My Little Van Gogh

Here is an art by My Little Van Gogh. 

I showed some pictures of the famous painting to M. Here is how we made it. 

First we spread some glue onto the paper

 We painted on it using tempera paints.

 We made some Swirls using a Fork.

 Here is my daughter version of Starry Night by Van Gogh

 She also decided to Paint a Sun. Next Time we can try the thicker acrylic paint.

Here is the original famous Artwork

Glittering Ribbons made from Sticky tape

Its my Birthday post. So I wanted to write something glittery and gift-y. Here is a great way to make Glittery ribbons at home when you are out of ribbons or when you want to add a zing to your gift wrappings.

Not all Art is created with a reason. Our Glittering ribbons were also just a sudden discovery. I had figured out a new glitter sprinklers in the "No spill paint pots". They were not been used that much. M had kind out outgrown them. So I added glitters in them instead.

 I had taken out some material from our craft drawer. I had some great ideas to make with glitter. But this accidental discovery made it even more interesting.

 

 M was sticking the glitter onto the tape. And that is how we discovered an easy way to make glittery ribbons at home.

  We made quite a few of them...This idea can come handy when we need to do some last minute gift packing or just to add a little personalized touch to the gift wrap!

 We made pretty bracelets too.

M helped in wrapping My Birthday Gift.

Linking to It's Playtime

Facilitating A Naturally Curious Child

Curiosity is the god given gift to young kids. It fuels their development, make them ask questions, explore, wonder and learn. Curious kids will continue to explore and discover throughout their lives.
Facilitating
I was always interested in the subject and found a great resource by Dr Perry about "Curiosity: The fuel of Development". Based on this article I wanted to observe how the curiosity leads to learning. And how we can facilitate curiosity in Kids.

Continue to read my post about how we can facilitate curiosity through general experimentation at home.

We can facilitate this first step by making various media available to kids. By encouraging them to try and be there to support them.
 The Baking Soda and Vinegar Experiment
 I had been reading about Vinegar and baking soda experiment at various sites. So I planned this entire observation around it.These are the material I made available to my daughter- Colored vinegar( add coloring to vinegar), baking soda , measuring spoons, some play dough cutters and medical droppers.

1) Curiosity leads to Exploration.
M: Mummy,What are we going to make today?
I asked her to find out what happens when she adds drops of vinegar onto the baking powder. I asked her to start with the smallest measuring spoon and fill in one of the cutters.

2) Exploration results in Discovery
By exploration, M finds out that by adding vinegar to baking soda, It rises into a froth.

3) Discovery results in Pleasure
She was very excited to see the bubbles rising.
M: Look Mummy! Its so pretty

4) Pleasure results in Repetition 
She wanted to try more quantity and different shapes.

5)  Repetition results in Mastery
Now she had taken charge of this experiment.

6) Mastery results in New skills
 M: Mummy, What will happen if I add more?
7) New Skills result in Confidence
M: Mummy, Can I add it directly into the bowl?
Yes!

She was very excited.
M: Look Mummy! What I made.

8) Self-Esteem results in Sense of Security
M: Lets make lots of bubble. maybe a boat can float on it
Ok
M: Mummy, This boat doesn't float. Can you make a boat for me? 
I don't know how to make a boat. But I can make an airplane for you. 

9) Security results in More Exploration

M: See Mummy! The airplane can be made into a boat by turning it around!

Our Spring Miniature Play-space

Here is a sneak peek of our little Spring play-space. I set up this little play space in a tray at M's room. The tray has a rainbow which M made using pipe cleaners and clay. Our little fairy workers and a fairy who lives on flowers. There are ladybirds on the metal tree and SPRING spelled with magnetic letters. I have also placed some sight words magnets on the tree. There is also a little bird sitting in its nest.

I have planned some spring activities around this table which can be added on to this table.  Like making  green leaves with messages to all loved one which can be decorated on this tree. Making tissue paper flowers. A pond for the fairies with some frogs. And some paper birds too. Its all left to imagination for now.
As the Fairies are working to bring in the spring. We will see lots of spring-y things added to this space.

 Spring is in the air. Lets do a spring roundup. what say you?

Spring is about Flower and Trees

The Birds and the Bees

The Colors and the rainbows

Our little spring fairies are busy bringing in the spring

At our little play-space we are celebrating spring!

13 must do Garden activities this Spring!

After a long winters. It's finally the time of the best season of the year- Spring.
Spring is knocking at our doors. Listen to its calling and move outdoor to play with your kids. These fun-filled Ideas will motivate you to go enjoy the season at indoor or outdoor garden with your kids. You will also find ideas to create your own garden from scratch. This list includes some of my ideas and some awesome ideas from around the globe. I request you to visit all the linked post and check out details of the wonderful activities.

Now just sit back and enjoy spring in your own backyards


1)  Feed the squirrels-
Feeding the squirrel or other friendly birds and animals gives children an opportunity to interact with animal world in their own backyards. It also gives parents an opportunity to raising a child who is sensitive to the animal world. We love feeding squirrels in a nearby garden. 

We usually feed them nuts and crackers. Since the squirrels have become so familiar with M, they would come and take the nuts from her hands. M chases them and they would scampered all over the place. What a fun!

2) Watch Birds and install bird feeders in your garden- House sparrows are perhaps the first bird you can remember from your childhood. Kids can help setup a bird feeder or small dishes from which birds can drink water. The bird feeder needs to be washed and refilled everyday. Once you are on it, don't stop abruptly as birds travel a lot of distance for food. Here is a post about Discovering a bird lover in me.

