Absorbing Art

For this you need: poster board, food coloring, containers, plastic silverware, water, glue,scissors, salt and a rimmed cookie sheet.

Our poster board was too big so we cut it in half to fit on our cookie sheet

Put a few drops of food coloring in your the containers...

Fill your containers half way up with water...

Have your child draw a design with the glue on your poster board...

Cover the glue with the salt..

Shake off all the excess salt...

Have your child use the spoons/forks to drip the colored water on the salt and glue mixture
[If your child is old enough an eye dropper will work better then the spoons but we would have just squeezed the whole thing out on one spot] 

As the salt absorbs the colored water it will move down the glue lines and create a tye dyed look :)

This idea is from FamilyFun.go.com

Potato Stamps

Well, It was inevitable...I bought potatoes for tonight's dinner a couple days ago...and forgot to put them in the crock pot so why not get some use out of them :)

You'll need: potatoes, sharp knife, paper plate, poster board/paper, paints and a pan

"Take a picture of me with my paper mom....CHEEEEESSSSEEEE!!"

Cut your potatoes in different ways. I cut one in half:  length wise, I cut another in quarters, I cut another one in half: width wise and I cut the last one at an angle.

Have your child pick their paint colors (We picked 3)

Put some of each color on a paper plate

Have your child pick a potato and get started...

"I am painting with potatoes Mom"

Encourage your child to use many different pieces of the potato....each one will leave a different type of print...

Let your child's picture dry and hang it up to display!!

Just throw your potatoes on the paper plate and toss them in the garbage, wash your little ones hands and throw your pan and knife in the dishwasher :)


Here are some other pictures from today:

Painting with Odds & Ends

All you need for this one is :
A paper plate, construction paper, paints, and your odds and ends.....we chose a toothbrush and Q-tips  (you may also need a wipe or two)

Have your child pick their paper

Place a few colors of paint on the paper plate....

Give your child the Q-tips and toothbrush and let them be creative!

Bug figured out that  she can dip different spots of the toothbrush in different colors and when she paints they get mixed :)

 

We also discovered how the different textures feel on our hands!!

We also used our fingers!!

We set it aside to dry and when it's done we will hang it on the patio door!!!

Edible Necklaces

This could even be a fun way for your child to have breakfast in the morning if you make it the night before :)

A small container of fruit loops, string, and a pair of scissors is all you need. We did it on a towel since we do our projects on the floor so it is easier for Bug

Measure the string around your child's neck...making sure to leave enough room to slide the it over their head after they are done

Cut the string

On one end tie a fruit loop to make sure all the other fruit loops stay on the string :)

Have your child string the fruit loops on the string...

That stage was difficult for Bug so we resorted to me holding the string and she set the fruit loop on the string...

And then shake it until the fruit loop moves to the bottom of the string

After a little bit we got it and started to move at a pretty good pace :)

We got our necklace done (sorry its blurry she figured out it shakes)

We tied the other end of the necklace and TA DA! We have a necklace :)

AND SHE CAN EAT IT!! What's better then edible jewelry for a toddler??

Put what is left of the cereal away and your done :)

Shiny Fishy

 Well, again we weren't feeling the whole 'art project' thing but after a little coaxing from Mommy we decided to make a shiny fishy :)

You need construction paper, scissors, plain white paper (construction paper will work for this as well), a 4-5 inch wide sheet of tin foil, and glue. (If you are as uncoordinated like I am you may need a pencil to draw your shape)

Have your child pick 2-3 different colors of construction paper

Draw your shape on the white printer paper....if you would much rather a separate piece of construction paper could be used for this as well
(Please excuse my bad art skills...I'm not the good drawer of the family :] )

 
Have your child tear the colored construction paper into small pieces

Then tear your tin foil into small pieces

Here are the piles we started before she got antsy...I had to continue to tear pieces of paper and tin foil while she worked on gluing them on the fish

While they are tearing paper and foil you can cut out the fish unless your child is old enough to help you or do it by themselves

Put the glue on your fish
(Its easiest if you put it on one spot [ie. the head or tail] first and once that area is finished do the rest)

Have your child place the pieces of foil and paper on the fish

Once she was done with the head she moved to the tail to work
(Sorry for the lack of in between pictures...I was tearing paper ;] )

Here is our finished product....once it dries we will hang it on the fridge :)

Simple...pick up scraps of paper...wash glue off hands and your done :)