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
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
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
Using art and physics, this simple craft plays with an object’s center of gravity to make a fun little toy that surprises and delights little engineers! Throw a ball in the air and gravity pulls it right back down, but not everything falls straight … 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
Snap Circuits provides excellent interactive lessons in creating electrical circuits through a balance of guided instruction and experimentation. By following the manual’s clear illustrations and easy-to-follow directions, little engineers use hands-on activities to gaining a valuable understanding of how electrical … 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
In the Montessori educational model, teaching materials build upon each other in a specific sequence that allows for students to learn at their own pace while also addressing the need for order and independence. A clear example of this is the use of Metal Insets. For toddlers, preschoolers, and early elementary age … Continue reading
Design in Play 