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Finding Beauty In Everyday Early Childhood Experiences

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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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Follow me on Pinterest for more early learning activities.

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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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More Process Art Activities

Salt Painting Planet Art

Pump Bottle Watercolor Art

Watercolor Apples With Markers

Painting With Corn

Eye Dropper Pumpkin Art

Fall Leaf Salad Spinner Art

Squeegee Painting Heart Art

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[Read more…] about Recycled Cardboard Process Art

Filed Under: art, Earth Day, preschool, sensory Tagged With: Earth Day, painting, process art

Salt Painting Sensory Bin

June 15, 2025 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

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This gigantic salt painting sensory tray is inspired by the many eye-catching salt trays I’ve seen online over the years.  In this activity, children are invited to color salt in a huge sensory tray and draw, design, and sculpt with the wet salt.

Salt is inexpensive and has a sand-like texture. It is taste-safe, non-perishable, and easy to color in many beautiful hues.

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Supplies to Collect

Gather the following supplies for this silky salt-based sensory bin:

  • 4 boxes of salt
  • food coloring
  • paint pots
  • eye droppers or pipettes
  • small bowls
  • clear storage containers
  • tablespoons
  • toothed scraping tools

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Setting Up the Salt Painting Sensory Tray

This low-cost sensory activity is effortless to set up and works splendidly indoors or outdoors.

If doing the activity indoors, set a large, low-edged sensory tray on a table or stand made for the tray. This light, transportable active world tray, also called a tuff tray, is up to the task. Outside, if a table isn’t available, it rests on four stackable stools or patio end tables. So easy!

Tip: Outside, I recommend placing the sensory tray away from plants and grass since salt harms them.

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Next, add food coloring in a few hues to paint pots filled with water. Thinned tempera paints also work fine. Add eye droppers to the pots.

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Then add bowls and tablespoons for scooping and mixing, and toothed scrapers for creating designs.

Lastly, pour three boxes of salt into the tray. Reserve one box to sprinkle in more doses of salt periodically to add interest to the sensory invitation as children are playing.

The salt tray is ready to explore.

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Follow me on Pinterest for more early learning activities.

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Exploring the Salt Painting Sensory Tray

This salt painting sensory tray is suitable for a group of children to explore. Invite participants to drip paint onto the salt and mix it in. They will love the coloring process and delight in mixing colors in the bowls and clear containers.

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They’ll naturally pick up the tools to make designs in the salt.

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Periodically add more salt to the bin so they can continue mixing and changing the colors.

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As the salt gets wetter, children may mold cakes and other items from the salt. When this happens, the scrapers make excellent slicers!

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When children are finished investigating the salty tray, have a water source nearby so they can wash up easily.


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Benefits of the Salt Painting Sensory Tray

Exploring a salt tray and mixing colors is a relaxing and satisfying science and sensory activity. Salt trays are also popular as prewriting invitations. Children experience a novel way to practice tracing and writing lines, letters, numbers, and shapes, using at least two of their senses. They develop eye-hand coordination and refine fine motor skills.

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More Sensory Activities

Salt and Glue Moon Art

Salt and Ice Science Experiment

Salt Painting Planet Art

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[Read more…] about Salt Painting Sensory Bin

Filed Under: art, preschool, pretend play, science, sensory Tagged With: painting, sensory bin, sensory play, sensory tray

Fall Drip Ice Cake

November 9, 2024 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

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This fall drip ice cake sensory bin combines fall colors with ice and dinosaurs. It is suitable for a winter theme about ice or could be incorporated into a fall or dinosaur theme. It would be an inviting activity outside on a hot summer day.

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Supplies To Collect

Gather the following easy-to-find, inexpensive supplies for this super fun sensory bin:

  • ice cube molds
  • empty round food storage containers
  • small bottles
  • tempera paints
  • stir sticks
  • sensory tray
  • dinosaur figurines

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Follow me on Pinterest for more early learning activities.

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Preparing the Fall Drip Ice Cake Sensory Bin

To prepare this autumn drip ice cake sensory play experience first freeze water into ice shapes. Use molds such as Ice cube trays, margarine and yogurt containers, and an ice cream pail. Allow one or two days for the freezing to be complete.

Next, pick a sensory bin to use. A large active world tray is up to the task and provides ample room to explore accessories. A round saucer sled is smaller but also works well as a sensory bin.

Then add tempera paints in fall colors to small bottles. Leave a little room in the bottles to stir in water. This slightly thins the paints and makes them easier to pour.

When the ice shapes are thoroughly frozen stack the large ones on top of each other to create a three or four-tier cake.

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Afterward, spread ice cubes in various sizes around the cake in the bin. Then set dinosaur figurines among the cubes.

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Related: Paint Pour Ice Cake Winter Sensory Play

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The Fall Drip Ice Cake Sensory Invitation

To offer the fall drip ice cake sensory invitation gather participants around the bin.

Invite them to take turns pouring paint over the ice cake.

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When the bottles are empty, allow everyone to explore the paint-covered ice cake, frozen cubes, and dinosaurs in the bin.

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This icy sensory invitation incorporating fall colors and dinosaur figurines is bound to be a favorite.

