry sky sensory bin.

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[Read more…]

Gorgeous Eye Dropper Art

August 27, 2023 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

Baeutiful paper towel eye dropper art . Do the process art activity on its own or turn the art into dragonfly, butterfly, and flower designs.

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What do dragonflies, butterflies, and flowers have in common? Aside from appearing during the summer season, they all look spectacular in eye dropper art. This easy-to-do, oh-so-satisfying process art technique is one of children’s favorite ways to paint.

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Follow me on Pinterest for more early learning ideas.

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Supplies To Collect

For this stunning art activity, gather the following:

liquid watercolors or food coloring
roll of absorbent paper towels
pipette eye droppers
paint containers
waterproof tablecloth

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The Eye Dropper Art Process

Create gorgeous eye dropper art with liquid watercolors on paper towle sheets. An all-ages process art activity.

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Things might get very wet with this art technique, so the first thing to do is cover the working surface with a waterproof tablecloth.

Next, tear off sheets from a paper towel roll. If you have a choice, pick a thicker brand, as it will be more absorbent. But any kind of paper towel will work fine.

Then pour water into paint pots, and mix a few drops of liquid watercolors or food coloring in each one.

Set up an art station with a paper towel sheet and paint pots with eyedropper pipettes for each participant.

Invite children to squeeze paint on their paper towel canvas with the droppers.

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When the arty paper towel sheets are thoroughly covered in paint, set them aside to dry.

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Eye Dropper Paint Crafts

Eye dropper painting is a well-loved process art activity, and participating artists will likely want to decorate a few paper towels. In this case, send some of the paper towel art home, and save a few sheets for crafts or other activities. The paper towel art looks beautiful in the following three crafts.

Paper Towel Dragonflies

Create a gorgeous dragonfly with a super fun eye dropper painting technique. A paper craft that looks stunning displayed.

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The large wings of mosquito-munching dragonflies have a moment with the eye dropper art technique. To craft the dragonflies, cut two pairs of long wings out of painted paper towel sheets, and a one-piece head, thorax, and abdomen from complementary-toned regular or glitter cardstock. Use a glue stick to affix the dragonfly wings to the back of the cardstock shapes. Finally, use a glue gun to add folded pipe cleaner antennae and wiggly eyes to the heads.

Tip: Paper towel rolls are often two-ply. If the layers in your cutouts separate while you are working, dab a little glue in a few spots between them so they stay in place.

Create gorgeous dragonflies with a super fun eye dropper painting technique. A paper craft that looks stunning displayed.

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Download this free dragonfly template to make the craft.

Download this free dragonfly template for art or craft activities.

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Dragonfly PrintableDownload

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This printable is for individual or one classroom use only.

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Paper Towel Butterflies

Create a gorgeous, dainty butterfly with a super fun eye dropper painting technique. A paper craft that looks stunning displayed.

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Butterflies look fantastical in any kind of art technique, and the wings look especially dainty when crafted from painted paper towels. To create the butterflies, snip two pairs of butterfly wings from a colored paper towel. Then cut a one-piece head, thorax, and abdomen from cardstock. As with the dragonflies, affix the wings to the back of the cardstock bodies. With a glue gun, attach a folded pipe cleaner antennae and two small wiggly eyes to the heads.

Create gorgeous, dainty butterflies with a super fun eye dropper painting technique. A paper craft that looks stunning displayed.

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Download this free butterfly template to make the craft.

Download this free butterfly template for art or craft activities.

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Butterfly TemplateDownload

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This printable is for individual or one-classroom use only.

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Paper Towel Flowers

Create a beautiful flower with a super fun eye dropper painting technique. A paper craft that looks stunning displayed.

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A third art project is to create paper towel flowers. Cut the flowers and circular centers from painted paper towel sheets, and add cardstock or construction paper stems and leaves.

Create beautiful flowers with a super fun eye dropper painting technique. A paper craft that looks stunning displayed.

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Download this free flower template to make the craft.

Download this free flower template for art or craft activities.

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Flower PrintableDownload

This printable is for individual or one-classroom use only.

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Light Table Play

The eye dropper paper towel dragonflies, butterflies, and flowers look especially beautiful displayed on a light table.

