Children love mixing things together and observing the results. White paint is something I love to do art projects with little ones with because it is very conductive to mixing other things into it like gold or silver glitter. When the poster paint is still wet and runny in the tub, children love to take a brush and mix the glitter around into the wet paint. A bit of salt mixed into some white paint can change the texture and once dried is fun to touch and can lend itself to learning about ice crystals.
As little ones can’t yet write but they love making cards for their families, and making a handprint with paint inside a card is a lovely way for them to ‘sign’ a card in a way that is meaningful to them. I like let them pick a colour and then pick a colour of glitter to mix into the paint. I find this works well as glitter on its own tends to get everywhere and is difficult to clean. When glitter is pre-mixed into a tube of glue or paint, this takes out a big part of the action for children as they love the fun of pouring and mixing and observing the changes that children find so interesting. A sparkly shiny coloured set of handprints in a card is a lovely way for a young child to sign a card and send their families lots of love.
Creating a snowman is a very fun winter art project that little ones really enjoy. I like to set up this project with little tubs of all the bits they will need for them to choose from.
Round cotton pads for make-up removal are nice and round and flat, just the right shape and size for making snowman art. Some goggley eyes or sticker eyes, some bright colourful bits of wool or crepe paper for a scaf, some black paper for a hat, stickers or buttons or circles for buttons, small sticks, glue sticks and card paper. Sometimes seeing an example or picture of snowman or even having one nearby can serve as a bit of inspiration and scaffolding to get children started and inspired. Sometimes little ones can become over overwhelmed or over stimulated with lots of different mediums to choose from and having an example nearby to guide and inspire them, very little children can quite competently and independently create their very own cut and paste snowman. I really enjoyed this winter art activity with my preschoolers and their creativity and unique ideas about how their snowman should look are always such a joy and delight. They might choose to have a three-eyed snowman, or to give their snowman legs and feet too. I enjoy having show and tell time the following day at circle time or during snack time where I encourage the children to tell their friends about their art work as this not only affirms their creations but also nurtures communication and speaking skills and gives everyone a chance practice being good listeners to others as well.