3) Make a Garden Salad-
Making a garden salad is no child's play. You have to carefully collect all ingredients, toss it, add salt (specially made from grinding mud) and serve it on a plate.

4) Go on a nature scavenger hunt- 
Grab a magnifying glass, a camera, nature journal and a tote bag for collecting things and go hunting for nature's treasures. Explore and teach your kids about nature. You can even bring nature treasures home and look up more information about them in encyclopedias.

We discovered some pigeon eggs in our window sill last month.  We got a perfect opportunity to talk about why birds lay eggs? what comes out of them? Why pigeon gather at public places? We also found out that pigeons feed their babies with milk which comes out from a small opening near their eyes. Pigeons can also travel large distances by aligning themselves with the earth's magnetic field.
Here is another interesting read at mamasmilesblog on science for little kids:camouflage about how a simple magnifying glass can be used to raise interest in the kids to learn and how natural concepts can be introduced to them in a play-learn way.

5) Plant some tomato seeds- 
 Tomato seeds are planted around 6-8 weeks before spring.Its one of seeds which can be easily maintained in small pots. We planted or tomato seeds in small pot on our window sill. Give your kids an hands on lesson on the plant world. Plant some seeds and let kids take care of there seedling by regular watering. You can grow herbs in your window sill or make a kitchen garden and get farm fresh vegetables at home.

6) Grow your own vegetable garden-
 "If they will help grow it, they will eat it". Here is a useful resource by Katie, Artful child  at Grow your own veggies from a seed. She has an excellent post about how kids can help in growing veggie in your own backyard and how much they enjoy eating their own grown veggies

7) Observe and investigate with kids-

Learn the scientific nature phenomenons by doing simple observatory experiments.
Katie from Artful child shares  Art of investigating through a Pea Plant experiment that can be done with kids at home. 

8) Make a miniature fairy garden-

Read here at nurturestore about how to make a fairy garden from recycled natural materials.

9) Make Land Art-
 Its so much fun to create artworks from natural materials like twigs, leaves, flowers and stones. You can also make Land art by arranging natural materials into beautiful designs like this one here at PuttiPrachanda

10) Create a nature inspired artwork-

Create beautiful artwork by drawing inspiration from nature. Have a look at these beautiful Hand and fingerprints spring murals at Putti prapancha

11) Read books about nature/gardening-

Spring is the perfect time to read about books themed on growing a garden, seeds, butterfly life cycle and many other. Visit Reinacating and retelling  muncha! muncha! at Jdaneil4smom for some ideas for reenacting and retelling spring inspired books.

12) Setup a gardening area for kids at home-

Take inspiration from this patio garden  at Putti prapancha and make your own for your kids at home.

13) Bring Nature home: Set up a nature table-
Nature table consists of nature objects you have collected from the nature walks. They can be interesting roots, pebbles, leaves, flowers, seeds, feathers etc. A must visit article about  Nature Table at Mommy-labs

This is certainly not an exhaustive list of activities to do this spring. But these can certainly get you started to enjoying spring season to the fullest.
Welcome Spring!

Wasted tapes turned into an artwork and then a Suncatcher

I am in a mode of up-cycling things lately with the coming Earth Day setting. I love to look at used items like cups, boxes, packaging, bottle caps etc in a "Lets see, what we can make out of it" way. I am even picking things up from office trash and any place hygienic enough!I am eying everything with a different view- Can it be reused? Should I throw it or save it into our Upcycle Basket. It was one of these moments while cleaning up after our big art project- Abstract art cardboard box mural. That I saw a big bundle of wasted cut tape used for tape resist art . One "That way" look at it and I knew what we can do!  So here is our project about - Wasted tapes turned into an artwork and then a Sun catcher. 

Art Note: Introducing Lines through tapes and art materials. Line is one of an element of design. The other elements are-

Point

Line

Form, shape and space

Movement

Color

Pattern

Texture

This activity will introduce kids to visual element of lines by reusing tapes.Tapes that can be used for this project is the masking tape/ painters tape or a Doctor's bandage tape.Here is a picture of used bundle of tapes.

 
I collected these strips and pasted onto a placement mat. I arranged the strips horizontally onto the paper.

These lines already had some color on it from the previous project. M painted the strips with regular tempera paints. I loved the flow of lines.

These also made a wonderful Sun Catcher for our window.I plan to put these strips on a paper sheet to preserve the art work.

Here are some of our explorations with Tape resist
1) Tape resist art with inks
2) Abstract art cardboard box mural

Now its time to link in your creative project in Kids' co op Linky below.
Lets spread Creative Ideas!

Easter Special: Rolling Egg Art

Easter is just around the corner. Although we do not celebrate it traditionally at our home. Nevertheless, I truly believe in its significance and would pass on the learning to my daughter.

Here is a stunning visual effect created by rolling eggs in a tray. We had tried the rolling marble painting but this is very different as the egg is an oval. It create a swirls and very interesting curvy lines onto the paper.

We used tempera paints, eggs, a tray and papers.

We dipped the eggs in different colors. Wow! said M and quickly took charge of the project. We used raw eggs for the project. It adds to the thrill of balancing and preventing the egg from falling!

 Here are our amazing artworks.
 

 Did you noticed the natural pattern created by rolling of egg.

And here are our Easter eggs.

So you can use this technique to either make the Easter eggs or make the color effects. Either way you choose you will end up with amazing eggs and amazing color effects.