Eyedropper art dragonfly, butterfly, and flowers display beautifully on a light table.

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As an alternative, eye dropper-painted geometric shapes cut from paper towel sheets also illuminate wonderfully and offer opportunities to create original designs.

Eye dropper art on geomtric shapes look beautiful on a light table and provide an invitation to create interesting new designs.

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Earth Day Heart Art

Eye Dropper Leaf Art

Spider Theme Activities

Ladybug Wand Craft

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[Read more…]

Contact Paper Flower Art

August 4, 2023 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

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For at least two years I have been wanting to try a floral window art project with contact paper. And I was hoping to use flowers and foliage growing in the wild in my first attempt, just to give them a moment. Although this summer I purchased more flowering annuals than usual and the blooms are taking over my yard, this contact paper flower art project is made with wildflowers and greenery found in our city. It is surprisingly effortless to do, and little learners can easily join in.

Use flowers and foliage found in the wild to create beautiful transient window art on contact paper. An all-ages nature art activity.

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Follow me on Pinterest for more early learning ideas.

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Creating Contact Paper Flower Art

To create this transient nature art project, start by gathering flowers and greenery to use. A natural wildflower patch at a local dog park provided all I needed for this design.

Create oh-so-pretty contact paper flower art using flowers and foliage found in the wild. A beautiful, transient nature art project.

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Note: It is a good idea to check if the plants you find are toxic to humans before you decide to include them. If so, do not offer them to little learners to use in the project.

Next, cut a shape from contact paper. You can simply snip off a rectangular strip, or create a special shape such as a heart or star.

Then slowly and carefully peel off the backing so it comes off smoothly without wrinkling the sticky contact paper.

Steps to create oh-so-pretty contact paper flower art using flowers and foliage found in the wild. A beautiful, transient nature art project.

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If you have a specific design in mind, use the peeled-off paper as a dummy to plan the arrangement of the flowers.

Afterward, transfer the flowers and foliage to the contact paper, and gently press them down. It works well to start with greenery and then add flowers.

In my design, the daisies are plump in the middle but tolerate a good finger press and adhere well. And the four-petalled purple flowers work perfectly as butterflies.

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This contact paper art project with wildflowers looks beautiful displayed in a window. Just use a glue stick to add adhesive to the window of choice, and gently press the flower art over it. The glue washes off easily without leaving any marks after the project is taken down.

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More Contact Paper Flower Art Ideas

Here are more ways to create or display contact paper flower art:

Instead of setting this art project on a table, tack the contact paper to a window first and offer the art activity there. Besides providing a novel way to create art, it improves little learners’ core body strength and eye-hand coordination.

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To provide a unique invitation to create, set the contact paper on a table and place a frame around it. Add a tray of flowers and foliage for little learners to use to decorate the sticky surface.

An Invitation to create oh-so-pretty contact paper flower art using flowers and foliage found in the wild. A beautiful, transient nature art project.

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To make this tacky art project more durable, add a cardboard frame.

Another way to display the art is to use a glue gun to adhere a strip of yarn to the top of the completed project and hang it on a tree.

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[Read more…]

Dyed Peony Science Experiment

July 2, 2023 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

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Peony plants have large, bold flowers that grow profusely during the blossoming season. It’s always sad to see them go so I try to snap a few pictures before they drop off.

Don’t get scared off by the ants in this picture I took! Ants eat peony nectar and help keep peonies safe by attacking bud-eating insects.

Pretty light pink peony flowers and buds. Peony blooms are showstoppers during the summer season.

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After taking a peony and thrifted vintage teacup photo, I realized that a saved flower in a jar of water would provide the perfect opportunity for a dyed peony science experiment. Peony flowers have a dense cluster of petals, similar to carnations, so I wondered if the experiment would turn out as well. It worked wonderfully, so I highly recommend giving it a try.

A pretty in pink peony bloom complements a thrifted vintage teacup.

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Follow me on Pinterest for more learning ideas.

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Supplies To Collect

All you need is a few supplies to perform this oh-so-easy, nature science experiment. Gather the following:

peony flower stem with leaves
clear jar or vase with water
neon blue food coloring
spoon

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The Dyed Peony Science Experiment

To perform this simple science experiment, fill a small, clear jar at least half full of water.

