Let's make some bookmarks! This versatile project can be tied in with science lessons (solar system, the universe, weather), used as safe intro to watercolor (it's abstract so it's hard for kids to "mess up") or to accompany a book about space. Supplies: Cardstock or watercolor paper Watercolor paint Brushes Cup of water Painters tape … Continue reading Galaxy Bookmarks
We are obsessed with dinosaurs in this house. My kids read books about them, set up pretend worlds, dunk them in the tub, bury them in sand, step on them and silently curse the day they bought them - oh wait that’s just me. For this simple activity, we froze those pesky plastic dinosaurs in … Continue reading Frozen Dinosaur Adventure
Sometimes my kids watch these simple, repetitive shows on TV where cars go down a ramp into a pool of paint and emerge a different color. The other day my son asked if he could roll his vehicles through paint and while I was thinking of a child friendly way to say “hell no”, I … Continue reading Salt Dough
Using cars to practice counting and simple addition.
I've been grappling with what I can do personally in response to the overwhelming racism and bigotry that has always been here, but is now being filmed in real time, discussed on timelines and Tik Tok's and heatedly debated at dinner tables. I say this, clearly, as someone who has not had to deal with … Continue reading Ten Diverse Toddler Books You Need
My son is very active. And that’s putting it mildly. This constant movement carries over into how he learns. If I ask him to go find me something that starts with a “B” sound, he will trot off excitedly. But if I ask him to point to a picture on a paper of something with … Continue reading Matching Letter Sounds
I really believe students will live up to your expectations - if you expect great things, they will show you that. If you expect a room full of chaos - they will show you that too. With this in mind, I took a chance and used permanent markers with kindergarten and first grade. And they … Continue reading Sharpie Wielding Six-Year-Olds
A short seven weeks ago, I was running around my classroom finishing up prepping for maternity leave. Frantically photocopying, finishing power points and furiously organizing supplies. This is partly because I am a notorious procrastinator and partly because I wanted everything to be perfect. I left that evening with the cleaning crew - pretty satisfied … Continue reading Maternity Leave in the Art Room
It turns out that being pregnant, teaching 750 students a week AND updating a blog at least once a week is a lot of work- because I haven't been doing it. This summer, as I envisioned my organized classroom full of eager students deeply engaged in meaningful art making, I was sure creating a world-class … Continue reading Iyanla Fix My Classroom
Paint Think Play 