Messy Kids: abstract

Showing posts with label abstract. Show all posts

Wednesday, April 3, 2013

Chalk Art on It's Playtime

Today I'm off to play with my kids in the mountains. It's all about exploring nature with hiking, waterfalls and maybe some wild animals. So in an effort to keep things short and sweet here is my fabulous feature for this weeks It's Playtime! It's all about the mess....

Creative Playhouse shared their Crushed Chalk Art. Simple, open-ended, and messy; just the way I like it! Your kids will enjoy crushing the chalk as much as creating a colorful piece of art.

If you were featured this week, don't forget to grab your special "featured button."

These activities plus more can be found over on the It's Playtime Pinterest Board. Happy Pinning!

Now, on to this weeks play date!
It's Playtime is a community and Thursday link-up hosted by:

* Rachele : Messy Kids (That's me!)
* Rachel & Holly : Quirky Momma
* Jillian: A Mom With a Lesson Plan

How to Play :

* Link up a post about a playful learning experience enjoyed by kids.

* Give us love and pop a button into your post/blog. Invite your readers to the weekly play date!

* Stop by one of our blogs every Thursday and add your link about play. Your link will show up on each of the blogs in the It's Playtime community.

* Each week the playtime hosts will choose favorite posts to feature. (By linking you are giving us permission to use an image and link to you, if featured.)

* Be sure to visit some of the links that catch your eye. Commenting on posts that you find interesting or inspiring is a wonderful way to develop your own playful community.

By linking up you give us permission to grab a picture and feature you here, on a site we write for, on FB or Pinterest. If we share your link, we will always credit you, send people to your original post and use only ONE photo.

Sunday, July 29, 2012

Ice Painting with Kool-Aid

Recently I shared our Kool-Aid Ice Play using frozen Kool-aid and paper towels to create some messy art and play. Soon after that, my son asked to play with Kool-aid ice again. I didn't have any cubes prepped so I took what we had and changed it up a bit.

I placed a sheet of construction paper onto a cookie sheet. My son loves orange so he always chooses that color. Then we carefully sprinkled several colors of Kool-aid over the paper. I let Michael help me with this as it's a good way to teach control.

Then I gave him an ice cube. He moved it around the page leaving wet and colorful trails as he did.

But Kool-aid painting isn't just about what's on the paper. It's the whole sensory experience! He had to check out what was on the ice...

then of course he had to taste it...

and stick his fingers into the powder to taste that too.

Once everything was touched and tasted, he was done. For my son, as it is with many kids, especially boys, art is about the experience rather then the product (process art). Michael could care less about what he created; for him it was all about playing and tasting ice and Kool-aid.

Wednesday, April 4, 2012

It's Playtime: Introducing Art Concepts

While there were many cute spring and Easter ideas linked-up this past week, I came across two posts dear to my heart. I'm from a family of artists. My aunt Patti is a terrific pastel artist, showing her art in several galleries and a piece at the San Diego Natural History museum. My mom paints beautiful flats and historical figures, winning awards around the world. My dad has used his artistic talents in many ways from creating fabulous set pieces for plays and classrooms, to designing puppets and puppet theaters for he and my step-mom's ministry. Art is in my blood. I've dabbled in painting, drawing, and photography but loving them all so much, I've never settled on one thing, which is my down fall because I don't do much with any of them.

With art being so important in our family, I want to instill that love in my children as well. My daughter is a budding artist, taking classes at a local studio. She's pretty good and I can't wait to see what will become of her. My son, well, he's a boy. Although I promote art, he has little interest in the subject. He's starting to draw a bit, moving from scribbles to recognizable shapes. Occasionally he'll paint, but for the most part he'd rather be climbing trees then enjoying fine art time with mommy.

Which brings me back to It's Playtime. Two posts last week stood out for me. There are ways to introduce famous artists and art concepts to little kids without going over board. I felt these posts did a terrific job of just that...

Sunnydaytodaymama shared Jackson Pollock for Children. Kids can easily relate to Jackson Pollock 's style of abstract art and have a lot of fun attempting an inspired creation. She also includes a short video showing the man at work.

Another way to create abstract art as well as teaching children about opening up to themselves and their feelings is through Soundscapes. The Art Club Blog shared how playing different types of music for children can inspire different paintings. Even with little children, try playing some classical music and ask them to paint/draw what it sounds like. You may be surprised with that they produce.

How have you introduced art and/or artists to young children? What concepts do you teach?

If you were featured this week, don't forget to grab your special "featured button."

Now, on to this weeks play date!

It's Playtime is a community and Thursday link-up hosted by:

* Rachele : Messy Kids (That's me!)
* Anna : The Imagination Tree
* Rachel : Quirky Momma
* Jamie : hands on : as we grow
* Jenny : Let the Children Play

How to Play :

* Link up a post about a playful learning experience enjoyed by kids.

* Give us love and pop a button into your post/blog. Invite your readers to the weekly play date!

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Leprechaun Tracks

*This post contains affiliate links

We thought we'd have some fun today and make some Leprechaun tracks...using Barbies! To my dismay we were out of green paint so I decided to try and make some. Here's my makeshift recipe:

Using 1/4 cup flour, gradually add water and mix until you reach the consistency you choose. Drop in desired amount of food and mix.

We put shoes on our girl Barbie so it wouldn't be just her toes. Then the kids dipped their feet into the paint.

My daughter stamped the dolls feet onto the paper while my son made his do a crazy dance.

My daughter had her doll leap, walk, and hop.

My son quickly moved onto painting with the doll's head.

"Zombie Paint Monster!"

Then the kids added glitter...

and the Leprechaun tracks are complete!

Of course, painting with dolls can be done at any time during the year, the kids will have just as much fun. It's always interesting for children to express themselves with different painting tools.

What creative ways have you celebrated St. Patrick's Day? Leave me a message below or on my Facebook page.

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