Add 10 or more drops of neon blue food coloring and stir it in. I use a blue hue, but any color of food coloring would work nicely.

Try this easy-to-do dyed peony science experiment today. This activity shows how water travels up peony stems and flows through leaves and petals.

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Set the sprig in the colored water overnight and observe it the next day. You’ll notice that the edges of the peony flower petals have turned blue.

Check the plant once a day after that to spot more color changes.

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Tell your little charges that coloring the water blue helps us see how water travels up the stem of a plant into the flower leaves and petals.

Note: The leaves and stems of my peony plant are dark, so it is difficult to see water travel up them. Choosing a plant with lighter leaves would show water travel through these plant parts better.

Large, light pink peony blooms are showstoppers during the summer season.

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The Importance of Water For Plants

Along with light, air, and good soil, water is super important to a plant’s growth and survival:

Plants are made of mostly water, and it helps them stay firm.
Plants cool down by releasing water from their stems and leaves. This helps them regulate their temperature.
Water carries important nutrients that help plants grow.
Sunlight, carbon dioxide from the air, and water are necessary for photosynthesis, which is how the leaves of plants create energy to survive.

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If you have an abundance of peonies, why not try this dyed peony science experiment with a variety of food coloring hues? Or you could perform it with carnations, which are easy to find and economical to buy.

Related:

Celery Science Experiment

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[Read more…]

Petunia Flower Sensory Tray

July 1, 2023 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

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A few weeks ago, a coworker brought me a beautiful bouquet of irises, which I thought would be perfect for a flowery sensory tray. After getting out supplies to coordinate with the purple and white color scheme, I realized I’d forgotten one really important thing… to check if irises are toxic. It was super disappointing to discover that every part of them is, so the irises couldn’t be used for sensory play.

Since all my accompanying supplies were ready to go, I decided to hunt for a child-friendly flowering plant. Luckily, on a shopping trip soon after I discovered a totally non-toxic, bountiful pot of purple-hued petunias. The pot was overflowing with leggy petunia shoots begging for a trim. The cuttings are featured in this petunia flower sensory tray.

This showy starry sky petunia plant is the perfect addition to your patio. Trimmed sprigs are repurposed in a petunia flower sensory tray.

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Petunia Flower Sensory Tray Supplies

A nature-based sensory tray with petunia flower sprigs and pretty purple and white loose parts for tactile exploration.

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A few simple supplies bring this sensory tray to life. In addition to petunia sprigs, there are:

metal bowls and tablespoons
non-breakable measuring cups, jars, and dessert cups
violet craft foam insects
metallic purple pom poms
purple necklace strips
pearl beads
large white buttons
pebble-shaped acrylic gems
scissors

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Pretty purple and white loose parts are the perfect addition to a petunia flower sensory tray your little learners will love to explore.

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Preparing The Petunia Flower Sensory Tray

The bin for this tray is a green active world tray. It is large enough for four or more children to play in at a time.

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To set up this flower-themed sensory activity, cover a large, round table with a water-resistant tablecloth and place the tray on it.

Then set up four stations, each with a metal bowl, serving spoon, dessert cup, pair of scissors, and petunia sprig.

Next, fill the measuring cups with water and drop a little neon purple food coloring into each one.

Afterward, set a few jars with water in the tray.

Place a bouquet of petunias in a container in the middle.

Purple and white loose parts and similar colored petunias are the highlights of this petunia flower active world tray sensory play invitation.

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To complete the activity center, arrange bowls with loose parts such as craft foam insects, sparkly pom poms, necklace strips, buttons, pebble-shaped acrylic gems, and pearl beads around the vase.

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The Petunia Flower Sensory Tray

Your little learners will love to explore this petunia flower sensory tray. They’ll be excited to make flower and loose part soup, and to layer a jar with flowers and treasures. Scissor skill practice is a bonus in this play invitation.

Oh-so-fun sensory play with petunia flowers and pretty purple and white loose parts. A nature-based sensory activity.

