Sensory Archives - Page 2 of 6

January 18, 2012 by Megan Schiller

Tape Resist Paintings

For the first week of our new session, we began with a tape resist painting exploration (where tape is first placed on paper, painted over, then peeled up to reveal negative space). It’s always a fun challenge to come up with an introductory lesson for new students that still offers something fresh and novel for the returning students. I think it’s important to start new students off with finger/object painting so they get to know the qualities of tempera paint and the wacky tools that are available to them each week. This project allows for both the messy, sensory experience of finger/object painting, while simultaneously teaching this new technique of tape resist.

For the 1s and 2s classes, the children started off painting over tagboard (similar to poster board) that was pre-taped with the first letter of their name. So for those kids who aren’t yet interested in the tape, they will still get to see the effect of the tape-resist. The children were also given fingerpaint paper and colorful tagboard to try out new painting surfaces.

Some of the toddlers tried making their own designs with tape before painting over them.

They also explored the studio to find that the easels and the window made great painting surfaces as well!

The 3s, 4s, & 5s classes began with tape and scissors to experiment with their own designs.

Then they focused on painting over their tape work. Some covered their entire paper, while others chose only parts of the paper to paint.

When the children decided that they were done with their paintings, the teachers showed them how to carefully lift up the tape to see their designs- So cool!

Some of the finished pieces:

November 30, 2011 by Megan Schiller

Clay Exploration, Leaf Prints, and Sculpture

For our week of clay exploration, some children worked with clay for the first time, while others re-visited this fun medium, experimenting with new techniques. The 1s and 2s classes began testing out a few tools to manipulate the clay.

After a bit of exploration with only the tools, the children were offered decorative objects to use with their clay (popsicle sticks, buttons, glitter, and paint).

The older twos classes tried out our new plaster molds. They pushed clay into the mold, rolled over it with their rolling pin, and then peeled it up to see detailed designs appear- So exciting!

The younger classes were eventually given water to add to their clay for a super sensory (and messy!) experience.

Window painting was also a hit this week!

The 3s/4s classes first were introduced to resist leaf printing. They chose leaves to press into their clay, painted over the entire thing with tempera, then peeled up the leaf to reveal their print.

After peeling up the leaves, you can see the veins printed into the clay. The leaves also acted as a resist to the paint, allowing the outline of the leaf to show when peeled up.

After leaf printing, the kids began to add to their work with more clay and decorations.

Some kids also decided to pick out items from the recycled materials bin to use with their clay.

A couple of the finished sculptures…

November 7, 2011 by Megan Schiller

Fall Classes Have Begun!

The new Make+Believe art studio has opened! After a long month of moving the studio, getting the classes filled, and finding the right teachers we have finally begun our fall session. Here is a look into the new space- it’s small, but feels just right for our little tots.

For our first week of the session, we began with finger/wacky object painting for the 1’s and 2s classes. The returning students never get tired of messy painting, while the new children get to explore the tempera paints and wacky tools that will soon become very familiar. This activity is also a great way to show the children (and parents!) that this studio is place for messy exploration and open-ended creativity.

The easels are a always a big hit with the younger classes.

The 3s/4s classes began by mixing their own colors to use in their paintings. Quite a bit of time was spent squeezing and stirring the primary colors to see what new and interesting colors they could create.

When they were ready to paint, the children used their new colors as a base for a mixed-media art piece. Some of the kids added circle tissues and glitter, while others decided to cut their own tissue shapes and add other bits of collage materials to their work.

The kids had fun getting to know their teachers as well!

At the end of each class, everyone washed up in the water table outside and got to explore the new garden area of the GROW Art & Garden Education Center. The chickens, the fort, and the hay bales were especially enticing!

