Scratch Pumpkin Decorating

               
We’re using a new technique for decorating a pumpkin this year. 
Scratch pumpkin art is an idea I found from Sow Sprout Play.
       
            Start by painting a pumpkin black. 
      It took a couple of coats to completely cover.

   Today we used toothpicks to scratch, maybe tomorrow
       we’ll try a new tool, like a toothbrush or a fork.

      The great part of this decorating is that we’ll paint it
            and start all over again tomorrow.

A Photo Story of a First Experience

   
                 
    
 
    
    
                            
 
   

Autumn Jars

A few weeks ago one of my families came in and told me about sensory jars that they had made at home.  They sound just like ones I had seen on Pinterest and found at Blog Me Mom. 
                 
So I started asking families to save small jars for us to create our own jars. 
         
We already had nature materials like, mini cones, maple seeds, sticks, hazelnut
pods on our art shelves.
 
The children picked the items they wanted in their jar then added a squirt of oil.
  
Filled up their jars with water then added one drop of red colouring and three
                          drops of yellow food colouring.
           
The grown ups encouraged the children to watch how the food dye moved
                                   through the water.
                   
After putting the lid on tight the children shook the jar and discovered a
                                       new colour.

Each time they shook their jar it changed the insides.  The nature items would
                           shift and the oil would make little bubbles.

   
They held it up to the window and noticed that how the light filtered through.

Fishes in the River

            
          We painted a river scene on foil today.  The foil
                  gave the water a shimmering effect.

                 We started with blue and green paint. 
            
       Our school district has a die cut machine which made
               it easy to cut out all these colourful fish.
  
   I told the children about the many fish we saw at the hatchery. 
  
They decided how many they wanted and glued them on to their painting.
   
         Some decided to paint over the fish, like camouflage. 
                 Or that they were deep under the water.
  

We sang…

1,2,3,4,5 Once I caught a fish alive.

6,7,8,9,10 Then I let him go again.

Why did I let him go?

Because he bit my finger so.

Which finger did he bite?

This little finger on the right.

Fish River Snack

       

         
   

Splat Fish Painting

          
Another dollar store find inspired this art today. 
Squishy fish with a ball that lights up inside. 
What happens when you add paint to an intriguing sensory toy? 
Take a look.
      

       

They did manage to light the ball up a few times but once the fish was
covered with paint it was difficult to tell.
I wasn't sure how well these puffy fish would work with leaving a print. 
The children figured out how to mould them to get great results.