Originally posted on Design in Play:
Snowmen at Night is one of my kids’ favorite wintertime books. It’s become a bit of a tradition to pull it out in January, just like reading seasonal and holiday-themed books other times of the…
This year, picking Valentine’s Day cards for school was a challenge. While my six-year-old hoped to find whale-themed cards, my nine-year-old insisted that cards prominently featuring Guinea pigs must be available somewhere. Well, they were not so easy to find. Using simple cut … Continue reading
Snowmen at Night is one of my kids’ favorite wintertime books. It’s become a bit of a tradition to pull it out in January, just like reading seasonal and holiday-themed books other times of the year. The story is entertaining and the … Continue reading
Drawing with shading and highlights is typically taught later in elementary art. However, this easy snowman drawing technique is simple enough for a preschool art project and has a big visual impact when complete. Using basic geometry, and just two colors, a … Continue reading
First of all, what is a thaumatrope? A thaumatrope, roughly translated from ancient Greek as “wonder turn,” is the most basic of paper movies. By simply moving a handle, a thaumatrope creates the optical illusion of two images merged into one. Since … Continue reading
Just in time for Halloween party crafts, but fun for kids any time of the year, these “monster” paper crafts combine origami, cutting skills and zentagle-style pattern making to create clever monster-themed bookmarks. Monster Bookmarks – Basic Supplies: 1 1/2- 2″ strips … Continue reading
A bridge is a structure built to span a gap or obstacle without closing the opening underneath. For example, a bridge may provide passage over a river, a valley or a road. The design of a bridge varies depending on its function, the terrain of its location, and the construction method and building … Continue reading
Paint chips are not only an easy way to start exploring the basics of color theory. They provide a they a great material for creating colorful and sturdy building blocks! Start with a variety of colorful paint chips, showing 7 levels … Continue reading
Architects and engineers have designed many clever ways to support the walls and roof of a building. In ancient Greece, the most common supports were columns. For a column to work properly, it must withstand the force of compression created … Continue reading
To engage both my kindergartener and my third grader in an art activity that allows for individual creativity, as well as reviewing a few geometry concepts, we spent the afternoon working on these Geometry Prints and Drawing Prompts. While a kindergartner’s geometry study primarily … Continue reading
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