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July 20, 2011 by Megan Schiller

Back to the Basics with Finger Painting

This week in the older 2s class we went back to the basics with good old finger painting. Although our tempera projects often turn into finger painting, we haven’t focused solely on this sensory experience in a long time. When we’ve done finger painting in the past, it was always with regular tempera paints so the kids could really get to know the type of paint that we use most often. This time we tried out some gel-like “finger paints” that have a very different consistency than the tempera paints. The kids had so much fun squishing, mixing and rubbing the paint all over!

After using our hands for a little while, I offered the kids a variety of tools to use with their paints to add texture- They especially liked our new sponge wands!

After finger painting we moved outside to paint on our large floor mural with bouncing bean bags, mops, and brooms- a super messy and super fun class!

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July 13, 2011 by Megan Schiller

Exploring Clay- Creating Textures

This week was dedicated to clay exploration. For the mixed age class, the young kids worked inside, getting to know the clay and experimenting with various tools. The older kids sat together outside making sculptures.

In the 2s class, we experimented with different textured tools. The children first rolled out a slab of clay with textured rollers to see what kinds of marks they made on the clay.

Then I offered the kids clay hammers that pound different shapes into the clay. They got creative with the tools and began making textures in the clay in new ways.

After creating a variety of textures on their clay, the children decorated their work with glitter glue and fun materials like buttons, jewels, shells and pebbles.

After putting their work to dry on the shelf, I offered the kids new clay to explore with water. This is a sensory experience that is an important part of learning about clay. It won’t result in a finished product (more like a mushy clay soup )- but it sure is fun!

After working with clay, both classes got some painting in before class was over.

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June 1, 2011 by Megan Schiller

Leaf Rubbings and Exploring Pastels

For our final week of the session, we focused on leaf rubbings and pastels. The children first learned how to create an imprint of a leaf by placing it under the paper then rubbing on top of the paper with the side of a crayon.

After trying out the leaf rubbings, I offered the children chalk pastels to explore.

They experimented with rubbing, drawing, and blending this soft, dusty medium.

Then I offered them water and a brush to see what would happen if the pastel got wet. As they painted their drawings with water, the chalk dust mixed with the water and turned it into a colorful paint.

After wetting their papers, they drew again with the pastel and noticed how the colors became darker against the water.

Being our first drawing project for the youngest 1s class, we focused on making marks with oil pastels, then trying out liquid watercolor over the drawings.

No matter what age, all the classes love to paint, mix, and pour watercolors. Especially when glitter is involved!

The 1s classes also got to do some major sensory painting with foam paint.

Foam paint on the acrylic easel adds a twist to this sensory experience!

Remember the clay etching experiment in the 3s/4s class? The clay was dry and finally ready for the 3rd step to complete the process. In order to try to rub off some of the top paint, the children moved sand paper around in circles on top of their clay. The hope was that this would roughen up the top, leaving mostly the paint inside the scratches, so their design would stand out.

It was a little hard to sand off the top layer of paint, but they did manage to achieve a cool effect!

Thanks everyone for a great school year and final session. I had a blast!

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May 18, 2011 by Megan Schiller

Clay: One Medium, Many Techniques

This week we explored clay in many different ways! Each class focused on a different clay technique, based on the ages of the kids. The youngest 1s class had their first clay experience- mostly poking, pinching, cutting, and getting to know the clay.

The older 1s/early 2s class started off learning about leaf prints. They used a rolling pin to press leaves into the clay to make a print. Later on, I offered them some “treasures” (buttons, rhinestones, and popsicle sticks) to decorate their leaf prints.

The 2s class started off making pinch pots. They shaped the pots by pinching with their thumbs and fingers, then they decorated their pots with buttons, rhinestones, and glitter.

They were so proud of their pinch pots!!

The older 2s/early 3s class worked on building sculptures with toothpicks and wooden skewers. I showed them how to shape the clay into balls and coils while they tinkered with connecting and stabilizing the shapes. We did this same activity a few months ago and it’s so great to see how their composition and ability to construct has evolved.

