Putting The Pretty In Preschool

Finding Beauty In Everyday Early Childhood Experiences

snakes

String Painting Snake Art

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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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Reptile Active World Tray

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A reptile active world tray is a great way to introduce animals such as snakes, lizards, and turtles to young children. Having a chance to explore these reptiles in a small world helps alleviate fears surrounding these scaly animals.

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Follow me on Pinterest for more early learning ideas.

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Supplies To Collect

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The following supplies are in the reptile active world tray:

  • snake, lizard, frog, and insect figurines
  • fillable eggs
  • artificial palm branches and grass panels
  • wood logs and slices
  • recycled toilet paper and paper towel rolls
  • rocks

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The Reptile Active World Tray

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A large active world tray nicely holds a few artificial grass panels and the other sensory supplies. A bus tub or round saucer are good sensory tray bin alternatives.

Various-sized snake and lizard figurines add variety to the tray.

Frog and insect figurines serve as prey for the snakes and lizards to eat.

Toilet paper and paper towel rolls make perfect hollow logs for snakes to hide in.

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Fillable eggs are just the right size for tiny lizard hatchlings and snakelets to break out of.

Artificial palm branches provide ground cover.

And wood logs, wood slices, and rocks add natural elements to the reptile active world tray.

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Related:

Reptile Theme Activities

Reptile Egg Science

Sea Turtle Theme Activities

Turtle Pond Sensory Bin

Turtle Christmas Craft

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Reptile Theme Activities

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Reptile-themed art. science, small world, and pretend play activities for early learners. Topics include snakes, turtles, and lizards.

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A Reptile Theme is THE WAY to encourage early learners to get more comfortable with animals such as snakes, lizards, and turtles. Little ones often have a fear of these animals, partly because of how they get depicted on television. Hands-on activities alleviate fear and encourage an interest in learning more about these creatures.

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Reptile Pet Store

An effective way to introduce a reptile theme is to set up a pet store pretend play center. Collect the following and display them on shelves and tables gathered for the store:

  • snake. lizard, turtle, frog, and insect figurines
  • baskets and cages
  • cash register and play money

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Reptile Store pretend play center. Snakes, lizards, turtles, frogs, and insects for sale.

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At first, your early learners may say they are afraid of animals such as snakes, lizards, and turtles. But after playing in the store and organizing, buying, and selling the animal figurines, they will warm up to them.

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Geometric Shape Snake Craft

Geometric shapes snake craft suitable for all ages.

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Cut out large, winding snakes from 12-inch x 18-inch pieces of construction paper.

Paper punch circles, squares, triangles, ovals, stars, and hexagons from bright colored cardstock.

Ask your little learners to use glue sticks to attach shapes to the snakes. Offer tiny sticker eyes for a finishing touch.

Purchased sticker foam shapes would also work well for this craft.

Geometric shapes snake craft suitable for all ages.

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Mounted together, these snakes make a dynamic display.

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Beaded Snakes

Early learners love using craft supplies like pony beads.

Offer pipe cleaners and a variety of pony bead colors.

A colorful selection of pony beads.

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Invite your early learners to string bead colors of choice on the pipe cleaners. Wrap the ends around the first beads so the rest will stay in place. Ask your little ones to stop stringing beads about 4 cm from the other end of the pipe cleaners.

Set the snakes aside and add beads to make the snake heads. Glue on tiny craft eyes.

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Pony bead snake replica of a sedge viper.

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Showing photos of real snakes and discussing their colors and patterns encourages little learners to bead a patterned snake of their own.

Pony bead replicas of a sedge viper, butter corn snake, and Arizona mountain kingsnake.

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Painted Turtle And Lizard

Set out this two-ingredient taste-safe paint in red, green, yellow, and blue colors.

You will need: white corn syrup and food coloring.

Pour corn syrup into paint containers. Stir in a little food coloring. Add a paintbrush to each color.

Cut out cardstock lizards and turtles. Feel free to download the turtle printable below.

Allow your little learners to paint them.

Lizard decorated with taste-safe paint. An all-ages craft.

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Turtle decorated with taste safe paint. An all-ages art activity.

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Turtle template for art and craft activities.

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Turtle PrintableDownload

This printable is for individual or one classroom use only.

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This craft needs generous time to dry. It also looks stunning displayed.

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Reptile Sensory Tub

Reptile small world with snakes and lizards, and animals they feed on.

