Messy Kids: rainbow

Showing posts with label rainbow. Show all posts

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Play Dough Rainbow Match

*This post contains affiliate links

Up until about 7 years ago, I had no idea rainbows had an order. I don't remember that lesson in elementary school so I drew them, all willy nilly, including colors like pink or heaven forbid, turquoise. I came from a family of artists so I knew about color combinations but for some reason, I never applied it to rainbows.

So now I know, my kids know (well, my 5 year old is learning, the order that is), and we have happy, normal rainbows. And we can create them in many different ways. One easy way involves only play dough, a sheet of paper with a simple rainbow drawn on it, and a sheet protector (see picture below). That's it! Of course you need play dough in the colors of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple (or violet for you artist types) but that's easy enough to make or even buy if you so choose.

Play dough is a fantastic tool for strengthening fine motor muscles in the hands. While your child is pushing, pulling, rolling, squishing, and forming the dough, they are developing the muscles needed for writing and hand coordination.

The sheet protector allows for easy clean-up as well as the reuse of your rainbow. The kids will need to roll "snakes" from the different colors of dough. Then they can match each colored snake to the corresponding colored arch on the rainbow. Don't forget to talk about color combinations as they form their rainbow.

A bonus exploration to this project is discovering lengths. As the kids form snakes, have them show you the short snakes and the long snakes. You can also challenge them to see how long they can make a snake without it breaking. For pre-k aged children, get out a ruler or unit blocks and measure each colored snake. There are many ways to build on this project.

Don't be afraid to let your little one explore with other tools. My son sticks all sorts of things in play dough: pencils, toys, marbles, spiky balls, acorns, pipe cleaners, etc. He hides things in them too. I have to go through all the play dough before I toss it because he leaves all sorts of treasures hiding amongst the dough.

Want to make your own play dough? Here is my quick, go-to recipe from The Imagination Tree:

2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup salt
2 tablespoons oil
1.5 cups boiling water
2 tablespoons cream of tarter (optional but it does make for smoother dough)
Coloring (gel colors or liquid water colors are most vibrant but regular food coloring works as well)
Scents and Glitter are fun and optional

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl. Knead dough until it's no longer sticky. It will be very hot so be cautious. If the dough is sticky add a little flour as you knead until it reaches desired play dough texture.

What kind of rainbows have you been creating lately?

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

It's Playtime: Old Concepts, New Tricks

I love when I find a new way to use an old concept don't you? So often we come across the same old thing all over the interent and while it may be a good idea (thus everybody doing it), sometimes it's nice to go, "Oh wow! Why didn't I think of that? I do that activity all the time and if only I had changed it ever so slightly...." You get my point, right? That's what's going on this week on It's Playtime!

Looking at this picture from Play Create Explore you might think, "oh, that's cloud dough," but not quite. This Fluffy Stuff is a slightly different recipe. Use it and create your own summer snowball fight!

At this point I think we all know what a water wall is, right? Why not take the same concept and create a bead/ball run like the Russian blogger from The World of My Dreams...Lizon.org did? She used plastic bottles to create a Rotating Ball Game, fun for grown-ups and kids alike.

Puddles are for jumping and it can be fun to create Art in the Rain, but why not use some dried Tempura and create some Rainbow Puddles? This fun idea from Play Create Explore will have your kids excited to mix some colors and create outdoor art.

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, February 29, 2012

It's Playtime: Colors of the Rainbow

It's almost spring! All over the internet, snow activities are being replaced by bubbles and rainbows. Next month is the Holi Festival of Color which I think is a fantastic holiday and long to attend; sadly San Diego doesn't have one. Instead, I'm honoring color by featuring some of the great color and rainbow activities posted on last week's It's Playtime.

The Holi Festival is March 7th and Putti Prapancha is ready to help you celebrate The Festival of Color with several fun activities and links.

Why not try some Rainbow Sponge Painting posted by hands on: as we grow.

Color fun can be clean fun too! I love this Bubble Bath Spray Painting from Growing a Jeweled Rose.

Little Wonders' Days shared Rainbow Shaving Cream Painting.

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