tools

the kids here LOVE to paint

they love to explore with different tools

they love just mixing, stamping, scraping, and

so much more!

I had picked up a few tools last week

and let the kiddos take them outside and test them out

we sprayed 

we sponged

 we dabbed

 we did a little of everything

we made a big mess

after the mess i grabbed a few photos of what each tool made

 picked up these soft scrub sponges at Hyvee (our local grocery store) for a dollar
they made a neat flower looking design

 at Walgreens I found these travel brushes 2 for a dollar
they were fun to just dot with or to scrap and brush along your paper

 sponges from the dollar bin
I pretty sure most people have painted with a type of sponge before
I love to buy the large sponges and then cut them up to different sizes or shapes
I feel like I get a lot for my money when I buy the bigger ones

and finally there is the spray bottle

I added a little paint and a little water to the bottle

this was the kids FAVORITE!

my kids LOVE LOVE LOVE spray bottles

this was my least favorite, it was a little windy and the spray kinda went everywhere

and it left the papers very wet (because there was water and because the kids kept spraying, and spraying and spraying!!)

overall the kids really did enjoy exploring the different painting tools

and I would say these are a new favorites for us

What are your favorite painting tool?

ROOOAAARRRR!!!!!!!!!

in like a lion and out like a lamb

i don't think this saying applies to 

south dakota

but we still made a lion today!

I got some of the idea from HERE! one of my most favorite teaching blogs!

even though my idea started from the blog above

we had to turn it into our own 

but doing a few things different!

Here is what you will need:

Brown Triangle

red, orange, yellow, brown paint

tooth brushes

spiral noodles

glue

we first glued the triangle to a white piece of paper

then we "brused" the lions hair on!

The tooth brush was a new tool for must of the kiddos

but they picked up on the brushing pretty quickly!!!

more brushing!

an annoyed child

-the story of his life lately!-

we also glued on the noodles and some eyes and made a mouth with the left over brown paint!

and then here you have our lions!!!

i love the way they turned out!

these kids are soooo talented!

I was reminded to do my lion craft from this new blogger!

Also linking this project up with Mingle with Us!

DOT, DOT, DOT

and I don't mean the ...

I really do mean DOT, DOT, DOT!

ink pads and pencil erasers

kids stamping away

this little lady dotted forever!!!

long after everyone else was done she contiuned to dot away!

It was new, different, and fun!!

Today I took the time to catch some cute pics of the kids

i love when kids line toys up!

I think it means they will be super smart :)

pushing cars through the barn door!

someone was NOT happy when the cars wouldn't fit!

I have been trying for days to catch her reading llama llama red pajama on video!

It is the cutest thing EVER!

but everytime I pull the camera out she gets shy!

one day I will catch her!!!

Happy Monday Tuesday

( while talking on the phone with a friend she reminded me it was Tuesday)

Linking up with ABC and 123

Blow Paint

This is awesome!

so cool!

can I do another?

I love this!!

--these are a few of the phrases that I heard during project time--

It was a hit!

What you need:

paper

straws

paint

and a few good lungs!

Its pretty simple:

squirt paint onto paper

give each child a straw

and use those good lungs to blow the paint around

DONE!!

After blow paint was done I took out a bunch of stickers for the kids to use up

Never did I think that between blow painting and stickers that an entire 2 hours would be used up!

This kids were crazy about both activities.

I didn't take pictures of the kiddos playing with stickers and I am kinda kicking myself for not!

They were so into it and made some of the neatest things with their stickers!

These kiddos NEVER stop to amaze.

Even the very little kids sat perfectly still as I handed them each a sticker one at a time since they were not able to peel the stickers themselves!

It was the PERFECT activity!!!

Here are a couple of the sticker projects that were created!

Lots of time and energy were used on these photos!

I am soooo in love with them!!



Blogging Break Catch up!

I took a break from blogging the last couple days

because

1. I wasn't in the mood

2. We didn't do anything to exciting!

and then I decided it doens't need to be exciting to blog about

I am blogging to share!

So Wednesday we did 2 different stations

(these kids are obsessed with doing stations right now so I am rolling with it!)

At station one they painted with Yarn

At station two they painted with popsicle sticks

It was weird because the group that did the yarn station first didn't really enjoy it but LOVED the popsicle station, and the kids that did the popsicle station first seemed bored but painted FOREVER with the yarn!  Kids are so crazy sometimes!

On Thursday we did this

But its all I can share with you for now! 

You will learn more next week!

I know the anticpation is killing you right...or not :)

Last night the hubby ordered pizza

(i had left the house in a hurry and didn't prepare any meals or leftovers so that means order pizza)

anyways I LOVE to marlbe paint when I have pizza boxes!

And what kid doesn't love to shake a box with marbles inside as crazy as they want!!

dumping the painted marbles in the box

giving the box a good shake!

finsihed product!

one more shake for good measure!  :)

And Finally I leave you with my little computer nerd!

(and yes he is playing with a barbie computer, but thats what you get when your older sister is a girl!)

Linking up with Two Sasters TGIF #6

Musical Painting

First I have to say:

What you are about to read is a MUST!!!

If you have never tried this or done it

PLEASE PLEASE DO!!

What you need:

A vareity of painting/writing stations

Music (we used "chillout music")

Set up your stations

I had 4 stations

-easel

-dot paint

-writing activity UNER the table

(taped paper to the underneath of the table)

-finger painting

Play some music, when the music stops the kids switch stations!

I tried to monitor to make sure they were done or very close to done before I stopped the music!

EASEL PAINTING

FINGER PAINTING

UNDER THE TABLE WRITING ACTIVITY

(A MUST DO!!!)

DOT ART

SERIOUSLY best activity EVER!!!

there was something so amazing during this project I can't even explain it very well!

Kids were painting by the way the music was playing!

I had beautiful pictures from calm queit music!

I had WILD pictures from a more African upbeat song

I had Messy pictures from music that was all over the place!

EVERY PICTURE WAS PERFECT!

IT WAS FANTASTIC!!!!

I will be doing this more often and HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend doing (did i mention you NEED to do this) this with a large group, small group, or just play different types of music with your child at home when doing some painting or drawing!

Here are a few more photos from our fantastic project time!

Alrighty! 

Hope everyone had an AWESOME tuesday!

I know we did!!!

Linking this post up with Show and Tell #87

this is a GREAT blog!  Make sure to check it out!!!