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This sensory tub is sure to delight your little ones. It includes:

  • leaves and a play grass base
  • rocks and wooden pieces
  • snake, lizard, frog, and insect figurines
Reptile small world with snakes and lizards, and animals they feed on.

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Wildlife Worker Photo Op

Hang up a treed party backdrop and set up a table with hats, snakes, and lizards nearby. Ask your little learners to pick a few props and stand against the backdrop. Take lots of photos.

Reptile-themed photo-op props.

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Wildlife Worker Prop Box

Use the photo op props shown above, and add eggs, gloves, binoculars, and pails. Set all items in a prop box for your early learners to use during play.

Reptile-themed prop box toys for pretend play.

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Family Night

An epic way to end the Reptile theme is to plan a potluck supper family night:

  • Display art projects on the walls.
  • Create a spot for a Wildlife Worker Photo Op.
  • Set out Snakes And Ladders-themed paper placemats, dice, and game chips on the dinner tables.
  • Assemble plants and beaded snakes in vases for table decor.
Pony bead replica of a burrowing asp snake used in table decor.

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  • Enjoy a potluck meal together.
  • Hire a guest to give a live animal presentation (that includes a snake and lizard) afterward. Having explored the topic of reptiles in a variety of ways, early learners are more receptive to being near live ones.

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Locally, Butterfly Wings n’ Wishes gives wonderful animal presentations.

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This reptile theme allows children to participate in engaging, non-threatening activities that help them gain knowledge about snakes, lizards, and turtles. As a result, they value these animals more.

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Reptile Egg Science

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Reptile egg science activities. Make a rubbery reptile egg and use turtle and snake figurines with egg matching play mats.

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Animal eggs come in different colors, shapes, sizes, and shell textures. Bird eggs feel hard. Snakes and many turtles lay soft-shelled eggs with a rubbery feel. Snake eggs are usually oval; turtle eggs are round to slightly oblong.

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Make A Reptile Egg

Here’s an easy-to-do Science experiment to transform an unshelled, boiled egg into a rubbery reptile egg!  It’s perfect for the classroom or to do with your children at home. 

A container of cider vinegar and an egg.

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Supplies Needed:

  • one unshelled, boiled egg
  • 1 ½ cups / 375 ml cups of cider vinegar
  • clear 2 cup / 500 ml jar
  • tablespoon
  • dessert plate

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Boil the egg and let it cool. Ask children to describe the color and feel the hardness of the egg.

Place the unshelled, boiled egg in a jar of cider vinegar.  Discuss the color of the liquid…yellow, red, and orange are words children might use for the hue. I suggest the word amber.

Put the jar in the fridge.

A boiled egg immersed in a jar half-filled with cider vinegar.

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After a couple of days, take the jar with the egg out of the fridge and have everyone view it. The cider vinegar will look a little foamy.

Scoop the egg out of the jar, place it on a dessert plate, and invite children to feel it. The egg will be tinged with brown residue. Ask children to describe the texture, which has turned rubbery.

A boiled egg taken out of cider vinegar after two days.

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New Discovery

The above egg is the result of the second time I tried this experiment! The first egg I used was not boiled, as I forgot to do it! I left the unshelled egg (in a jar of cider vinegar) in the fridge for two weeks before noticing it!  When I finally took it out, it had a neat visual appeal. The outside of the uncooked egg felt rubbery, just as the boiled one did. When I poked it, soft insides spilled out. It was a happy accident that led to a new discovery!

An unboiled egg after being immersed in cider vinegar for two weeks.
Forgotten Reptile Egg

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An unboiled egg placed in cider vinegar for two weeks, then pricked with a fork to show the soft inside.
Forgotten Reptile Egg Insides

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Reptile Egg Science Printable

Extend the Science experiment by setting out this printable with reptile egg shapes to decorate and cut, or use as a play mat for matching turtle and snake figurines.

Reptile egg shapes printable to color and cut. Or invite children to place snakes and turtles in the circle, oval and oblong-shaped eggs.

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Match snakes and turtles to their corresponding egg shapes.

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Reptile Egg Shapes Free PrintableDownload

(This printable was created in PicMonkey and is for personal or one classroom use only.)

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Do you have a favorite experiment to do with eggs? I’d love to hear about it!

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To view a video showing a snake hatching from an egg on the DK website, click here.

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