Art supplies can get a bit expensive, especially if your children run through them in the blink of an eye, but there are a few materials you can actually make at home using ingredients you probably already have. So here are a few little nuggets for those of you interested in mixing up a batch of paint or glue in your spare time! Now, I will confess I have not tried all of these recipies, I'll let you know which ones I did and update as I go along. Watercolour Paint This is a fairly easy recipe. I tried this and although you do get nice vivid colours when the paint dries it leaves a very chalky substance (the dried cornstarch) on the paper surface. But hey, at a young age making art is about the process, not so much the longevity of the piece or even the final product itself! Image Credit: Happy Hooligans Stamps You can make gorgeous prints or homemade stamps by recycling your meat or vegetable trays. You know... those foam trays you toss when you take out your cucumbers etc. I use them for so many different things! But older children can be trusted to scrape simple patterns into them to make lovely prints. You have to cut them down to size first and then use a pencil to draw out the desired pattern. Then just brush some paint onto the pattern and press onto paper or maybe brown cotton to make a batik! Recycled Crayon Bits This one I simply have to try! If you have tons of teeny tiny crayon pieces that your children refuse to use, sort them according to colour families (they don't have to be exact). Then put them into tiny muffin tins, shaped ones if you have them, and bake them in the oven. Guess what? You get brand new crayons that are bound to be the star of the show! See here for directions. Image Credit: Our Best Bites
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We all associate Easter with Easter Egg Hunts but there are a lot of other fun and creative games you can get your children into over the holidays that will get them into Easter mode. Easter Colouring Pages and Connect-the-Dots Here are a few I came across on the internet... you can print these off and voila you have a themed activity that cost you nothing and provides a bit of entertainment. Colouring Pages Dot-to-Dots Decorating Easter Eggs Children love to get into decorating anything and the lovely pastel colours associated with Easter a just a joy so why not? You can use Sharpies or paint to decorate and just have fun! Take a look at the picutures below for a bit of inspiration :) Easter Crafts
You can also do a quick search for ideas... Pinterest is a great place to start and you will see just how many cute little projects you can find to keep your children busy. From making bunny ears to decorating an Easter bonnet... the possibilites are endless! I'd love to see some pics of what you do! Feel free to share them in the comments or post them to the Facebook page :P Have fun creating and Happy Easter! If your child drags out markers and paper at every opportunity you may have a budding artist on your hands. As parents we all want to nurture the talents and interests of our children, but let's face it, art can be a bit messy! So if you find yourself yelling at them to put their things away more often than not, try creating a space for art in your home instead. I know that sounds extravagant... but it doesn't have to be a dedicated room, (faint... what a dream!) it can be just a huge clear plastic bin for art supplies or maybe a shelf in their bedroom. Here are a few tips to get started. 1) Make it accessible. Art supplies just have to be within their reach or what's the point. You want them to be able to get things without having to ask and put them away on their own as well. 2) Stock it well. Make a trip to the art store or book store and buy some paper, markers, crayons, paints, child-safe scissors etc and watch them go crazy. 3) Have somewhere for them to set up and sit. It's ideal to have a child size table and chair but you can improvise. My children sit at my coffee table on a pair of small stools. Wherever you choose will become their go-to spot to create. You just need to set things up once and it will take off from there. 4) Somewhere to display art. PriceSmart has a nice corkboard that you can use as your child's rotating art gallery. As new art gets produced you take down the old ones and file them away! Just for fun and inspiration take a look at how this person set up an art space for her kids. If you have any tips on what you have done or maybe questions or comments leave them below!
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Hi Parents,
This section of the blog is dedicated to you. Come to find inspiration, ideas and tips for encouraging creativity. I also hope this becomes a gathering place for like-minded parents to chat and engage each other on the topics as they arise! Let's work together to help our children have great experiences! Archives
January 2017
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