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More Fall Activities

Fall Tablescape Pretend Play

Fall Leaf Salad Spinner Art

Fall Scissor Skills Activities

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[Read more…] about Fall Drip Ice Cake

Filed Under: autumn, dinosaurs, fall, preschool, science, sensory Tagged With: dinosaurs, ice cubes, painting, sensory bin, sensory tray

Spider Web Doily Art

October 16, 2024 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

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Arty spider webs are everywhere during this time of year, and doilies are an exquisite supply for creating web décor. These spider web doily art projects are color-infused with gorgeous seasonal hues using a crayon-resist painting technique.

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Spider Web Doily Art Supplies

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Gather the following supplies for this anything-but-creepy spider-themed art project:

  • paper doilies in a variety of sizes and shapes
  • watercolor tempera paint cakes
  • white crayon
  • pencil
  • ruler
  • paint brush
  • paint pot
  • scissors
  • spider figurine
  • glue gun
  • waterproof table cover

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Follow me on Pinterest for more early learning ideas.

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Creating Spider Web Doily Art

To create beautiful watercolor doily art first cover an art table with a waterproof tablecloth.

Next, select a doily to use as a canvas for painting.

Then, use a pencil and ruler to draw faint straight lines that radiate from a focal point in the center of the doily. Draw over the white lines with a white crayon or any color. Add silky curved connecting lines with the crayon to complete the web.

Note: When offering this activity to early learners, you may wish to draw the webs on the doilies and have them paint over them.

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Afterward, set watercolor tempera cakes in the colors of your choice in a paint tray. I love the pink, purple, orange, and gold hues spotted on web décor on recent shopping trips and use these colors.

Fill a paint pot with water, wet the tempera cakes, and paint over the drawn spider web. Spread the color over the whole doily or up to the lacy edging.

Note: Liquid watercolors are a luminous alternative for this painting activity.

When the arty web is dry use a glue gun to add a spider figurine in a matching or contrasting color. Adhere the paper spider web to a contrasting cardstock paper hue if desired.

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If using a large round doily, it’s a nice look to cut out a section of the web to become your finished design.

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Variations of the Spider Web Doily Art

Round or rectangular craft doilies are easy to find, but heart doilies also work wonderfully as a canvas for a spider web art activity. In addition to being super lacy, they remind us to give spiders some much-needed love.

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Crochet doilies make perfect ready-made spider webs. Left unpainted, white or cream-colored ones look like natural webs. It is superbly satisfying to add color to them, as watercolor paints soak in very well. For a stunning look display a color-infused web and spider figurine on a mirror.

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More Spectacular Doily Art

In addition to providing the canvas for spider web doily art, use the exquisite paper shapes in a novel way for more painting fun. In the projects below, doilies are placed on paper, and the lacy cutouts are carefully filled with watercolor tempera paints. A beautiful design appears after the doily is lifted off.

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In this second project, the area above the doily is painted too. When the doily is removed, the design is so realistic it looks exactly like the paper doily.

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More Spider Activities

Spider Theme Activities

Green Huntsman Spider Activities

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[Read more…] about Spider Web Doily Art

Filed Under: art, autumn, crafts, preschool, science Tagged With: painting, spiders, watercolors

String Painting Snake Art

August 5, 2024 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

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This string painting snake art is perfect for a reptile theme. In addition to enhancing the topic of snakes, it offers children a novel way to paint.

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Follow me on Pinterest for more early learning ideas.

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Supplies To Collect

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Gather the following supplies for this simple string painting activity:

  • sturdy paper
  • tempera paint
  • small disposable plates
  • yarn
  • scissors
  • clothespins
  • spoons
  • waterproof table cover

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Preparing The String Painting Snake Art Activity

To set up this novel string art activity, cover a table with a waterproof table cover.

Then spoon tempera paint into small disposable plates.

Next, cut the yarn into lengths about 6 to 8 inches long.

Afterward, attach a clothespin to the end of each strip of yarn.

Set the paint dishes, prepared string, and sturdy pieces of paper onto the art table and the activity is ready to go.

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The String Painting Snake Art Project

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To create snake-like painted shapes, lay a string on a paint-filled plate, draping the clothespin attached end over the edge.

Use a spoon to press down on the string to ensure it is covered in paint.

Next, carefully lift off the string and lay it on the paper in a snake-like, serpentine pattern.

Then gently put the string back in the same color of paint.

Repeat the process with more paint colors to create snakes in additional hues.

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Variations of the String Art Project

After participants have completed a snake art project, invite them to explore more string painting techniques:

  • Dragging the string across the paper covers it more quickly, and allows for paint mixing.
  • Using fingers to manipulate the string instead of clothespins adds a tactile experience.
  • Experimenting with thick and thin string, and longer and shorter pieces creates different effects.
  • Spooning paint on the paper first, and dragging the string through it is another way to paint.

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Related:

Northern Lights Squish Painting

Balloon Painting Flower Art

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Apple Print Activities

Corn Syrup Paint Sunflowers

Eye Dropper Pumpkin Art

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Painting with Corn

Cauliflower Paint Prints

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More Reptile-themed Activities

Reptile Theme Activities

Black Playdough Snakes

Reptile Egg Science

Paper Chain Snake Craft

Reptile Active World Tray

Reptile Pet Store Center

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[Read more…] about String Painting Snake Art

Filed Under: art, reptiles, science, themes Tagged With: painting, printmaking, snakes

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Hi, I'm Annette Kaminsky, a preschool teacher who loves sharing learning through play activities for young children. Thanks for visiting my site. Feel free to stay awhile!

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