In the oldest class (3s/4s) we experimented with clay etching. This will be a three week process before the final product is ready to take home. First the children drew a design with a toothpick into a block of clay. Next week they will paint the clay and let it dry. Finally on the last week, they will sand down the top layer, leaving only the deep lines painted. I’ve never tried this before, so I’m super curious to see how it will turn out!

After each class worked on these very different techniques, they were all given new clay for the chance to play around and experiment in their own ways. Learning technique is important, but it’s not worth much if the kids don’t get a chance to mess around afterward and test all that they have learned.

And of course water is a very important addition to the clay free-play time!

If you ever are looking for an activity that is guaranteed to keep kids busy for at least an hour, just give them some silky modeling clay, and plenty of water. The sensory experience is addictive!

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May 4, 2011 by Megan Schiller

A new 1s Class!

We have a new group of 1-year-olds who are ready to start their art careers! For their first day of art class, we began with finger and texture painting, as I always do with newbies. On the table were bowls of paint (in the primary colors and white), scoopers, and finger paint paper. I encouraged them to touch the paint with their fingers, but also offered them tools to use when they were first reluctant to get messy.

With toddlers, I always start with tools such as combs, mardi gras beads, toy cars, etc. Not only do these objects create interesting textures, but they also allow young children to get their hands messy little by little (I used to think that all toddlers would dip their hands in paint right away, but many actually are very reluctant!) A standard brush is more removed from the paint, while mardi gras beads get completely painted which accidentally get children’s hands messy. This gives them more confidence to touch the paint.

As the kids began to move around and explore the studio, I offered them some brushes and rollers to use at the easels.

They were excited to check out the materials on the shelves!

After our messy introduction to painting, we went outside for some water play/clean up time.

Smiling painted children= a successful first day!

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May 3, 2011 by Megan Schiller

Flower Fabric Dying and Balloon Painting

It’s spring time and beautiful flowers are in bloom! Because flowers have so much color to offer us, I decided to try out a flower dying technique with the older classes. I gave each child a piece of muslin fabric and a mallet. They chose some flower petals and leaves, placed them on their fabric, folded the fabric over, and pounded away.

As they pounded, the dye began to show through the muslin. When they decided they were finished, they opened it up and peeled off the petals to find their fabric filled with color.

After our fabric dying, we moved on to bigger and messier things… balloon painting! We started off painting with small air-filled balloons (for safety it was important that if any balloons popped, they were thrown away immediately). The kids dipped the balloons in paint and dabbed them on the paper, which created circular swirls of color.

Soon I brought out balloons filled with water for the kids to try out. The water added weight and movement to the balloons and were really fun to squish around!

Things began to get messy and the kids moved around the studio painting at the easels and trying out their balloons in different places.

Some of the water balloons popped and the kids decided that they wanted more water to use in their work.

I recently got some new basters and was excited to have the kids test them out!

So much fun!

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April 27, 2011 by Megan Schiller

1s Oil Pastels, Bleeding Tissue… and Messy fun!

For the last week of the 1s class, we began with oil pastel drawing on watercolor paper. Drawing is still fairly new to these kids, they’re still learning how to scribble and press down at the same time. Oil pastels are great for little ones because they are rich in color and will show up even with the lightest touch.

After using the oil pastels, I offered the children small squares of bleeding tissue paper to place over their drawings. Then they soaked the tissue paper with water (trying hard to squeeze the spray bottle triggers). As the color from the tissues began to bleed onto the paper, the kids added glitter and found some tools to move the tissues around. Once the tissues dry, they will fall off and leave a beautiful painting in their place.

Soon, the kids were moving around the studio, painting at the easels and trying out the splat painting that the older classes were working on.

The 1s group wasn’t so interested in throwing the cotton balls for the splat painting, but they enjoyed working with the materials in other ways!

Towards the end of class a couple of kids saw a plate of paint on the floor and began to take off their shoes. I grabbed some paper and let them go at it!