Sensory Art or Not

I reinforced an idea today; the art table doesn't need to be used just for art or crafts.
It's a great table to use for sensory play.

Art is a sensory experience and shaving cream play has art components.
Mixing colours, textures, experimenting and self expression.

Plus a great fine motor work out.

Beautiful oceans came to life today as well as stories to be told.

It was interesting to watch these twins and their approach to the play.

 She was totally hands in, up to the elbow.

He was tenative, trying a little at a time.

Their approach may be different but their learning was the same.

Another couldn't wait to give it a try and a taste.

Light Table Story

It was so exciting this week to see a post from 

Play At Home Mom and learn a new idea for the light table.

They cut tissue paper into shapes from a story,

laminated them and place them on the light table.  

Wow cheap, easy and quick to do.

I got right to work.

We are all about the ocean at the moment and one of our favourite books is "I'm the Biggest Thing In the Ocean"

by Kevin Sherry.

I traced the characters from the book on different coloured tissue paper.

I also made water waves in various shades of blue.

 

Sometimes a parent would read the book with the children as they acted it out.

Others made up their own story.  

He was telling a story similar to the song "Slippery Fish".

"At the end", he said, "when the whale burps he throws up all the fish".

It was interesting to ask questions about the different shades of blue water.

Which colour was it the easiest to see what was inside the whale?

Definitely as the shade grew lighter it was easier to see what was inside.

Chalk Salt Painting

I thought I would do coloured sand painting but our sand is a little too dark and a little too gritty.  

Not the nice white beach sand.  

So I substituted salt and the children grate sidewalk chalk to add the colour.

 

After mixing the chalk dust into the salt the painting began.

We used diluted white glue for the liquid to adhere the coloured salt to the paper.

This little girl used the grater to spread the coloured salt on her paper.

I thought it was inventive.

There were a few that just liked the feel of the salt.

It was a busy table with wonderful results.

 

 

Stone Painting

Last Friday we spent the morning at the beach.

While there I collected stones.

Since making story stones, I collect rocks whenever I have the chance.

This morning I set them on the art table.

Part inspiration was from these books.

Some parents shared the books with their children before starting and others read while their child painted.

Some children wanted to paint a lot of stones and I was concerned that there may not be enough for children who arrived later in the morning so I pulled out a few of our wooden peg people for them to paint.

The following child approached this project a bit differently.

He painted the stone with water first,

then added paint.

He would watch the paint mix with the water and then run down the side of the rock.

Then add more paint and keep repeating.

Next time I'll collect shells for the children to paint, it was a suggestion from several parents.