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Match box art idea

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match box ideas

After really enjoying our large scale painting we decided to go small this week and try out some tiny match box art.

I traced around the outside of the match box on a piece of paper to make lots of frames and then the children set to, creating all sorts of designs.

We had no particular plan in mind, other than using the matchbox as a frame, but when L drew a garden scene we decided to transform the matchbox into a window to peep through.

match box art

We added a window frame and used tissue paper to make some curtains. The girls like peeping through the fairy windows and have plans to make a whole skyscraper full of different views. I like the depth that the layers add to the picture.

Glue a little magnet on the back and you can create a match box gallery on the fridge.

If you like our ideas, please share them on Facebook or twitter or link back to them from your blog.

happily shared with made by little hands Monday and  for the kids Friday and  it’s playtime and creative juice and  upcycled awesome

The Rainbow Fish craft idea

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the rainbow fish topic

I’m delighted to feature a guest post idea today from Suzanne of skybluesea, inspired by The Rainbow Fish story by Marcus Pfister.

Suzanne is a freelance textile artist and she’s recently been working with a Reception and Year One class to produce an amazing collaborative work based on The Rainbow Fish book. The process incorporated art, design, texture, colour and numeracy. Here’s Suzanne to tell you more.

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“A long way out in the deep blue sea there lived a fish. Not just an ordinary fish, but the most beautiful fish in the entire ocean. His scales were every shade of blue and green and purple, with sparkling silver scales among them.”
extract from ‘The Rainbow Fish’ by Marcus Pfister .

I have recently completed a project with a Reception and Year One class for Curious Minds. The brief was to include collaborative and individual working for the children, numeracy and the theme ‘water’. Mathematical language was used throughout : how many?, how many more?, Is that too much?, Do we need more or less?

The children experienced silk-painting, and drawing outlines of shapes with gutta. We then talked about ‘The Rainbow Fish’ and we decided to create a huge silk painting based on it. They also made small wire and tissue fishes, and they had to choose two colours of beads for threading – counting as they threaded them on.

feltmaking with children

Their fishes were then suspended from the ceiling with ribbons and displays of their silk painting, and lot of photographs of the children working. Questions  like ‘How many points does a star fish have?’, ‘How many octopus can you see?’ also became part of the display.

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The children’s project also incorporated felt making, sewing and weaving. I love how they were able to try out lots of different techniques and make their own design choices as well as coming together to create a collaborative work of art the whole class took part in.

You can see the finished result and find a tutorial for the felt making collage over at skybluesea – pop over and be inspired to try the ideas out with your children.

happily shared with abcand123

Collage ideas: lentil art

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rangoli patterns with children

Using store cupboard staples such as red, green and brown lentils, rice and pearl barley to make collages adds an extra sensory dimension to your play – and is a good way to use up any leftover packets just past their eat-by-dates. Try and provide a mixture of shapes and colours and place them in little pots on your creation station.

art using lentils

The basic principle is: glue, sprinkle, dry. You can keep to one colour per section or mix it up a little.

collage with seeds and lentils

You can freestyle on your glue and maybe make some repeating patterns – or draw out a design for your collage. Filling in outlines of letters and number allows children to feel the shape of the characters and makes a good addition to a sensory alphabet chart.

For more ideas, try making rangoli patterns with your children or try creating some art with spices with this idea shared with our Play Academy by My Kids Make.

happily shared with the resource centre and creative Friday and  upcycled awesome and kids get crafty and Made by Little Hands Monday and the Learning Laboratory and  Tot school and making Monday marvelous Craft Schooling Sunday

Easter craft ideas

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Need a last minute Easter craft idea? Here are some of our favourites from our Easter archive.

daffodil craft

Daffodil bunting made from egg boxes

decorating easter eggs

Fun designs for child decorated Easter eggs

cress heads

Crazy haired eggheads

easter card ideas

Sweet but simple ideas for Easter cards

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Recipes for dying eggs and the rules to play egg bowling

easter rabbit craft

A family of Easter bunnies and a flower meadow for them to live in.

easter nest cakes

Our recipe for crispy Easter nest cakes.

And join us tomorrow when we’re hosting the Carnival of Spring Play. Come and link up your posts on any spring-themed play idea, craft or activity and get lots of ideas from the Play Academy commmunity.

happily shared with we teach and preschool creations and the Carnival of Spring Play and someting for the weekend and  creative Friday and  for the kids Friday

Junk model ideas

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Are you celebrating Earth Day with your children this Friday 22nd April 2011? For environmentally-friendly, creative play we love to make junk models. We love using items from our craft box which otherwise would be thrown away – turning them into toys and extending the life of the materials.

Here’s a showcase of our favourite upcycled junk models. If you have any more ideas you can share with us, please leave a link in the comments or on our Facebook page – we’re always looking for new inspiration and have a stack of boxes ready to go!
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A riding stables created from the contents of our making box

 

A dragon made from egg boxes

 

A double decker bus from a shoe box

 

A cardboard box ride on train

 

make a dinosaur land
A dinosaur world from a cardboard box

carnival of junk play

And have a look at our the ideas shared by all our Play Academy community in our Carnival of Junk Play

happily shared with made by little hands Monday and Friday’s nature table and  preschool creations and  the resource centre and creative Friday and  for the kids Friday and  It’s Playtime and  upcycled awesome and  kids get crafty

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