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Petunias are plentiful in garden centers in spring and summer and come in many different colors and patterns. It is easy to snag a pot for a good price at this time of year. Picking a pot overflowing with petunias ensures that you can cut off sprigs for sensory play and still have the pot of flowers to enjoy afterward. And it is a relief to know that all parts of petunia flowers are safe for children to touch.

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Related:

White Lilacs And Black Playdough

Flower Theme Activities

Floral Decorated Skeleton

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[Read more…]

Gadget Printmaking Poppy Art

November 10, 2022 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

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It started with a large dot print made with a pie pan, tempera paint, and a paintbrush. The intent was to make a simple red poppy print with a black round center. But afterward, I decided to add paint markings with gadgets to add more color and definition. The result is super striking gadget printmaking poppy art that’s easy and fun to do.

This poppy art is perfect for a Remembrance Day project. Red poppies are a symbol of lives lost to war since World War I. They especially serve as reminders of this each year on November 11, the Remembrance Day holiday in our country.

How to make stunning gadget printmaking poppy art.

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Follow me on Pinterest for more early learning ideas.

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Poppy Art Supplies

Gadgets used as painting tools make interesting prints, and you can find them all over your home. Here are the gadgets I use for this large-scale art activity:

9-inch round cake or pie pan
Jumbo circular bubble wand and tray
ground meat chopper
spools
bottle sponge brush
round sponge brush

A few simple supplies complete the list of items needed to make poppy art:

tempera paint colors in bright red, yellow, green, pink, and orange
12-inch x 16-inch sturdy white paper
green construction paper
green marker
ruler
scissors
glue stick
flat plate or tray

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Gadget Printmaking Poppy Art Steps

Simple steps to create beautiful poppy art with a gadget printmaking technique. The art project introduces participants to a new and unusual way to paint.

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First, lay out a large sheet of sturdy paper on a table.

Next, pour red paint on a tray or flat plate. Dip the bottom of a round cake or pie pan in the paint, and press it down on the paper background to make the flower head.

Then dip a bubble wand into orange paint and press it in the middle of the dot. The bubble wand tray holds the paint perfectly for this step.

Afterward, press a sponge bottle brush into the green paint, and make a print in the center.

Then dip a spool into black paint, and press it into the very center of the flower.

Bubble wand, sponge bottle brush, and spool paint prints add color and definition to this gadget printmaking poppy art project.

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Next, draw on a stem with a green marker. If desired, use a ruler to keep the stem line straight.

Finally, cut a simple leaf from green fadeless construction paper, and glue it onto the stem.

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Poppy Art Color Variations

The gadgets and paint colors used for enhancing the red poppies can be varied. In this art project, a bubble wand, bottle brush, and two spools are the gadgets used.

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A ground meat chopper paint print adds detail to the flower center below.

A bubble wand and ground meat chopper paint print add color and definition to this gadget printmaking poppy art project.

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Remembrance Day Poppy Art

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This next project employs the bubble wand tray for the large dot print. The tray is not as big as the cake or pie pan, so can be used with a smaller-sized paper base. And it has a scalloped edge, adding character to the poppy dot. This design is my pick for the official Remembrance Day art project for this year.

For the flower center, dip a round sponge brush or small round sponge into black paint, and press it in the middle of the red dot print. Then press a sponge bottle brush into yellow paint, and make a print on top of the black circle. Finish off with a black spool print in the center of the flower.

Tip: Letting the red and black paint dry for a few hours helps the yellow sponge bottle print stand out and remain bright.

Create this beautiful Remembrance Day poppy art with a gadget printmaking technique. The art project introduces participants to a new and unusual way to paint.

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More Gadget Printmaking Poppy Art Ideas

Instead of using only red for the large flower petal dot, introduce a few more color choices, such as yellow and orange. The colors will blend in nicely to make red-orange hues, adding shading and texture.

And since poppies come in a variety of colors, you could choose an entirely new color scheme for this project.

Bubble wand, sponge, meat chopper, bottle brush, and spool prints add highlights and detail to the poppy flower art. And the gadget painting technique introduces participants to a new and unusual way to do painting and printmaking.

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More Remembrance Day Art Projects

Remembrance Day Butterfly Craft

Remembrance Day Poppy Art

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